© EuroFootball.com
VMFD "Žalgiris" team attack leader Calum Elliot will celebrate his 25th birthday together with his close relatives who arrived in Vilnius for the first time.
The Scottish player, who exchanged the United States for Lithuania, is happy with his decision. Here he says he has found not only his game, but also an excellent team in the Vilnius city football club "Žalgiris".
Attracting the attention of football fans in Lithuania, C. Elliot talked about his first team mate and opponent - his brother, life in Lithuania, dreams, and other things.
- Vilnius city football club "Žalgiris" congratulates you on your birthday! Will you celebrate this day?
- Thank you very much to the whole team for the greetings. On my birthday, I will celebrate with my family members who arrived in Lithuania on Thursday. We will all go out for dinner to a restaurant, and later we will take a walk in Vilnius. This way we will symbolically celebrate my birthday and have a good time. I can't wander too much because very important matches await on Sunday.
- Is it the first time your relatives have come to visit you in Vilnius?
- Yes, the first time. My brother, sister and friend flew in from Scotland. They have been wanting to see me and see how I settled here for a long time. I often communicate with my family members via the internet, so before leaving for Lithuania, I warned them that it is much colder here than in Scotland.
- Have you ever had to represent a club team throughout the summer while most other league teams rest?
- No, I have not. This will be a completely new experience. It will be a bit strange to play matches in June and July, because usually I had vacations at that time. The weather conditions will also be different from what I am used to, but there will definitely be no problems, as in Scotland we used to start training camp in the summer.
- How did you start playing football?
- My first football steps began in the park near my house. I played with my brother and his friends who were a few years older than me. Later on, I started to train regularly and represent various teams. I don't remember the exact age when I started attending training sessions. I only remember that I was a very young child at that time.
- Which Elliot plays better? The elder or the younger one?
- My brother always used to say that he plays better than me, but I always told him that it was not true. In fact, in our early childhood, my brother was a very good player. He also played professionally. He is no longer pursuing a football career now. He has a family, and instead of football he chose other priorities. It's just because of this reason that he never played at such a high level as he could have. Although my brother no longer plays professionally, he still has not lost his sports form. Sometimes we compete against each other now. He used to play in the attacking midfielder position, so we have similarities. Unfortunately, he won't be able to watch my game on Sunday, as he will fly back to Scotland in the morning.
- What memories do you have from the Edinburgh "Hearts" club?
- This club was very important to me. I spent many years there. I highly value the lessons I learned there and I am glad I had the opportunity. Unfortunately, for the past 2-3 years, I have been plagued by injuries and I could not show all my abilities.
- Do you still feel the effects of the injuries?
- The doctors took very good care of me, helped me to properly rehabilitate, so now I feel great. I hope I left all the injuries far behind. Now that I am healthy, I can show all my skills. I never lost faith in myself. I must admit, it's still unusual for me to play 90 minutes in every match. This is because over the past three years I rarely spent that much time on the field. The practice I have gained playing for "Žalgiris" will definitely benefit me.
- You have been in Vilnius for three months now. What opinion have you formed about the VMFD "Žalgiris" team during that time?
- I believe we are a good and friendly team. We have a demanding coach who wants to see attacking football on the field. Everyone listens to him and tries to execute every instruction. There are many young promising players in the team. They are high-level footballers with all the qualities needed for a professional.
- I would not be surprised to see them playing in a strong English team one day. Speaking of the current situation, I firmly believe that we can continue our successful performance and achieve many more victories.
- You were offered a contract by the Americans - the "Houston Dynamo" club, which competes in the main North American league (MLS). Do you regret exchanging the United States for Lithuania? Do you ever think about how your career would have developed across the Atlantic?
- I do think about it, but very rarely. Before coming here, I had more offers to choose from, not only from the US or Lithuania. "Žalgiris" offer seemed the most suitable to me, because I believed in this team and its activities. The club's sports director Mindaugas Nikoličius trusted me not only as a player but also as a person. I don't want to disappoint either him or the team, so I will strive to show my best game. The team has provided excellent conditions, and the result is significantly improved performance.
- You quickly became one of the most popular players in Lithuania. Can you feel it yourself?
- Not really. I can't read the local press because I don't understand the language. They also don't treat me any differently in the team. I feel equal to all the players. To be honest, I am happy that I can distance myself from external factors and concentrate on football. I don't want to be distracted thinking about personal achievements. A successful season will only be one where we win the championship.
- With which team mate do you get along the best?
- I communicate the most and get along the best with the other team's foreign players. This is because we have a lot in common. We came here without families, we don't speak the local language, and we communicate with each other in English. We go out for lunch or take walks in the city together. The Lithuanians also treat me very well, I don't have any conflicts with anyone in the team. Everyone always tries to help.
- In training, I also feel great support from my teammates. I am extremely grateful for that.
- What was your childhood ideal?
- From a young age, I was a big fan of Glasgow "Rangers" team. I watched all their matches, so my ideal was the team's striker Ally McCoist. He always knew how to score goals. He was especially good at doing it against their main rival - the Glasgow "Celtic" team. I watched recordings of the matches and carefully observed how he moved on the field, what actions he took. I still try to be similar to him.
- What is your dream?
- My family's dream has always been to see me wearing the jersey of Glasgow "Rangers" team. Maybe one day that day will come. I am a young player, so I still have time.
