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Former long-time captain of the Lithuanian national team Aurelijus Skarbalius will now lead the team competing in the second-strongest Danish league - the former Lithuanian player, who previously served as an assistant coach, has been appointed to the position of head coach.
The 33-year-old defender A. Skarbalius, better known as "Auri" in Denmark, played for the "Herfolge" club already in late 2005, when he was loaned from "Brondby," but after the team relegated to a lower division, he returned to his former team. However, the Lithuanian legionnaire played only three matches for the club and terminated his contract to become a playing coach for "Herfolge."
However, after the club, which became the national champion in 2000, performed poorly in the lower league - where "Herfolge" finished in 9th place, changes were made, and A. Skarbalius was appointed as the head coach in place of Jesper Hansen, assisted by Danes Svend Knudsen and Per Rud.
A. Skarbalius started his career in Kaunas with "Bangos," later represented Klaipeda's "Sirijus," Vilnius' "Zalgiris," Kaunas' "Inkaras," and became a five-time Lithuanian champion, being selected as the best player of the league in 1994.
In August 1995, he was noticed by "Brondby" in the UEFA Cup matches, and the Lithuanian moved to Denmark. In nine seasons with the club, the defender played 191 matches, scored 2 goals, won the Danish championship five times, and lifted the country's cup three times.
In 2002, A. Skarbalius was named the player of the year for "Brondby," but after the legendary Danish national team player Michael Laudrup became the team's coach in the summer of the same year, the Lithuanian soon lost his place in the starting lineup.
In the Lithuanian national team, the player appeared in 65 matches over 14 years from 1991 and scored 5 goals. Based on the number of appearances in the team, A. Skarbalius holds the all-time record. He finished representing his country in October 2005.
