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On Monday, only eight of the remaining players from last season held their first training session of the year. As the club itself announced, in Šiauliai this season we won't see many of the foreigners who represented the team last season.
Ukrainians Ilja and Sergėjus Galiūzos and Genadijus Ščekotilinas have left "Šiauliai." Defender from Belarus Andrėjus Milevskis moved to Marijampolė's "Sūduva," while Belarusian goalkeeper Viktoras Afanasenka and Russian forward Vasilijus Monakovas are looking for new clubs.
Only three foreigners remain in the Šiauliai team: Nigerian Amaro Atigbiolaye, Latvian goalkeeper Ingusas Lukovičius, and Ukrainian defender Vadimas Tarasovas.
Former head coach Saulius Vertelis, from last season, remains at the club, but now in a different role.
This season, the 39-year-old Darius Magdišauskas, a native of Šiauliai, will be at the helm of "Šiauliai," returning to Lithuania after coaching in Sweden.
We offer you an interview with the coach in the newspaper "Šiaulių kraštas."
— How do you feel returning to Šiauliai?
— I have been involved in Lithuanian football for six years, while I was in Sweden. I coached a team playing in the sixth (amateur) league, but I felt a lack of professionalism.
I am pleased that the situation in Lithuanian football is improving. The stadium in Šiauliai is being renovated, the positions of team leaders are changing, the mindset is changing. This encouraged me to return. I hope to be able to apply the knowledge I gained in Scandinavia here.
— What will you focus on when working with the team?
— We will focus on the team's youth. I will try to get the maximum out of each player in training and matches. I think that is necessary to achieve something.
I want the team to play differently in every match, to have different playing tactics. We will try to hide our weaknesses and highlight our strengths.
— Which positions in the team would you like to strengthen?
— I would like to strengthen the defense. I hope to find a good defender. To achieve my goals, I would also need a tall and strong forward. Standard positions are very important, that's what I emphasize.
I will try to keep what was good in the team and only change the weaknesses.
— How will the team change?
— This month we will assemble the team. It's hard to say how it will change for now. If we don't find suitable players, we will work with the young players of Šiauliai.
— Will your age be a hindrance to your work?
— I am 39 years old. I heard people say that I am very young to be a coach. For example, the first and second place teams in the highest league in Sweden are coached by young specialists - 33 and 35 years old. Among them, I felt like a veteran.
— What is your work philosophy?
— The best defense is offense. I try to follow that motto.
— What will the first training session be like?
— The first training session will be introductory. The players will do an easy run to gradually acclimate their muscles to the load. We will train like this for a few weeks. I never give the players a heavy load at the beginning of the season. These training sessions should properly prepare the team for the upcoming exercises.
— What requirements do you set for yourself?
— I signed a long-term contract with the team. I will strive to make the team change over the years. My ambitions, like those of the team leaders, are very high. We want football to prosper in Šiauliai, and the club to gradually pave the way towards the Champions League.
