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The Vilnius "Vėtra” club has added to its ranks one of the most experienced Lithuanian national team defenders - a legionnaire who has tasted bread in Holland, Scotland, and Russia, and has represented Lithuania 52 times on the international stage.
During the official presentation, the player signed a contract with "Vėtra” and answered questions from journalists. Vilnius-born A. Skerla stated that he declined offers from abroad, citing the main reason for his choice as the ability to be at home with his family. He also expressed his joy at the cozy club stadium and the opportunity to work with such a specialist as "Vėtra’s” head coach, Alexandras Tarchanovas.
Below is the interview published on the official "Vėtra” website.
- Why did you choose the "Vėtra” club?
- My contract with Tomsk’s "Tom” ended in January. I initially looked for clubs abroad. I had several offers, but they were no better than "Vėtra’s”. I did not want to live away from my family, as I experienced playing in Russia. Being with my family was one of the main advantages of continuing my career in Vilnius. Negotiations also took place with the "Tom” club, but they changed the contract terms at the last moment, so we did not reach an agreement. I am happy to have returned to Lithuania. I had been a legionnaire for almost a decade, and I think that’s enough, unless I receive a very tempting offer. Another significant factor in my decision was that "Vėtra” is coached by the well-known specialist Alexandras Tarchanovas, which added a lot of positives when choosing "Vėtra”.
- What are the conditions of your contract with "Vėtra”? Will you be the most expensive footballer at "Vėtra”?
- I really don't know if I will be the best-paid player on the team. I signed a two-year contract, but I cannot disclose the financial conditions. The financial capabilities of Lithuanian football clubs are increasing, so many Lithuanians are returning to play in their homeland. Personally, I find it much more acceptable to play in Lithuania, especially since I am very satisfied with the financial conditions offered by "Vėtra”.
- Do the conditions provided by Lithuanian clubs differ greatly from those in the countries where you played before?
- I liked the "Vėtra” stadium and club infrastructure. I believe that the "Vėtra” stadium is one of the coziest in Lithuania. I enjoyed playing here and representing the Lithuanian national team. The level of football is rising, and I hope the championship will be interesting, attracting more fans to the stadiums, as Lithuania is still far from countries like Scotland or the Netherlands in terms of audience attendance.
- Have you already gotten to know your new team, or are there familiar footballers in "Vėtra”?
- I haven’t met many of the "Vėtra” players yet. Yesterday, I met with the team captain Julius Raliukonis, who told me a lot about the team and the conditions at the club. There are a few players I have played with before, and I will get to know the others in the near future when I start training with the team.
- Will you take to the field in tomorrow's friendly match against "Atlantas”?
- I will only join the team tomorrow. I haven’t had training sessions with the team yet, so I don’t know if the coach will let me play right away. Whether I play tomorrow or not will be decided by the coaches. I have already reserved a number (laughs). I will play for "Vėtra” wearing number 55. I wore this number for "Tom,” and I played with number 5 for "Dunfermline Athletic,” but it was already taken here.
- The European Championship qualifying match against France is approaching. Are you ready for this important match for the Lithuanian national team?
- So far, I have been training individually, focusing mostly on physical preparation. I believe I am in decent shape. I will train with the team for the remaining time before the France match. I think there is enough time to get into good physical shape. However, my participation in the Lithuanian national team depends on the coaches’ decision; they will decide if I am ready. There are no guarantees in football, so I am not guaranteed a place in the team either.
