Marian Pahars
Marians Pahars 2011
Marians Pahars ( often falsely: Marian Pahars; * August 5, 1976 in Tschornobaj, Ukrainian SSR ) is a former Latvian football player and current coach. At the zenith of his career, he played from 1999 to 2006 at FC Southampton in England. During this time he was elected three times in succession to Latvian football of the year. About Cyprus, he returned to Latvia again and finished there in 2009 his career as a player. In 2011 he took over after the departure of Aleksandrs Starkovs as coach of Skonto Riga. Since July 2013 he is Latvian national coach.
- 3.1 as a player
- 3.2 as coach
Club career
Career start in Latvia
His career began Pahars, who was born in Tschornobaj according to various sources, in the former Ukrainian SSR, or in Riga, in the former Latvian SSR, even at a young age in his later Latvian homeland. Initially a supporter of Spartak Moscow visited Pahars in the former Latvian SSR the school that, as Marians Pahars turn was eight years old, was visited by the then already quite successful Skonto Riga youth coach Jurijs Andrejevs who sporadically at this time, even in the professional football was active. By Andrejevs Pahars be decided at that time to launch himself into the football field, where he was initially employed in local clubs. Finally, in senior football he got 17 - and 18 - year one, when he joined the professional team of FK Daugava Riga joined, which was represented at this time already in the Virsliga, the top division in the Latvian football. There, the offensive player was still in his first season in 17 league games for use, in which he scored three goals. After a place in mid-table, he moved to discount - Metal that actually applicable as a farm or reserve team team Skonto Riga. The team, which was also located at that time in the Virsliga, it brought Pahars, who still was at that time mainly in midfield, but some sets, especially on the wings, au 16 league appearances, in which he hit four times. Finally Over the reserve team, he still managed in the same season the men's team climb to Skonto Riga, where he could establish itself as a striker for the first time and scored eight goals from nine games was very successful as a scorer. While the reserve team finished in seventh place in the table in the final standings to Skonto Riga lined up for the umpteenth time one on the first place in the table and thus celebrated its fourth league title since the introduction of Virsliga in 1992. Yet not only the champion won Marians Pahars with the team in this season, even in the Latvian Football Cup he was successful with the team. So you could win the Cup of the game in 1995 almost without problems.
Run of success with Skonto Riga continues
Even after his first championship personally sat the success run of the capital club, which as the best Latvian football club ever was at this time, continued. While the strain force in the attack range of Skonto Riga became the game 1996, was employed in all 28 league games, while twelve times hit the opponent's goal, he could once again celebrate the league title with the club from Riga. In the Latvian Cup 1996 managed the team, although subject to the final there, however, RAF Riga 1-2. Another success this year was for Pahars and his team, among others, the victory in the Turkmenistan President's Cup in 1996. In the next game the year the offensive strength of the players used in the Latvian national team since last year decreased significantly, mainly because he usually returned to its former positions in midfield. After 22 missions and five gates of Marians Pahars, the team was able to put out once more in the league and won it without loss of points ( 24 wins and 4 draws ) was again the title. The Latvian Football Cup 1997, Skonto Riga interspersed with Pahars who was successful in the 2-1 final victory against FC Dinaburg as a goal scorer, again. This winning streak continued in the 1998 game, where you won on long-term coach Aleksandrs Starkovs, who was to accompany the club until the year 2004, already the seventh league title in a row. Like last year, you could also in the cup final in 1998 to enforce against Liepaja Metalurgs 1-0 and celebrate the cup win again. In the course of league action Marians Pahars was used in 26 league games in which he contributed 19 goals and was elected to finish the season at the best striker in the league, although there are other players were, who came into this season more goals. After the offensive players already over the years by various scouts stood under observation, followed by the Pahars Goals galore in 1998 first concrete offers international clubs who also invited him to sample workouts. He graduated among other tryouts at the Italian second division promoted Salernitana Calcio, the long-established in the German excellence club Werder Bremen, as well as the formerly so successful Austrian representative Casino Salzburg, was then but from Southampton FC taken with gaming operations in the English Premier League under contract.
Successful move to England
After he previously took in a game against Oxford United with the reserve team and was able to score a hat -trick in a subsequent 7-1 win, the young Latvian recommended for a commitment at the club for the region South East England. Furthermore, had the then only new in office of the Latvian team managers acting Gary Johnson role in the successful transfer of the young Latvian to England, because he had a good relationship with the former Southampton manager Dave Jones. For a rumored transfer fee of around £ 800,000 Marians Pahars was eventually transferred to FC Southampton in mid- February, 1999 by Skonto Riga. Due to some difficulties in obtaining a work permit and the concerns of the PFA Pahars finally came in March 1999 on the team. At the Club from the port city of Southampton, he was partly responsible, as the team shortly before the end of the season but still managed to avoid relegation after the team until April stayed in the relegation zone of the table and was worried about a descent. In addition to various offensive players, such as the offensive midfielder, captain and club legend of Southampton FC, Matthew Le Tissier, Pahars came to the end of season 1998/99 nor in six league games for use and recorded three goals. His debut in the Latvian exactly in the time when Southampton the turnaround in the league succeeded on 5 April 1999 in a match against Coventry City when he came on the lawn in the 70th minute. With the final match against Everton at the Südengländer secured under its own power in the league after Marians Pahars contributed both goals in a 2-0 win. This year Pahras was also first elected to Latvian Footballer of the Year because of its services. In the subsequent two years, the striker has been honored twice more in this way, which makes him and his team partner at Skonto Riga or in the national team, Vitālijs Astafjevs, each with three elections Latvian Footballer of the Year for a record title holder of this award.
He was a crowd favorite through his two goals in the season finale and was also referred to as the coming season as " Latvian Michael Owen ", which is due in part to his time in the national team, but especially to his eye for goal at club level. While Dave Jones, the coach of the Saints, thus the nickname of the team in January had to resign from his position as head coach after the suspected child abuse surfaced against him, and he was replaced by Glenn Hoddle had also Marians Pahars change his player position. Under Jones still active in the forward line, he departed under Hoddle on the wing, but still finished the season as the team from internal scorer. On 13 goals it brought the man with the shirt number 17 here in 33 league operations and their feet in the league -wide scoring charts just not among the ten highest-scoring players. With the team he came up on the 15th place in the table, Le Tissier while, one of his attacking partner, the first midfielder in history reached the 100 Tormarke. End of the season, the Saints extended his contract for another five years. 1999/2000 he was already used in the 2000 /01 as one of the regulars one of the regulars actors, where he brought it to 31 championship stakes. Due to its position changes from striker to winger and his goal ratio decreased somewhat, although he still brought it on nine goals to finish the season, where he secured the team a comfortable place in mid-table. While Hoddle, the team still in March 2001 left the club and was replaced by interim coach Stuart Gray, however, who carried out his duties until the end of the season and then also until October, pulled the seasonal closure of Southampton FC after 103 years at The Dell in the newly built and more St. Mary's Stadium.
There Pahars should eventually find their way back to his striker position, he with James Beattie formed a torgefährliches strike partnership at this time. In the 2001 / 02 season, it was largely successful for the Latvians, although his team was weak, especially in the early stages of the season and usually found only on relegation places was what also nachsichzog a recent coaching change. Gray and more Strachan came what then led to a boom in the team, which was represented to the end of the season in mid-table. Until that time, it brought the Latvian International on 36 championship appearances and 14 goals scored. With 14 hits managed Pahars together with then - offensive player Eidur Gudjohnsen Chelsae to eighth place in the league -wide scoring charts and introduced the second-best strike partnership with Beattie in the league. At the end of this season ended with " Le God " as Matthew Le Tissier is also called by the fans, one of his attacking partner his career as a player after he had listened to the Southampton FC nearly 18 years. An operation on the groin, the Pahars underwent during the summer break, was the beginning of a series of injuries that nearly cost him his career and would not let him come as a regular player for use. After he was halfway regenerated, managed Marians Pahars back into the professional team of Südengländer, but was sidelined the rest of the season due to injury, which he brought it to a total of only nine league operations and a hit after a serious ankle injury in November 2002. Despite the fact that with Pahars was missing one of his best offensive player, managed the Southampton FC until the end of the season to eighth place in the table, the best performance since promotion to the Premier League. In addition, the team also reached the finals yet, but they just lost 0-1 after a Pires goal against Arsenal in the FA Cup 2002 /03. Since Arsenal had already / 04 qualified as a master for the UEFA Champions League 2003 was the starting place for the first round of the UEFA Cup in 2003/ 04 to FA Cup finalists Southampton.
Lengthy injury series
After a long rehabilitation period and some time in the reserve team Pahars took place in the 2003 /04 only slowly back to the team where he only brought in 14 missions on a hit, but by his former discount coach Aleksandrs Starkovs the Latvian squad for Euro 2004 was fetched. His only goal, the first after nearly a year, he scored with his strong right foot in a 3-0 home win over Portsmouth on 21 December 2003. With the team he lined up in the final standings on the twelfth table index. After Strachan left the club in February 2004, the successor period was characterized mainly by various coaching change. Strachan's successor Steve Wigley took over the team management to March 2004, before he was replaced by Paul Sturrock, who carried out his duties as head coach of FC Southampton to August 2004. While Marians Pahars old ankle injury worsened during the preparation period prior to the 2004/05 season, he was forced the entire 2004/ 05 to pause. About inserts in the reserve team, the Lette wanted to fight back in the senior squad before the pain at the ankle were acute again and he had to decide not to do it again this season in the Premier League. During this time, the team was again passed over several months by Steve Wigley, who handed over his position in December 2004, Harry Redknapp, who brought the team to the first down after 28 consecutive years in the Premier League. After Redknapp his office still executed by December 2005 and then gave it to George Burley, Pahars was first used back in 2005/ 06. But this season was crossed by numerous injury- related failures of the Latvian Offensive actor. While the Saints settled only in the mid-table of the Football League Championship, once so prolific Lette was used in only eight championship games in which he came to scoring once. In May 2006, the association declared to no longer want to extend the expiring contract of Marians Pahars on what a finish of Latvians who had brought it up to then to 137 league inserts and 34 factors meant. After the last game of the season the crowd took another along with the remaining players of the Saints part in a victory lap through the stadium.
Change to Cyprus and return home
In July 2006, a change was followed by Cyprus, where he signed a three year contract with the Cypriot first division side Anorthosis Famagusta, although he also had inquiries from Coventry City and Derby County. But his long-running injury was also present in Cyprus, which was not exactly conducive to his career in the team. With 17 missions and four gates he came up with the team in the final standings of the 2006/ 07 to third place, which was equivalent to a starting place in the first qualifying round for the UEFA Cup 2007/ 08. At the same time the team win the Cypriot Cup soccer match of the 2006/07 season. Without loss of points to Anorthosis Famagusta was able to secure 2007/ 08 the 13th league title in the club's history, and it applied to only two scoreless appearances in the championship Marians Pahars due to a renewed lengthy outage. In parallel, the team managed also to the final of the Cyprus Football Cup 2007/ 08, but it lost to APOEL Nicosia 0-2. Due to its long-lasting injury, he was released in February 2008 by mutual consent of the club, what is the first time he returned to his homeland, where he signed a contract at the same time at his former home club Skonto Riga until the end of the season.
Under coach Paul Ashworth Marian Pahars could just easily connect to its earlier form, where he brought it in the game in 2008 to eight goals in 19 league operations and with the capital club in third place in the table behind the FK Ventspils ( 1 ) and Liepaja Metalurgs (2 classifying. ). For the follow-up season, he moved to FK Jurmala - VV, in which, compared Olimps Riga, he completed his last professional league application on 25 April 2009 in the 0-1 home defeat when he came on the lawn in 78 minutes for Jurģis Kalns. Then Pahars stood until the beginning of 2010 the pro squad of the club, although was no longer used. After the departure of Ashworth took over Pahars former coach Aleksandrs Starkovs the office of the head coach at Skonto Riga and took Pahars and Vitālijs Astafjevs as an assistant coach to be the team. This position had both held through 2011, including among others, the championship title was in the game in 2010. Having also Starkovs left the club in 2011, he was ordered to Pahars as head coach of the club, which in turn maintained Astafjevs as an assistant coach and also still Jurijs Ševļakovs picked as the second assistant coach Aleksandrs Kulakovs as goalkeeper coach and the athletes Viktors Lācis as Co and conditioning coach to the team. In the 2011 season he led his team for the first time as a head coach.
In July 2013 he took over from Aleksandrs Starkovs the Office of the Latvian national team coach.
National team career
His international career Marians Pahars began in the youth teams of his native country, where he belonged, among others, the Latvian U-18 national team, for whom he first came in a competition organized by UEFA in 1993 for use. In addition Pahars was used throughout his career by the Latvian U- 21 team. Ins A national team of Latvia, he came at the beginning of 1996, where he made his debut on 12 March 1996 in a 0-1 away defeat in a friendly match against Cyprus. His first goal for his country, he contributed in his ninth international match, a 2:3 defeat against Poland on 17 February 1997. Still in 1997, he was with the Latvian national team complete the Baltic Cup in second place and repeated it again the following year. In addition, he has attended numerous games in qualifying for the 1998 World Cup, but could with the Latvians not prevail against Austria and Scotland and landed here with the team in fourth place in Group 4 in 2001 Pahars could, both at club level as will wear the number 17 was also in the national team for the first time the Baltic Cup win after the tournament was not played in the previous two years. During this time Marians Pahars also completed numerous players in the qualifying phase for the 2002 World Cup, where the Latvians, however, repeatedly have not been successful. After he was no longer on Baltic Cup Baltic Cup 2003 and participated with the team in 2005, he was still sporadically for the Latvian national team used. Although he had already struggling at this time with his lengthy injury, he was drafted by the former head coach of the Latvian national Aleksandrs Starkovs the Latvian squad for Euro 2004 in Portugal. In the euro he finally came as a substitute in all three games of Latvia to use, however, remained scoreless and retired with the team as a group from bottom of Group D from a tournament. Subsequently other, mostly sporadic operations until 2007, when he finally retired from the Latvian national football team. Until that time he had completed 22 EM (2000, 2004 and 2008 ) and 16 World Cup qualifying games and scored a total of five goals in the process. Over his entire career in the national team away it brought Marians Pahars on inserts in 75 official international games and 15 goals scored. In addition, he was a long time as the Latvian top scorer in the national team since the country's independence in 1991 Currently (as of April 6, 2011)., He stands together with Juris Laizāns in fourth place in the eternal scorer in the Latvian national team and also in 10th in the eternal use list of Latvia.
Achievements
As a player
- 4x Master of Virsliga: 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998
- 3x Latvian Football Cup Winners: 1995, 1997, 1998
- 1x Latvian Football Cup finalist: 1996
- 1x Turkmenistan President's Cupfinalist: 1996
- Participation in the European Football Championship: 2004
- 1st place at the Baltic Cup: 2001
- 2nd place at the Baltic Cup: 1997, 1998
- Finalist at the Malta International Football Tournament: 1998