Pahars seals Skonto return
Friday, February 1, 2008
Article summary
After almost a decade abroad, former international striker Marians Pahars has returned to Latvia and Skonto FC, where he has signed a one-year contract.
Article body
After almost a decade abroad, striker Marians Pahars has returned to Latvia and Skonto FC, where he has signed a one-year contract.
Injury problems
"He's a great person and a high-class professional," said Skonto coach Paul Ashworth. "It is great that such player is returning to the Latvian league, he's a great role model for our younger players." The 31-year-old Pahars spent three-and-a-half seasons with the Riga club in the mid-1990s, scoring 44 goals in 85 Virsliga games and winning four league titles and three Latvian Cups before moving to England and Southampton FC midway through the 1998/99 season.
EURO honour
Although he managed 43 goals in 137 league matches for the south-coast side, his time in England was blighted by a succession of serious injuries and prompted his departure for Cypriot club Anorthosis Famagusta FC in summer 2006. At international level Pahars scored 15 goals in 75 matches for Latvia and made three appearances at UEFA EURO 2004™ before retiring from the national team last year.
