Širmelis quits at Kaunas

FBK Kaunas coach Saulius Širmelis has quit his post just seven matches into the Lithuanian season.

Not his decision
Širmelis, who joined the club in the autumn of 2000 from FK Zalgiris Vilnius, won three league titles during his tenure. He suggested that the decision to leave the club was not entirely his own. "What should I have done? Wait until I was sacked?" he said.

Assistant dismissed
Kaunas, the reigning champions, had dismissed Širmelis's assistant, Vitalijus Stankevicius, after the recent 1-0 home defeat by FK Atlantas, last season's runners-up. It was their second successive defeat following a 2-1 loss against league leaders FK Ekranas, whom they trail by six points.

Ivanauskas in the running
Kaunas director Romualdas Kontrimas said the club expected to name a new coach on Tuesday and among the candidates is Valdas Ivanauskas, one of Lithuania's all-time great players. Ivanauskas earned a coaching diploma in Germany last year and, like Širmelis, is currently an assistant to the Lithuania coach, Algimantas Liubinskas.

Third coaching change
Kaunas become the third club to change their coach in the Lithuanian top flight this season. Ljubinskas left FK Sviesa to concentrate on his national-team role and FK Sakalas Siauliai brought in the experienced Romas Lavrinavicius.