Romanov rings changes at Kaunas

By Kestas Gimbutas

FBK Kaunas owner Vladimir Romanov has created ructions in Lithuania after his sprawling interest in European football saw nine of the side travel to Scotland for trials at Heart of Midlothian FC.

Departed quartet
Romanov is close to becoming a major shareholder of the Scottish Premier League outfit, as he looks to add to a portfolio that already includes Belarussian club FC MTZ-RIPO Minsk and the winners of last six Lithuanian championships, Kaunas. In the end, four of the nine will remain at Hearts, including the player voted the best in the Lithuanian First Division last season, Andrius Gedgaudas. He will be joined at Tynecastle by international midfield player Domatus Navikus, Marius Kuzys and Gediminas Vicius.

Brazilian recruits
Kaunas have also lost the services of Martynas Karalius, who has joined Estonian champions FC Levadia Tallin, and Gytis Padimanskas who has joined Italian coach Rino Lavezzini at FK Suduva Marijampole. The club have recruited two promising Brazilian players, 19-year-old midfield player Dione and 20-year-old defender Vanin, and they will have an early opportunity to impress in the Commonwealth Cup in Moscow.

Borovski return
Former Kaunas coach Sergei Borovski has signed a one-year deal with FK Vetra Vilnius. The Belarussian left the champions before last season and after a brief spell in Ukraine with FC Metalurh Zaporizhya, he returned home to FC Belshina Bobruisk. The club had a dismal season and were relegated but the former Soviet international has a wealth of experience and enjoyed successful spells at Latvian side FK Ventspils and FC Sheriff Tiraspol in Moldova, so Vetra are hopeful he can lift them in to the top three.

Vetra retirements
Borovski has signed his 24-year-old son Aleksei, an attacking midfield player was previously at MTZ-RIPO. Vetra have lost a number of key players, however, with goalkeeper Marius Poskus, defenders Ramunas Stonkus and Gediminas Kontautas, midfield player Gintaras Rimkus and striker Vytautas Karvelis all announcing their retirements.

Stadium switch
On the international front, Lithuania have been told they can no longer play their home games at the Žalgiris stadium in Vilnius. The venue is in a state of disrepair and the national team will now move across the capital to the Vetra stadium. Their first FIFA World Cup qualifying match there will not be played until September, however, Group 7 rivals Bosnia-Herzegovina visit.