Starkovs looks to lift Latvia

Aleksandrs Starkovs is looking to lift the spirits of a nation after returning to take charge of a Latvia team enduring a crisis of confidence.

Humbling
A 1-0 defeat by Liechtenstein in their most recent UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifier marked a notable low for the side who hit the headlines by reaching the previous finals in Portugal. The loss in Vaduz cost coach Jurijs Andrejevs his job, yet there was delight as Starkovs - who masterminded qualification in 2004 - agreed to leave his post as Skonto FC's director of football and take over.

Duelling proverbs
The 51-year-old is ready to work wonders again, having quit the helm in 2004 before leading Russian club FC Spartak Moskva. "They say you can't step in the same river twice, and there are many examples that prove this," he said. "However, I know another proverb - you can make it if you try." A regular at Latvian Virsliga matches since returning home from Spartak a year ago, Starkovs has kept a close eye on the local scene. He is in tune with the prevailing mood following the Liechtenstein reverse - with fans saying the team lacked motivation and that the younger players were not good enough - but remains optimistic.

Motivational powers
"The coach is the one who motivates the players," he said. "I'm sure the players still have it in them. Take Maris Verpakovskis. Is his career almost over? Does he have fitness problems? No way. He is an ambitious player who is used to being the team leader and a hero for the fans. You have to find a way of bringing that out of him." The challenge for Starkovs is to squeeze a few more years of good performances from his heroes of 2004 and also get the young stars up to speed, starting against Group F favourites Spain in Riga on 2 June. "When coach Gary Johnson quit after a 1-1 draw against San Marino in 2001, everybody said we lacked motivation and were having problems with the new generation. Three years later the same team went to Portugal." Stranger things have happened.