Legendary Ivanauskas reflects on Žalgiris’ glory days and current team

Speaking in an interview with Žalgiris’ media team, club legend Valdas Ivanauskas said necessary changes must be made if the Vilnius side are to return to first place. One of the most recognisable former players in the Vilnius club’s history, Ivanauskas returned to the team’s current home and reflected on an era in which Žalgiris’ ambitions, he said, were matched by results despite limited resources.

“Žalgiris’ ambitions always have to be the highest,” Ivanauskas said, before recalling the club’s achievements during his spell in the 1980s. “The results we achieved with Žalgiris in those days are impressive. We weren’t the strongest team financially, but the results were impressive – third place in 1987 and, of course, the first European Cup matches. The memories are the very best.”

Ivanauskas, a four-time winner of Lithuania’s footballer of the year award, credited the 1987 campaign to coaching, continuity and a smooth handover between generations.

“A lot of things came together,” he said. “There was a change of generations, but it wasn’t aggressive – the veterans weren’t pushed aside, and a new generation came in. That stability and the sense that results were possible paid off.”

He also highlighted the influence of coach Benjaminas Zelkevičius, saying the manager recognised the shift in the sport and adapted accordingly. “Not only the generation changed, but football itself. From 1983 to 1987 there was already a big difference,” Ivanauskas said. “Zelkevičius saw what was needed to get results – what style, what kind of players. Those three or four years were impressive.”

Ivanauskas said the wider game was moving quickly at the time, with teams seeking to follow leading trends, and Žalgiris had to add pace to complement their technical ability. “We were one of the most technical teams, but we lacked speed,” he said. “Benjaminas Zelkevičius changed the training process and ideas, and we tried to play modern football.”

Asked about the current campaign, Ivanauskas admitted the results have not been good enough, but insisted improvement can follow as the squad evolves. “The results are not pleasing – not only for the supporters, but also for the coaches and the leadership,” he said. “It’s a natural process – when something changes, you have to lose something. The current situation satisfies nobody, but it will change and it will get better.”

He added that fresh faces could help Žalgiris reset their standards mid-season. “In the current situation, they are needed. Fresh blood has never harmed anyone,” Ivanauskas said. “Everyone understands that necessary changes have to be made if you want Žalgiris to be in its place. And that place is no secret – first. Only first place satisfies everyone.”

Ivanauskas also warned that newcomers can underestimate the demands of the Lithuanian league. “Lithuanian football looks easy, but on the other side it’s dangerous,” he said. “A lot of players arrive thinking everything will be very easy, but later their attitude is completely different. If you demand from the players, they will have to do it.”

Looking back on his own move abroad in 1990, Ivanauskas said the step into Western European football required immediate adaptation. “The difference was very big – club structures, training, professionalism,” he said. “Maybe it wasn’t a shock, but you had to adapt to the conditions. If you don’t adapt, you are thrown out of the team.”

Valdas Ivanauskas Career

Source: https://fkzalgiris.lt/v-ivanauskas-pakeitimai-turi-buti-jeigu-nori-kad-zalgiris-butu-savo-vietoje/