Gargždų Banga were the first club in Lithuania’s top division to prepare their home stadium for outdoor matches this season, hosting their opening home game last weekend. The club has also been among the few organizations capable of attracting strong fan support both away and at home, including during the 2024 Lithuanian Cup final, while also successfully bringing together the local community for the season opener in Gargždai. The club continues to present itself as an example of a true community organization, where supporters are not only fans but often also stakeholders in the club itself.
Banga sporting director Robertas Vėževičius, who now lives near the seaside with his family, is known for speaking openly and directly about football matters. In a wide-ranging conversation, he shared his views on the club’s preparation for the new season, infrastructure problems in Lithuanian football, the debate over indoor stadiums and artificial pitches, and the ambitions of Banga in the current campaign.
Looking back at last season, Vėževičius admitted that the team was not satisfied with its performance.
“Last season and the position we finished in the table did not satisfy us,” he said. “We had problems scoring goals and were among the weakest teams in that statistic, but at the same time we were also among the teams conceding too many goals.”
According to him, the club tried to address these issues during the winter transfer window.
“I hope that this winter we managed to correct those mistakes by strengthening the squad and giving ourselves a longer bench. Last season we had many injured players. Surfaces constantly change, and that increases the risk of injuries.”
Despite the difficulties, Banga approach the new campaign with clear ambitions.
“Our goal is to stay around the middle of the table and remain competitive. We want to fight for victories in every match and try to reach the line that would allow us to qualify for European competitions.”
The Banga sporting director also addressed one of the most frequently discussed issues in Lithuanian football – artificial playing surfaces.
“Natural grass and artificial surfaces cannot really be compared,” he said. “However, in our conditions I do not see another solution, because heated natural pitches require additional investments that many clubs currently cannot afford.”
He emphasized that scientific studies show an increased risk of injuries when playing on artificial surfaces.
“Artificial pitches affect this a lot. For example, in our case we travel to Liepāja to train on one surface, then we have several training sessions at the Minija stadium in Kretinga, which is often icy, and afterwards we play matches on yet another surface. All of that strongly affects the players and increases the risk of injuries.”
Ideally, he believes that all clubs should have natural grass pitches, but he acknowledged the financial reality.
“The best solution would be for every club to have natural grass fields, but those pitches must be heated, and heated fields cost a lot of money.”
Vėževičius also praised the work done by Banga’s management and staff to prepare their stadium for outdoor matches earlier than any other club in Lithuania this year.
“Credit must go to the club’s leadership, who managed to prepare the stadium for outdoor football first. That required special equipment to ensure the pitch was not damaged. Our staff worked for two days to prepare the field properly. Experts from Panevėžys helped us with small tractors and the necessary machinery, and thanks to them everything was done successfully.”
He added that the most important achievement was creating a real football celebration for the city.
“The main thing is that we managed to prepare a true football event for the people of Gargždai.”
The sporting director also criticized the continued use of indoor arenas such as Sportima for league matches when weather conditions already allow football to be played outside.
“All players and staff want to get outside as quickly as possible. Playing in Sportima in such good weather is simply a misunderstanding,” he said.
He explained that indoor conditions affect players physically.
“Teams train outside and then come to big cities where they have to return to closed environments. Breathing works differently indoors. I know this very well because I used to be a player myself.”
Asked whether Sportima is suitable for hosting professional matches, Vėževičius was direct.
“To be honest, something has to be done with it, even if it means replacing the surface. The pitch has been under heavy load for several decades. The kind of football that is currently played there should not be played at the highest level.”
When asked about the situation of Vilnius Žalgiris, who continue to play at Sportima, Vėževičius declined to comment in detail.
“That is their decision. You would have to ask them.”
Discussing the club’s winter transfer strategy, he explained that the main goal was to keep the core of the team intact.
“We wanted to retain the core of the squad from last season. Unfortunately, we could not keep our goalkeeper and our captain, central midfielder Matas Ramanauskas. Those were our biggest losses. But we managed to keep the rest of the squad and added several foreign players. They still need time to adapt, but I believe everything will work out.”
When asked about the team’s playing style this season, Vėževičius noted that such decisions belong primarily to the coaching staff.
“That is a question for the coach. He chooses the players and builds the tactics.”
The conversation also touched on goalkeeper Mantas Bertašius and his prospects.
“A goalkeeper must always be ready. Today, for example, the opposing goalkeeper Julius Virvilas suffered a minor injury and Bertašius had to be ready immediately to step in. It is difficult to say how he will fight for a place in Vilnius, but he has the qualities to become a good goalkeeper. His call-up to the national team already showed that. For now, he has to accept the role of a substitute.”
With the international break approaching at the end of March, Vėževičius was also asked which Banga players might deserve a national team call-up.
“Attacking midfielder Vaidas Magdušauskas, if he stays healthy, is a player with exceptional talent. Deividas Malžinskas has been playing very consistently as a central defender. Personally, I would like to see as many of our players as possible receive national team call-ups. I see that Edgaras Jankauskas is actively watching the league, so hopefully someone will get the opportunity.”
There are also financial incentives for clubs when players are called up to national teams, though Vėževičius did not provide details.
“I know that there are financial benefits, but I cannot name the exact amounts. However, the player must be included in the official match protocol.”
Reflecting on the overall development of Lithuania’s top division, Vėževičius noted both positive and negative aspects.
“It is encouraging that new people have joined several clubs who want to invest in football. What disappoints me is that we still have to play on such surfaces and in such conditions even when the weather is good. Everyone knows about these problems, but clubs need to step up in this regard.”
He also welcomed the increasing visibility of the league through television broadcasts.
“It is good that our matches are shown on television, which makes us more visible. In other countries games are often streamed online. Clubs themselves now need to grow and invest more in infrastructure.”
When asked about the situation in which some clubs struggle to assemble competitive squads and remain at the bottom of the league, potentially harming the league’s reputation, Vėževičius chose his words carefully.
“If a club passed all the audits and licensing procedures, then according to the rules it meets the requirements. It is not for me to judge. I was not the one who made the decision to accept them into the league.”
Finally, Vėževičius shared his view on the championship race this season.
“Both Žalgiris teams should compete for the title,” he said. “At this stage of the season I see that Kauno Žalgiris might have slightly better chances to win the championship.”
For Banga, however, the focus remains on steady progress, strengthening the club’s foundations and continuing to build a team capable of competing consistently while maintaining its identity as a community club.
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