FC Džiugas Telšiai have confirmed that the club will head into the upcoming A Lyga season with full continuity on the coaching bench, as head coach Andrius Lipskis remains in charge for a third consecutive year together with his existing staff.
The 37-year-old coach, who recently obtained his UEFA Pro Licence, has spent more than a decade at Džiugas, serving in a variety of roles throughout his career. He began as a player, later took on responsibilities as a player-coach, and subsequently worked as the club’s technical director, before being entrusted with the first-team head coach position ahead of the 2024 season.
Last season under Lipskis’ guidance, Džiugas Telšiai finished seventh in the A Lyga standings, comfortably preserving their place in Lithuania’s top division after collecting 46 points from 36 matches. In total, Lipskis has now overseen 80 matches as head coach, recording 30 victories during that span.
Cup competitions have also brought memorable runs. Lipskis has led Džiugas to the Lithuanian Cup semifinals twice, including in the most recent campaign. On that occasion, Telšiai came agonizingly close to reaching the final, holding a one-goal lead against Hegelmann before conceding late and ultimately suffering a 2-1 defeat after extra time.
The club’s commitment to stability extends beyond the head coach. Lipskis will continue to work alongside assistant coach Miguel Mesquita, a 28-year-old specialist from Portugal, Latvian goalkeeping coach Jevgeņijs Belovs, and physical conditioning coach João Azevedo.
Off the pitch, Džiugas have also moved early in the offseason to secure key members of the playing squad. Several foreign players will remain with the club, including Dutch defender Valentino Vermeulen, English forward Ronald Sobowale, Denys Bunchukov and Ibrahim Cissé. Team captain Lukas Ankudinovas and midfielder Deitonas Vinckus have also committed their futures to the Telšiai-based side.
There have, however, been a few departures. Simonas Urbys has left to join second-division outfit Neptūnas, while Ukrainian midfielder Oleksandr Kurtsev has moved on to Lithuanian Cup holders FK Panevėžys.
Source: https://www.fcdziugas.lt/dziuga-i-pergales-ir-toliau-ves-nepakites-treneriu-stabas/
