Liepāja head coach Andreas Alm says his side have laid “a foundation for the future” after returning from a pre-season training camp in Spain, with the Virsliga campaign now in view.
Alm was largely upbeat about the conditions and the level of opposition his squad faced on tour, but he also pointed to lessons from the final friendly, when Liepāja conceded heavily.
“In my opinion it was a very good training camp,” Alm said. “We had the chance to train in excellent conditions and we played good matches against strong opponents, so overall I have only positive emotions.”
He added that pre-season plans are rarely completed in full. “I don’t think that ever happens,” he said with a smile. “You always want to do more. But overall the players worked very well.”
Alm acknowledged the disappointment of the last result, noting that Liepāja “conceded many goals” after allowing only three across their first three games in Spain. “We let in three goals in one half – that’s a lot and unpleasant,” he said. “Those are moments that have to be corrected.”
Despite that setback, Alm urged supporters not to overreact to a single friendly defeat. “It really is a friendly,” he said. “I’m not saying it means nothing, but it still doesn’t make the match official. Of course we wanted to win, as always. It didn’t happen and it upset us.”
Alm also made clear he has not settled on an XI as Liepāja continue to rotate and assess options. “No, I don’t have an optimal starting line-up at the moment,” he said. “In each match we made big changes and looked at different variants.”
The Swede expects that to continue in the build-up to the league opener against Riga on 7 March, insisting every player still has a chance to play their way into the team. “On 7 March, in the first match of the Latvian championship against Riga, the pitch will see the optimal choice,” Alm said.
On new arrivals, Alm said adaptation remains a work in progress, with some players joining later and still building fitness. “They are not fully adapted to all our requirements yet,” he said. “But with every day the situation becomes better.”
One player he singled out for praise was Jānis Grīnbergs, highlighting his attitude after a long spell out. “I look at his work and see the joy he gets from the simplest things,” Alm said. “It’s always very nice to see players who return after a very long break.”
While Riga are already on the horizon, Alm said detailed opposition preparation will come later, even if he has watched some of the champions’ matches. “We know the level of the champions and we remember well how our games went last season,” he said. “In any case it’s a very strong team – everyone knows that. But at this moment we have many other questions that are more current and more important.”
Alm insisted the mood remains positive despite returning to winter conditions at home. “Without doubt,” he said when asked if he feels optimistic. “The team works very well – I enjoy the way my players work. Every day is an excellent and important challenge for all of us.”
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Source: https://fkliepaja.lv/lv/2026/02/16/andreass-alms-katra-diena-jauns-izaicinajums/
