Tamaz Pertia has returned to Georgia after a long player and coaching career in Latvian football, taking charge of Kolkheti 1913. The Georgian club confirmed his appointment after a poor start to the new second-tier season, which has brought one draw and three defeats. Davit Kvirkvelia had begun the campaign as head coach.
Kolkheti 1913 are the oldest still active club in Georgian football with experience of playing in the predecessor to the Europa League – the UEFA Cup back in 1997 and 1998. Their recent history has been quite turbulent, with the club playing in Georgia’s third tier as recently as 2022. They climbed back to the top flight in 2024, but finished bottom last season and were relegated.
Currently bottom of the table with a single point after four games, the club turned to Pertia in a bid to halt their slide. Midfielder Nikoloz Tskhovrebashvili, who played under Pertia at Liepāja in 2023, is also part of the Kolkheti 1913 squad.
Pertia first arrived in Latvia in 1997 as a striker with Ventspils. After spells in Moldova and Bulgaria, he returned to Latvian football and went on to play for FK Rīga (unrelated to Riga FC), Dinaburg, Ditton and RKB-Arma. He later moved into coaching with Dinaburg and, after being amnestied following a brief lifetime ban linked to the 2009 match-fixing scandal, went on to work with Daugava Daugavpils, Olimps, Skonto’s reserves, Skonto, Liepāja and Valmiera.
His honours in Latvia included the 2017 Latvian Cup with Liepāja, while he also led Skonto to three Virslīga runner-up finishes and guided Valmiera to bronze and silver before the club later became champions after he left. His second spell at Liepāja was less successful, with the side finishing fourth, fifth and sixth in successive seasons and becoming known for very high player rotation and tactical volatility.
Despite living and working in Latvia since 1997 and expressing interest in coaching the Latvia National Team on numerous occasions, Pertia never learned even conversational Latvian and always conducted press conferences in Russian or via translator.
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Source: https://sportacentrs.com/futbols/virsliga/27032026-latvija_ilgus_gadu_desmitus_pavadijusais_
