Lukas Lidakevicius Interview

Name: Lukas Lidakevicius

Country of birth: Lithuania

Position: Goalkeeper

Height: 185cm

Current Club: Barnsley FC

Previous Clubs: National Football Academy of Lithuania

National Team ages played for: 15’s, 17’s, 19’s 

I caught up with Lukas Lidakevicius, a young goalkeeper at Barnsley FC.

Coming from a country like Lithuania where the number one sport is Basketball, how did you get involved in football?

I was eight at the time and I was at school one day when a football coach called A.Timofejavas came to my school and offered me and a couple of the other lads the chance to play football, I said 'YES' straight away and never looked back.

When did you realise you wanted to be a goalkeeper with all those outfield positions available?

Before I started my first training session I knew I wanted to be a goalkeeper, this because my brother whom is 5 years older then me used to be a goalkeeper so I knew that was the position I wanted to play, I enjoyed watching every game he played and I knew that I wanted to do the same, I think being a goalkeeper runs in our family’s blood.

You have played for the national youth team from a very young age, in fact you have represented your country in many international competitions up to the U19s has it been a good experience and what has been your best moment?

I’ve played a lot of international games for Lithuania,  I think that is a brilliant experience because not everyone gets a chance to represent their country. I’ve enjoyed every game I’ve played for my National team and I’m very proud of that.
I think the best moment is when you are singing your National Anthem, it gives me a massive boost before the game!

What are the similarities or the difference in Lithuanian youth development and the English?

Similarities – playing the same game which is football, but there are a lot of differences, the biggest difference is “coaching”.
Coaches’ knowledge and experience in England are much better, as it is a footballing nation but Lithuania’s coaches are catching up with many having gained experience both in England and in other countries as well as stepping up their methods at home!

I first brought you to England for a week’s trial at Fulham FC with the club really happy with your ability in goal and they wanted to sign you but something went wrong, what was the word in Lithuania?

I really don’t know anything about what happened afterwards, but I knew Fulham were happy with my performance. 

With the move fallen at Fulham FC you went back to Lithuania how did the Barnsley move come around?

I went back home to the Lithuanian National Academy and trained hard, I had a big desire to come back to England and play football over here, an Agent heard of me and signed me and he arranged a trial at Barnsley FC, I guess my determination so far has paid off.

Making a move to Barnsley’s academy last year, this will be your second season, you have been in the first team bench for a couple of games this season, but what has been your best moment or game?

I had more than one “best moment” while here at Barnsley but playing  the last 10 minutes  for first team against Scunthorpe United in pre-season  was my BEST moment of course and every win for Barnsley FC is a great moment.

I hear good things about you, Barnsley are doing well in the Academy league and watching you Vs Chelsea last year it seems a solid side, what is atmosphere in the squad like and what is the aim?

This year we are doing very well, we have a lot of good players and our team spirit is brilliant, everyone has a winner’s mentality and that I guess is the key to our success.
Our aim is to win league and play the other winners, our main aim is to be the champions of England!

Well Lukas, thank you very much for your time, and I know we will be hearing about you in the near future, hopefully playing for Barnsley’s first team or gracing a premiership sides goal alongside your national team.

We are Benfica- NOT FOR SALE -

On the night where many players in red shone, the question will be raised from Socios and Supporters, when the group of players are more or less likely to be sold on to bigger clubs in Europe.

The likes of Fabio Coentrao, Aimar, Cardozo and Co are all on the wanted lists of the big teams.

With Portuguese football on the rise again, perhaps we should think about keeping some or most of the talent at home, make the league a force for Europe.

Why should our talent such as Coentrao go to Germany or Spain? I gather he is more then happy at Benfica, so seeing him in the red and white of Bayern Munich or the white or Real Madrid will not give me the same joy, unless he is wearing the red or Portugal.
Why should we not attract the TV audiences that the English Prem or the Spanish league do?

Benfica need to keep hold of Salvio, lets spend a little, be the club that buys big when the player is worth the money, and Salvio definitely has proven he can make a difference therefore worth the money.
Sign contracts early when we know a player is good to show the rest we mean business.

The investment on another keeper is also something we may need to look at, we spent big on Roberto, whom so far has been hit and miss, a decent back up should make him work harder.

We only have to look at Gomes the Tottenham keeper, a player that until he had no decent challenger was conceding silly goals.

Benfica should at the end of the season fight this temptation to make a bit of money, and establish the dominance of Portuguese football by creating a squad to consistently win trophies.

Maybe follow the footprints of rivals FC Porto whom don’t sell in massive numbers or build a new squad every year.

Consistency in squads is something adapted in Premier League team, top clubs keep top players, the likes of Manchester United buy 2 players and sell fringe players, Chelsea and Arsenal are the same.

Would we not be a greater squad with the likes of Ramires, David Luis, Di Maria, still in the squad? With the addition of the new faces then I am sure Benfica would dominate the league and even Europe.

We have the beautiful stadium, we have the greatest supporters on the planet, a team that can fight the title and win it every year is what it’s needed.

Let’s keep it big, lets make it great…. We are Benfica.

Scouting

My brief Scouting!!!

I am now 33 and scouting was never something I thought I would do.

It’s not a full time job; it’s not even a part-time job... unless you are one of few big players at pro clubs.

I first Started scouting as I believed I had talented young players in the club I was working with, I contacted a few pro clubs, and set up a few meetings.

My first club happened to be Charlton Athletic, a brief chat with the then head of scouting Gary Karza we got the ball rolling. He was interested in a U17 player I had, the boy had just arrived from Beleneses FC in Portugal, the kid was 6ft3 and had showed good football for the standard we were playing. He was finally invited for a trial at Charlton which never materialised and neither did my offer from Charlton so was time to seek other avenues.

After taking some time off and just concentrate on coaching I was soon approached by Reading FC about setting up a base in west London. Trial dates were arranged and I soon picked 2 players to take down, 1 was my brother in law (not at the time) who had shown a lot of promise in his 2 seasons with me and the other was a young player called Stefan Bailey (went on to play at QPR) whom was playing his first match for Willesden Constantine 1st Team, at the age of 15, I rang up Reading FC straight away and told them they had to get this boy in. On the same match i saw a young Enoch Schwommi (now Tranmere and 18 at the time), both Stefan at 15 and Enoch at 18 were by far the best players on a Middlesex County Premier clash. Stefan who was outstanding in his trial and by far the best player on the pitch until he injured himself, Reading tried to sign Stefan as they told me, but news from Thea bailey camp they opted fo QPR as closer to home. Danny Silva (bruv in law) was also injured during the trial but not offered a second trial.
I carried on doing some scouting for Reading but it proved hard to commute from London to Reading and players found it hard to get there also.

I approached Chelsea about a getting involved in scouting and a very interested man (who’s name I won’t mention) gave me a date to come down to one of my sessions so we could talk it over. Little did I know the wife would give birth the day before. After the hospital without any sleep I attended my session, to my disappointment no Chelsea representative showed up or bothered to call which bothered me for a while.

Soon after my contact at Reading Keith Stiles moved to Fulham FC and contacted me about working with them.

Fulham’s Eugene Dwaah came into one of my sessions and we worked out ways of getting players into Fulham...I spent 2 and a half years with Fulham and have had a good scour for talent from north to south west and east London, some good and some average players, butatthe omet most too young to mention names.

Recently as from late 2010 I have been asked to Join Brentford FC, an old contact who had been trying to getme to work at Arsenal had moved over to Brentford fo a higher position. With the changes at FFC academy I felt the time was right to move on and join a club with a tight and organised programme, Working along with Shaun O'Connor and Miguel Rios.

Along the years I have sent and recommended players to clubs and some have slipped through the net and landed in other places, but so long as they get the chance it’s all I care.