Deniss Rakels

Deniss Rakeļs

Rakels playing for Liepājas Metalurgs
Personal information
Full name Deniss Rakels
Date of birth (1992-08-20) 20 August 1992
Place of birth Jēkabpils, Latvia
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10 1⁄2 in)
Playing position Forward
Club information
Current team
 Reading
Number 10
Youth career
Jēkabpils RSS
Jēkabpils SC
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
2007–2009 FK Liepājas Metalurgs-2
2009–2010 FK Liepājas Metalurgs 40 (27)
2011–2014 Zagłębie Lubin 9 (0)
2011–2013 → GKS Katowice (loan) 47 (16)
2014–2016 Cracovia 61 (26)
2016– Reading 10 (3)
National team‡
2008–2009 Latvia U-17
2009–2010 Latvia U-19 3 (0)
2011–2013 Latvia U-21 8 (3)
2010– Latvia 15 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 16 April 2016.
† Appearances (goals)

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 19 December 2015

Deniss Rakeļs (born 20 August 1992 in Jēkabpils) is a Latvian professional footballer who currently plays for English club Reading. He is also a member of the Latvia national football team.

Career

Club

Early career in Latvia

Rakels started his youth career in his local club Jēkabpils RSS, later on moving to another club from the same city - Jēkabpils SC. In 2007 he left, signing for FK Liepājas Metalurgs-2 in the Latvian First League. While playing for the reserve team of Metalurgs, he was an outstanding team leader - he scored regularly and was impressive with his speed to finish the through balls. In 2009, only 17 years old, he was taken to the first team by that time Metalurgs manager Rüdiger Abramczik. He had no difficulties to fit into the first team level soon after joining, becoming a regular first eleven player. Even more - he scored in nearly every appearance. In fact, just after a few appearances Rakels had already completed 2 league hat-tricks. His technique and footballing skills impressed many coaches all around the world, despite him being just 18.[1] In December 2009 he went on trial with the Italian Serie A side Sampdoria. In April 2010 he joined Swiss Super League team Basel on trial,[2] and in August 2010 in a league game against FK Ventspils he was scouted by Werder Bremen scouts.[3]

Zagłębie Lubin

In December 2010 it was announced that Rakels would go on a training camp together with the Russian Premier League giants Rubin Kazan in January 2011, but the player himself decided to reject the offer, because the Polish Ekstraklasa club Zagłębie Lubin were interested in signing him.[4] This scenario turned out to be true and on 30 January 2011, after passing medical tests, Rakels signed a three-year contract with them.[5] Later on the player himself admitted that till the very last day before signing a contract with Zagłębie the representatives of the Ukrainian Premier League club Karpaty Lviv had been trying to persuade him to join their club, despite several previous refusals from the player.[6]

GKS Katowice

On August 17, 2011 Rakels was sent on a season long loan spell to Polish I liga club GKS Katowice to gain experience due to his limited game time in Lubin.[7] He scored 5 goals in 20 matches for the club, returning to Zagłębie after the season. It was reported that Rakels would be loaned to GKS for another season in August 2012.[8] In his second season with GKS Rakels scored 11 goals in 27 matches, becoming one of the league's top scorers. In July 2013 he went on trial with the English Football League Championship club Brighton & Hove Albion, but did not stay with them, despite scoring a goal in a pre-season friendly match.[9] Before the start of the 2013–14 Ekstraklasa season Rakels returned to Zagłębie Lubin.[10]

Cracovia

On January 15, 2014 Rakels decided to sign a half-year contract with Cracovia, the contract was later extended.[11]

Reading

On 28 January 2016 Rakels signed a two-and-a-half-year deal with Reading for an undisclosed fee.[12] Rakels made his Reading debut on 6 February 2016, coming on as a 79th minute substitute for Matěj Vydra, in their 0-0 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers.[13] He scored his first goal for Reading when he struck a late winner in a 4-3 win at Charlton Athletic on 27 February 2016.[14]

International

Rakels was a member of Latvia U-19 and Latvia U-21 football teams. In June 2010 he was firstly called up to the Latvia national football team for the 2010 Baltic Cup by the manager Aleksandrs Starkovs, who was impressed by the youngster's great form in the national championship.[15] He made his international debut on 18 June 2010 in a 0-0 draw against Lithuania, coming on as a substitute in the 75th minute and replacing Andrejs Perepļotkins.[16]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 16 April 2016.[17][18]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Liepājas Metalurgs 2009 Virslīga 149 -10-159
2010 261810-20-2911
Total 4027 --30--4327
Zagłębie Lubin 2010–11 Ekstraklasa 4000---40
2011–12 0000---00
2012–13 0000---00
2013–14 5000---50
Total 9000------90
GKS Katowice (loan) 2011–12 I liga 20500---205
2012–13 271100---2711
Total 471600------4716
KS Cracovia 2013–14 Ekstraklasa 8000---80
2014–15 331131---3612
2015–16 201541---2416
Total 612672------6126
Reading 2015–16 Championship 822000––101
Career total 165711020030--17872

International

Latvia
YearAppsGoals
201020
201100
201200
201340
201410
201580
Total150

Statistics accurate as of match played 13 November 2015[19]

Honours

Liepājas Metalurgs

Personal life

Rakels is of Polish descent. He has 3 tattoos on his body - the first one is his name, the second one is his mother's name, while the third one is a wish for his parents written in Arabic.[20]

References

  1. ↑ Rakeļs raises Metalurgs expectations 5.07.2010, uefa.com
  2. ↑ http://sportacentrs.com/futbols/lmt_virsliga/03052010-vai_deniss_rakels_parcelsies_uz_basel
  3. ↑ http://sportacentrs.com/futbols/lmt_virsliga/19082010-ventspils_un_metalurga_spele_werder_skaut
  4. ↑ http://www.tvnet.lv/sports/futbols/358515-rakels_tomer_nav_vienojies_ar_kazanas_rubin
  5. ↑ Deniss Rakels podpisał kontrakt z Zagłębiem Lubin 30.01.2011, onet.pl
  6. ↑ http://sportacentrs.com/futbols/legionari/08022011-rakels_stasta_par_pareju_uz_poliju_un_ukr?is_mobile=0
  7. ↑ http://sportacentrs.com/futbols/17082011-deniss_rakels_izirets_polijas_1_ligas_klu?#comments
  8. ↑ http://www.kasjauns.lv/lv/zinas/91252/rakels-ari-sosezon-bus-izirets-polijas-pirmas-ligas-klubam-katovices-gks
  9. ↑ http://www1.skysports.com/news/12040/8812974/
  10. ↑ http://sportacentrs.com/futbols/legionari/03082013-rakels_pieteikts_polijas_ekstraklasei_zag
  11. ↑ http://cracovia.pl/pilka-nozna/news/wiadomosci/deniss_rakels_w_cracovii
  12. ↑ http://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/article/dennis-rakels-joins-reading-from-cracovia-2926263.aspx
  13. ↑ "Reading 0-0 Wolves". www.readingfc.co.uk. Reading F.C. 6 February 2016. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  14. ↑ "Charlton 3-4 Reading". BBC Sport (BBC). 27 February 2016. Retrieved 27 February 2016.
  15. ↑ http://sportacentrs.com/futbols/latvijas_izlase/10062010-starkovs_nosauc_kandidatus_baltijas_kausa
  16. ↑ http://www.lff.lv/lv/latvijasizlases/nacionala/speles/2010/lietuva-latvia/
  17. ↑ "Deniss Rakels". www.90minut.pl (in Polish). 90minut. 29 January 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  18. ↑ "D.Rakels". uk.soccerway.com. Soccerway. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  19. ↑ "Deniss Rakels". National Football Teams. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  20. ↑ http://www.parsportu.lv/articles/3/49024/

External links

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