FK Sūduva Marijampolė

FK Sūduva Marijampolė
Full name Football Club Sūduva
Nickname(s) Suvalkiečiai (Sudovians)
Founded 1921
Ground Sūduva stadium
Marijampolė
Ground Capacity 6,250
Chairman Lithuania Vidmantas Murauskas
Manager Serbia Aleksandar Veselinović
League A Lyga
2015 A Lyga, 4th
Website Club home page

FK Sūduva is a professional football club based in city of Marijampolė, Lithuania. Founded in 1921, they currently play in the Lithuanian top division the A lyga.

The club has played in the A lyga since 2002 and have never been relegated from the Lithuanian top division. In 2006 the team won the Lithuanian Cup, a feat they repeated in 2009 with a 1–0 victory over Tauras in the final.[1]

The team's colours are white and red. The club plays at ARVI Football Arena in Marijampolė (capacity 6,250).

Name history

History

Soviet times

Sūduva is one of the oldest and still functioning clubs in Lithuania. It is not so easy to trace its history as in Soviet times it often changed names with every new factory that supported it. It is more or less agreed that officially this club exists under the name of Sūduva since 1968.

During Soviet times it drifted between different local leagues, producing few footballers for above mentioned Žalgiris and slowly building local football community. Football was also actively played in few smaller towns around Marijampolė thus making the community of football lovers even stronger. Actually it was stronger than the club itself and those who follow the team today are adding to the old tradition.

The biggest achievement of the club during Soviet times came in 1975 when Sūduva reached the 3rd place at local top division. The next year it played and lost the National Cup Final. That was more or less it.

1990- 2001

After the crash of Soviet Union Sūduva got few chances to go up. It played the only Baltic championship in 1990 with teams from Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. Next year it tried the Lithuanian top division. Both efforts were terrible – Sūduva finished both championships as the last team collecting 7 points at Baltic championship and only 2 at the Lithuanian league.

Later the team navigated between the 2nd and the 3rd divisions for some 10 years without decent funds or truly professional attitude. The worst was the season of 1998 / 1999. The team started well at the 2nd division but left it after half season because it had no funds. Well, it was not the end. The football traditions were too strong.

The team recovered next season at the 3rd division, won it the following year, went up and won again. This rise continues up to this day.

2002- present

The season of 2002 shaped the future. The team reached top division. It also reached the finals of National cup and gained the chance to take part in UEFA Cup. But the most important thing was that it also got new owners who were determined to create a normally functioning and financially predictable club. The European campaign of that year added some good emotions to the general hype.

The semi-professional team killed Brann from Norway during its first European tie (3:2 both away and at home) and went to Glasgow to meet Celtic. This tie was not so successful (actually, the result is still featured in the statistics of Celtic as one of the biggest victories in Europe). But no one cared – the fundaments for the revival were laid.

Three more seasons at the middle of the table and the team reached the 3rd place – 30 years after the achievement of the same caliber. Repeating the history, club reached the finals of National Cup the following year. Only this time the Cup went to Marijampolė.

Since that year Sūduva have been one of the most stable clubs of the country – both financially and on the league table. It reached 2nd position twice (2007 and 2010), 3rd position – three times (2009, 2011 and 2012) and one more time won the National Cup (2008). It went to play European cups every year receiving teams like Rapid, Red Bull and Club Brugge.

Year of 2013 saw new concept of the team. The budget is still stable but it went down. So the team expressed the wish to put more stress on integration of young local boys into the main team. Some important players of the earlier seasons left, few foreign players came to stand along those who left and the new blood.

So this is the year of experiments. The team is much younger, less experienced and clearly weaker. Many seasons before Sūduva was clear member of 2-4 teams that were clear leaders of the championship. The question was only about what kind of medals each team will get. This year the situation is much tougher for Sūduva. It is clear that the team will need a lot of effort and luck if it wants to get its traditional silver or bronze.

2015 season Sūduva started with new head coach- Aleksandr Veselinovič. New coach totally changed the team style from defending to attacking. In the last season game against Atlantas Sūduva needed at least a draw. Sūduva conceded a goal in the 86th minute and lost 3rd place to Atlantas.

In the beginning of 2016 season Sūduva recalled former team players Marius Činikas and Martynas Matuzas. Multiple A lyga champions Algis Jankauskas, Andro Švrljuga and Paulius Janušauskas were signed as well. Also were signed croatian goalkeeper Ivan Kardum and serbian midfielder Predrag Pavlović. [2]

Supporters

FK Sūduva supporters calls Sūduvos Sakalai. [3]

Sponsors

Sponsors

Lithuania Sumeda
Lithuania Arvi
Lithuania Statybos ritmas

Kit manufacturer

Spain Joma

Stadium

ARVI Football Arena
ARVI Football Arena
Main article: ARVI Football Arena

FK Sūduva since 2008 playing in ARVI Football Arena. The stadium was built using funds from the European Union and opened on July 6, 2008. Stadium capacity is 6,500. Near the arena you can find roof covered football field ARVI Football Indoor Arena containing 2500 seats. There football can be played whole year. There are two outdoor football fields near the arena as well.

Honours

Domestic

Continental

[4]

Participation in Lithuanian A League

Year Division Position
2002 A lyga 6th
2003 A lyga 6th
2004 A lyga 7th
2005 A lyga 3rd
2006 A lyga 5th
2007 A lyga 2nd
2008 A lyga 4th
2009 A lyga 3th
2010 A lyga 2nd
2011 A lyga 3th
2012 A lyga 3rd
2013 A lyga 4th
2014 A lyga 5th
2015 A lyga 4th

Participation in Lithuanian Football Federation Cup

Year LFF Cup Position
1990 Lithuanian Football Cup 1/16 Finals
1991 Lithuanian Football Cup 1/4 Finals
1991/1992 Lithuanian Football Cup 1/16 Finals
1992/1993 Lithuanian Football Cup 1/16 Finals
1997/1998 Lithuanian Football Cup 1/8 Finals
1998/1999 Lithuanian Football Cup 1/16 Finals
2001/2002 Lithuanian Football Cup 2nd
2002/2003 Lithuanian Football Cup 1/8 Finals
2003 Lithuanian Football Cup Semi Finals
2004 Lithuanian Football Cup 3rd
2005 Lithuanian Football Cup 1/4 Finals
2006 Lithuanian Football Cup Winners
2007/2008 Lithuanian Football Cup 1/4 Finals
2008/2009 Lithuanian Football Cup Winners
2009/2010 Lithuanian Football Cup Semi Finals
2010/2011 Lithuanian Football Cup 2nd
2011/2012 Lithuanian Football Cup Semi Finals
2012/2013 Lithuanian Football Cup 1/8 Finals
2013/2014 Lithuanian Football Cup 1/8 Finals
2014/2015 Lithuanian Football Cup 1/4 Finals
2015/2016 Lithuanian Football Cup

Participation in Europe cups

Season Cup Round Club Score Aggregate
2002–03 UEFA Cup QR Norway Brann 3–2, 3–2 6–4
1R Scotland Celtic 1–8, 0–2 1–10
2006–07 UEFA Cup 1Q Wales Rhyl 0–0, 2–1 2–1
2Q Belgium Club Brugge 0–2, 2–5 2–7
2007–08 UEFA Cup 1Q Northern Ireland Dungannon Swifts 0–1, 4–0 4–1
2Q Norway Brann 1–2, 3–4 4–6
2008–09 UEFA Cup 1Q Wales TNS 1–0, 1–0 2–0
2Q Austria Red Bull Salzburg 1–4, 1–0 2–4
2009–10 UEFA Europa League 2Q Denmark Randers 0–1, 1–1 1–2
2010–11 UEFA Europa League 2Q Austria Rapid Wien 0–2, 2–4 2–6
2011–12 UEFA Europa League 2Q Sweden Elfsborg 1–1, 0–3 1–4
2012–13 UEFA Europa League 1Q Latvia Daugava 0–1, 3–2 3–3(a)
2Q Serbia Vojvodina 1–1, 0–4 1–5
2013–14 UEFA Europa League 1Q Republic of Macedonia Horizont Turnovo 2–2, 2–2 4–4 (4–5 p)

Current squad

As of 26 January 2016.

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 Lithuania GK Justinas Popiera
2 Lithuania MF Valentin Baranovskij
3 Lithuania DF Marius Činikas
5 Lithuania DF Darius Isoda
7 Lithuania MF Ernestas Veliulis
10 Lithuania FW Tomas Radzinevičius
11 Croatia DF Andro Švrljuga
12 Croatia GK Ivan Kardum
13 Lithuania MF Karolis Chvedukas
14 Serbia MF Admir Kecap
16 Lithuania MF Paulius Janušauskas
No. Position Player
19 Lithuania DF Vaidas Slavickas
24 Bosnia and Herzegovina MF Nermin Jamak
28 Lithuania GK Martynas Matuzas
33 Lithuania DF Algis Jankauskas
45 Lithuania FW Markas Kardokas
77 Serbia MF Predrag Pavlović
85 Serbia DF Miljan Jablan
88 Lithuania MF Marius Šoblinskas
92 Lithuania FW Karolis Laukžemis
98 Lithuania MF Domantas Antanavičius

International players

Match line-up against Lietava in 2016 LFF

Valaitis
Grigaitis
Koziuberda
Lukšys
Match line-up against FK Ventspils in Baltic league final 2010-07-04

All time top scorers

Years 1990-2015 1. Radzinevičius: 101
2. Lukšys: 70
3. Urbšys: 54
4. Brazaitis: 49
5. Maciulevičius: 45
6. Beniušis: 38
7. G. Slavickas: 36
8. Valskis: 32
9. Žitinskas: 31
10. Ledesma, Chvedukas: 27
11. Marčiulionis: 25
12. Adomaitis, Braga: 22
13. Kraipavičius, Eliošius: 19
14. Pultinavičius, Šoblinskas: 18
15. Larčenka, Litvinas: 17
16. Sagna, Šidlauskas, Willer Oliveira: 16
17. Apolskis, Balaika, G. Klevinskas, Brokas: 15
18. Negreiros: 14
19. Petrauskas: 13

League top scorers by season

[5]

Technical staff

Position Name
Head coach Serbia Aleksandar Veselinović
Goalkeeping coach Lithuania Audrius Ramonas
Head physio Lithuania Nerijus Stepanauskas
Physio Lithuania Rimantas Česnulis
Assistant Coach Lithuania Eivinas Černiauskas
Assistant Coach Serbia Vladimir Gaćinović

Player of the Year

Lists of the winners of Sūduva Marijampolė. Player of the Year Award instituted from 2008 as voted by fans:

Managers

References

  1. ↑ "Sūduva celebrate Lithuanian Cup spoils". Uefa.com. 2009-05-16. Retrieved 2009-05-18.
  2. ↑ http://alyga.smscredit.lt/komanda/suduva/4
  3. ↑ http://suduvossakalai.lt/news.php
  4. ↑ http://fksuduva.lt/pasiekimai/
  5. ↑ http://www.sdv.lt

External links

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