Raimonds Laizans
Encyclopedia
Raimonds Laizāns is a former Latvia
n football
goalkeeper who played for Latvia national football team
in the 1990s.
was in his prime years and the best Laizāns could hope for was being back-up to Kulakovs. From 1985 to 1987 Laizāns played with Zvejnieks Liepāja, then went to the Ukraine
- first to Volyn Lutsk with which he won the Ukrainian league in 1989, then - to FC Karpaty Lviv
.
After the 1991/1992 season in Ukraine he returned to Latvia
and joined Skonto FC
. In the first year Laizāns played significantly less than Oļegs Grišins but from 1993 to 1996 he was the undisputed number one goalkeeper in the club which was without a doubt the strongest in Latvia. From 1994 to 1996 Laizāns was selected the best goalkeeper in Virslīga
. In 1997 Laizāns started experiencing a competition from the clubs second goalkeeper - Aleksandrs Koļinko
(both played 12 matches in the Latvian Virslīga
). And after that season Laizāns left Skonto for Fakel Voronezh in the 1st Russian league. The season was good for Laizāns - he played 39 of 42 matches with Fakel, but for the club it wasn't especially good - 10th place in the league. In 1999 Laizāns returned to Latvia again and joined Policijas FK
. After one season with Policijas FK Laizāns retired from active football.
. Laizāns got the honor of playing the first Latvia official game - against Romania
on 8 April 1992. Karavajevs was the one who usually played the most important matches and who played for Latvia in its most historic matches but Laizāns usually got a chance to play in friendlies and in the Baltic Cup. His best matches for Latvia were probably in 1995 as it in Euro 1996 qualifying
lost 2:3 to Portugal
in Porto
and won 2:1 away against Northern Ireland and 3:2 in Riga
against Austria
.
Laizāns last match for Latvia came in 1998 as it lost 0:3 in a friendly game against Tunisia
. In total he made 31 international appearances for Latvia.
After retiring from active football Laizāns took over the youth squad of Skonto FC
, and as of January 2008 he is the chairman of JFK Olimps Rīga
.
Raimonds Laizāns is not a relative of another former Daugava Rīga goalkeeper Laimonis Laizāns
and of Latvia international footballer Juris Laizāns
.
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
n football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
goalkeeper who played for Latvia national football team
Latvia national football team
The Latvian national football team is controlled by the Latvian Football Federation, the governing body for football in Latvia and represents the country in international football competitions, such as the World Cup and the European Championships. So far, they have never qualified for a FIFA World...
in the 1990s.
Club playing career
Raimonds Laizāns started playing football at the Daugava sports school in Riga at the age of 13. In 1980 with Progress Rīga he won the silver medals of the Latvian league and in 1983 debuted for the strongest Latvian club - Daugava Rīga. However his career with Daugava never really got off - Aleksandrs KulakovsAleksandrs Kulakovs
Aleksandrs Kulakovs is a former Latvian football goalkeeper who played for the biggest part of his career for Daugava Rīga....
was in his prime years and the best Laizāns could hope for was being back-up to Kulakovs. From 1985 to 1987 Laizāns played with Zvejnieks Liepāja, then went to the Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
- first to Volyn Lutsk with which he won the Ukrainian league in 1989, then - to FC Karpaty Lviv
FC Karpaty Lviv
FC Karpaty Lviv is a Ukrainian professional football club from the city of Lviv. Named after the Carpathian Mountains, they are one of perennial mid-table clubs in Ukraine.-Early years :...
.
After the 1991/1992 season in Ukraine he returned to Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
and joined Skonto FC
Skonto FC
Skonto FC is a Latvian football club, founded in 1991. The club plays at the Skonto Stadium in Riga. Skonto won the Virsliga in the first 14 seasons of the league's existence , and often provides the core of the Latvia national football team...
. In the first year Laizāns played significantly less than Oļegs Grišins but from 1993 to 1996 he was the undisputed number one goalkeeper in the club which was without a doubt the strongest in Latvia. From 1994 to 1996 Laizāns was selected the best goalkeeper in Virslīga
Virsliga
-Past Virslīga winners:-Top scorers:-Riga football league winners:* 1910 Union Riga* 1911 British FC Riga* 1912 Union Riga* 1913 British FC Riga* 1914 British FC Riga* 1915 British FC Riga-Champions of Latvia before Virslīga:* 1922 Ķeizarmežs...
. In 1997 Laizāns started experiencing a competition from the clubs second goalkeeper - Aleksandrs Koļinko
Aleksandrs Kolinko
Aleksandrs Koļinko is a professional footballer, currently playing for FC Baltika Kaliningrad in Russian First Division.- Club career :...
(both played 12 matches in the Latvian Virslīga
Virsliga
-Past Virslīga winners:-Top scorers:-Riga football league winners:* 1910 Union Riga* 1911 British FC Riga* 1912 Union Riga* 1913 British FC Riga* 1914 British FC Riga* 1915 British FC Riga-Champions of Latvia before Virslīga:* 1922 Ķeizarmežs...
). And after that season Laizāns left Skonto for Fakel Voronezh in the 1st Russian league. The season was good for Laizāns - he played 39 of 42 matches with Fakel, but for the club it wasn't especially good - 10th place in the league. In 1999 Laizāns returned to Latvia again and joined Policijas FK
Policijas FK
Policijas FK was a Latvian football club based in Riga that played in Virslīga from 1999 to 2002.-History:The football club of the Latvian police forces was founded in 1994. Until 1998 it played in the lower divisions of Latvian football as a completely amateur team. In 1998 Policijas FK for the...
. After one season with Policijas FK Laizāns retired from active football.
National team playing career
In early nineties when Latvia regained independence and its national team debuted in international matches there were two main contenders for the number one goalkeeper spot in Latvia - Laizāns and Oļegs KaravajevsOlegs Karavajevs
Oļegs Karavajevs is a former Latvian international football goalkeeper. Karavajevs was the goalkeeper with most appearances for Latvia in the 1990s.-Club playing career:...
. Laizāns got the honor of playing the first Latvia official game - against Romania
Romania national football team
The Romania national football team is the national football team of Romania and is controlled by the Romanian Football Federation.Romania is one of only four national teams, the other three being Brazil, France, and Belgium, that took part in the first three World Cups.However, after that...
on 8 April 1992. Karavajevs was the one who usually played the most important matches and who played for Latvia in its most historic matches but Laizāns usually got a chance to play in friendlies and in the Baltic Cup. His best matches for Latvia were probably in 1995 as it in Euro 1996 qualifying
1996 UEFA European Football Championship qualifying
Qualifying for the UEFA Euro 1996 final tournament, took place throughout 1994 and 1995. Forty-seven teams were divided into eight groups. All teams played against each other, within their groups, in a home-and-away basis. The winner of each group along with the six best runners-up automatically...
lost 2:3 to Portugal
Portugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
in Porto
Porto
Porto , also known as Oporto in English, is the second largest city in Portugal and one of the major urban areas in the Iberian Peninsula. Its administrative limits include a population of 237,559 inhabitants distributed within 15 civil parishes...
and won 2:1 away against Northern Ireland and 3:2 in Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
against Austria
Austria national football team
The Austria national football team is the association football team that represents the country of Austria in international competition and is controlled by the Austrian Football Association ....
.
Laizāns last match for Latvia came in 1998 as it lost 0:3 in a friendly game against Tunisia
Tunisia national football team
The Tunisia national football team , nicknamed Les Aigles de Carthage , is the national team of Tunisia and is controlled by the Fédération Tunisienne de Football. They have qualified for four FIFA World Cups, the first one in 1978, but have yet to make it out of the first round...
. In total he made 31 international appearances for Latvia.
After retiring from active football Laizāns took over the youth squad of Skonto FC
Skonto FC
Skonto FC is a Latvian football club, founded in 1991. The club plays at the Skonto Stadium in Riga. Skonto won the Virsliga in the first 14 seasons of the league's existence , and often provides the core of the Latvia national football team...
, and as of January 2008 he is the chairman of JFK Olimps Rīga
JFK Olimps Riga
Olimps/RFS, founded as JFK Olimps is a Latvian football club, playing in the top division of Latvian football. The club is from the city of Riga...
.
Raimonds Laizāns is not a relative of another former Daugava Rīga goalkeeper Laimonis Laizāns
Laimonis Laizans
Laimonis Laizāns is a former Soviet Latvian football goalkeeper who played for FK Daugava Rīga and Torpedo Moscow. He is considered one of the best Latvian goalkeepers of all time.-Playing biography:...
and of Latvia international footballer Juris Laizāns
Juris Laizans
Juris Laizāns is a Latvian football midfielder, currently playing for Fakel Voronezh in the Russian First League and Latvia national football team.-Club career:...
.
Honours
- Champion of Latvia
- 6 (1992–1997)
- Latvian Cup winner
- 2 (1995, 1997)
- Best Goalkeeper in the Latvian League (3):
- 1994, 1995, 1996
- Champion of UkraineUkraineUkraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
- 1 (1989)
- Baltic Cup
- 1 (1993Baltic Cup 1993The 1993 Baltic Cup football competition took place from July 2 – July 4 at the Kalevi Stadium in Pärnu, Estonia. It was the third annual competition of the three Baltic states – Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia – since they regained their independence from the Soviet Union in...
)
- 1 (1993