FBK Kaunas to Hearts
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Loan moves from Lithuanian football club FBK Kaunas to Scottish Premier League club Hearts have proved controversial in Scottish footballing circles, as both clubs are at least in part owned by businessman Vladimir Romanov and the comparatively large number of such loans is seen as a bending of the rules in some quarters. [1]
Contents |
[edit] Loan Types
[edit] Type 1 Loans
These loans take two forms. In the first, players are signed by Kaunas, but have been immediately transferred to Hearts on loan, without playing for Kaunas at all. There have been seven such loans:
- Deividas Česnauskis
Česnauskis was the first player signed by Kaunas with the express intention of playing for Hearts. He moved from Lokomotiv Moscow in February 2005.
- Roman Bednář
Czech striker Roman Bednář is the only player signed on loan from Kaunas to have gone on to sign a full permanent contract with Hearts. He initially joined Hearts in July 2005 and signed permanently in August 2006.
- Edgaras Jankauskas
Lithuanian striker Jankauskas left FC Porto for Kaunas in the summer of 2005 and was immediately loaned to Hearts.
- Nerijus Barasa
Right-back Barasa barely featured for Hearts in the immediate aftermath of his January 2006 loan move due to injury, making only one start against Rangers in the final match of the 2005-06 season. He featured more prominently during the 2006-07 season, although he was again hampered by injury. Although Barasa had played for Kaunas in the past, his loan move to Hearts came after five seasons playing in Russia and was, in effect, a paper-only transfer.
- Bruno Aguiar
Portuguese midfielder Aguiar was transferred to Kaunas in January 2006 from Portuguese high-flyers Benfica, before he became one of 11 players to join Hearts during the January 2006 transfer window.
- José Gonçalves
Former FC Thun defender Gonçalves moved on loan to Hearts in January 2006, after joining the Lithuanian champions for £633,000.
- Arnas Lekevicius
Although goalkeeper Lekevicius was signed from Lithuania, he had not featured for Kaunas, previously playing for Atlantas Klaipėda. He joined Hearts in January 2007
[edit] Type 2 Loans
The second type of loan involves players already on Kaunas' books being rewarded for good performances by getting loan moves to the bigger Scottish Premier League with Hearts. The 9 players who have been loaned in this manner are:
- Saulius Mikoliūnas
Young Lithuanian international winger Mikoliūnas was one of the first players loaned from Kaunas to Hearts, moving to Edinburgh in January 2005.
- Marius Kizys
Kizys moved to Tynecastle at the same time as Mikoliūnas but after making only 8 first-team appearances (6 of which were as a substitute) his loan was not renewed in the summer of 2005.
- Marius Žaliūkas
Defender Žaliūkas moved to Hearts on loan from Kaunas in August 2006. Initially deployed as a defensive midfielder, he became a more regular starter when moved to centreback.
- Andrius Velička
Striker Velička also joined Hearts on loan from Kaunas in August 2006. He was the Edinburgh side's top scorer during the first half of the 2006-07 season.
- Kęstutis Ivaškevičius
Young attacking midfielder Ivaškevičius moved on loan at the same time as Velička and Žaliūkas but made only 1 first-team appearance, against Alloa Athletic in the League Cup before leaving Hearts in November 2006.
- Arkadiusz Klimek
In January 2007, striker Klimek became the first non-Lithuanian player to be loaned to Hearts after playing for Kaunas. The Pole spent one season with Kaunas having previously played in Greece and his homeland.
- Eduardas Kurskis
6 times capped goalkeeper Kurskis joined the club on loan from Kaunus in the January 2007 transfer window.
- Tomas Kančelskis
Former Kaunas captain Kančelskis also joined on loan in January 2007. He had previously played as a trialist for Hearts in a friendly against Atlético Osasuna in July 2006.
- Linas Pilibaitis
Attacking midfielder Pilibaitis was the third Lithuanian to move on loan to Hearts in January 2007.
[edit] Fan Reaction
While the presence of Lithuanian loan players in the Hearts first team has been viewed with occasional asperity by Hearts' fans and has caused some of those players to be booed by the Hearts' support[2], Kaunus fans too have begun to voice their disapproval of their club being treated like a feeder club for the Scottish team. [3]
