In 2002, Valdas Dambrauskas appeared on Lithuania’s version of a popular quiz show. He left with 4,000 Lithuanian litas, roughly £2,500 in today’s terms, and chose to invest the winnings in his goal of coaching football, despite having never played professionally.
Dambrauskas moved to England with his partner to study sport science and coaching at London Metropolitan University. It was a high-risk move: English was not fluent for him, and most of the prize money went toward travel and living expenses. He later recalled that money was left for only one month at that time.
He worked in retail while pursuing coaching qualifications, gradually building his experience. After persistent effort, he began coaching Kingsbury London Tigers, a ninth-tier club in England. He described his early days in England as a relentless pursuit of a dream to become a football coach, focusing on language learning, education, and hands-on coaching experience. He emphasized that progress came in stages: language acquisition, level-specific coaching courses, an initial youth coaching session, opportunities in professional or semi-professional academy settings, and a degree in sports science and coaching. He believed that securing a professional break in England would be challenging but would eventually come through his work in his home country.
Dambrauskas later graduated in 2009 and took charge of Lithuania’s under-17 team the same year. His coaching career progressed with stints at Lithuanian clubs such as Ekranas and Zalgiris, and he later managed in other countries, including Bulgaria with Ludogorets, Croatia with Hajduk Split, Greece, Cyprus, and Hungary. His tenure with Sabah FC of Azerbaijan has been particularly notable.
This season, Sabah FC reached the group stage of Europe’s premier club competition. Their qualification was dramatic: after losing the first leg 1–0 to an Israeli opponent, they trailed 2–1 in the return leg with only 20 minutes remaining. A turnaround ensued as Umarali Rakhmonaliev and Tellur Mutallimov scored, leading to extra time, during which the opponents were reduced to nine men. Sabah triumphed 5–2 in extra time, sealing a 6–4 aggregate victory and a place in the Champions League group stage.
Looking ahead, Dambrauskas expressed excitement about testing himself against some of the world’s top clubs. He highlighted both the excitement and the responsibility that comes with competing at that level, viewing it as a key opportunity for the club’s growth and for his own development. He underscored that success would contribute to both personal and team advancement and that the club would strive to make the most of the chance to compete at the highest level.
