View source for Aurelijus Skarbalius

{{short description|Lithuanian footballer and manager}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Auri Skarbalius
| image =
| fullname = Aurelijus Skarbalius
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1973|5|12|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Vilnius]], [[Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic|Lithuanian SSR]], [[Soviet Union]]
| height = 1.76 m
| position = [[Full-back (association football)|Full-back]]
| currentclub = [[HB Køge]] (sporting director)
| youthclubs1 = [[FK Žalgiris Vilnius|Žalgiris Vilnius]]
| youthyears1 =
| years1 = 1992–1994
| years2 = 1994–1995
| years3 = 1995–2005
| years4 = 2005
| years5 = 2006–2008
| clubs1 = [[FK Žalgiris|Žalgiris Vilnius]]
| clubs2 = [[FK Inkaras Kaunas|Inkaras Kaunas]]
| clubs3 = [[Brøndby IF|Brøndby]]
| clubs4 = → [[Herfølge Boldklub|Herfølge]] (loan)
| clubs5 = [[Herfølge Boldklub|Herfølge]]
| caps1 = 43
| caps2 = 27
| caps3 = 194
| caps4 = 8
| caps5 = 39
| goals1 = 6
| goals2 = 4
| goals3 = 2
| goals4 = 0
| goals5 = 0
| totalcaps = 311
| totalgoals = 12
| nationalyears1 = 1991–2005
| nationalteam1 = [[Lithuania national football team|Lithuania]]
| nationalcaps1 = 65
| nationalgoals1 = 5
| medaltemplates =
| manageryears1 = 2006–2009
| manageryears2 = 2009–2011
| manageryears3 = 2011–2013
| manageryears4 = 2013
| manageryears5 = 2014–2015
| manageryears6 = 2015–2016
| manageryears7 = 2016
| manageryears8 = 2016
| manageryears9 = 2017–2018
| manageryears10 = 2018–2019
| manageryears11 = 2020–2021
| manageryears12 = 2021–2024
| manageryears13 = 2024–
| managerclubs1 = [[Herfølge Boldklub|Herfølge]]
| managerclubs2 = [[HB Køge]]
| managerclubs3 = [[Brøndby IF|Brøndby]]
| managerclubs4 = [[Haslev FC]]
| managerclubs5 = [[Viborg FF]]
| managerclubs6 = [[Brøndby IF|Brøndby IF U19]]
| managerclubs7 = [[Brøndby IF|Brøndby]] (caretaker)
| managerclubs8 = [[Brøndby IF|Brøndby IF U19]]
| managerclubs9 = [[FK Žalgiris|Žalgiris Vilnius]]
| managerclubs10 = [[FK Trakai]]
| managerclubs11 = [[HB Køge]]
| managerclubs12 = [[HB Køge]] (technical director)
| managerclubs13 = [[HB Køge]] (sporting director)
}} 
'''Aurelijus Skarbalius''' ({{IPA|da|ˈɑwʁi}}; born 12 May 1973) is a Lithuanian professional [[association football|football]] manager and former player, who started his career as a [[winger (association football)|winger]], but played mostly as either left- or right-sided [[full-back (association football)|full-back]]. He is the Global Director of [[Capelli Sport]], the owner of his former club [[HB Køge]].

==Club career==
Auri started his career in Lithuanian clubs [[FK Žalgiris|Žalgiris Vilnius]] and [[FK Inkaras Kaunas|Inkaras Kaunas]], before he was bought by [[Danish Superliga]] club [[Brøndby IF]] for $150,000<ref>{{cite web|url=http://futbolo.tv/video/10-oji-tv-laida-futbolo-tv|title=Interviu|publisher=Futbolo.TV|language=lt}}{{Dead link|date=April 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> in 1995, after he and Inkaras met Brøndby in the 1995 [[UEFA Cup]]. At Brøndby he immediately won silverware, as the club won three Danish championships in a row in the [[1995–96 Danish Superliga|1995–96]], [[1996–97 Danish Superliga|1996–97]], and [[1997–98 Danish Superliga|1997–98 seasons]]. Despite only playing 17 games over the three championship winning seasons, Auri earned himself a cult following in the stands during his early years at Brøndby, as he did not succeed in scoring any goals for the club. Apart from this, he was well liked for his high work ethics and team spirit.

He was a part of Brøndby's first stint in the [[1998–99 UEFA Champions League]] main tournament, with the job to mark [[David Beckham]] of [[Manchester United]] and [[Luís Figo]] of [[FC Barcelona]]. Skarbalius got his big breakthrough in the [[2000–01 Danish Superliga|2000–01 season]], playing 28 of 33 games in the Superliga, and in the championship winning season of [[2001–02 Danish Superliga|2001–02]] he scored his only two goals for Brøndby, one in the Superliga, and one in the UEFA Champions League qualification against [[Dinamo Tirana]]. Incidentally Skarbalius was voted Brøndby's ''Player of the year 2002'' that season.

Following the summer 2002 arrival of new manager [[Michael Laudrup]], new player [[Asbjørn Sennels]] was bought for the left side of the defence in the following December. Sennels was a part of the [[Danish national football team|Denmark national team]] at the time, and even though Sennels initially didn't find his feet at the club, Auri played the rest of the season as a substitute for the left and right side of the defence. Auri spent the next few years mainly on the bench in Brøndby, and for the last half of the [[2004–05 Danish Superliga|2004–05 season]] he was put on loan at Superliga [[relegation]] battlers [[Herfølge Boldklub]]. Herfølge ended the season with relegation, and Auri returned to Brøndby to collect his 5th Danish championship title for Brøndby, for the games he played in the first half of the season.

For the first half of the [[2005–06 Danish Superliga|2005–06 season]] Skarbalius only took part in three matches for a combined 72 minutes on the pitch, and his contract was mutually terminated of 31 December 2005 to allow Auri to become a playing assistant coach at Herfølge in the [[Danish 1st Division]]. Before leaving Brøndby he managed to become the most capped foreign player in the club's history with almost 200 appearances.

==International career==
Skarbalius is a former captain of the [[Lithuania national football team|Lithuania national team]], and he previously held the record number of appearances for Lithuania with 65 international [[cap (football)|caps]], during which he has scored five goals. He retired from international football in October 2005 after spending all 14 years with the national team since [[History of Lithuania#Independent modern Lithuania (1990-2004)|Lithuania gained independence]].

==Coaching career==
In November 2006, he was promoted to head coach of the [[Herfølge BK]]. When Herfølge in 2009 merged with [[Køge Boldklub]], Skarbalius continued as manager of the new club called [[HB Køge]]. On 8 June 2011, it was announced, that Auri would be taking the job as assistant manager for [[Henrik Jensen (footballer born 1959)|Henrik Jensen]] at his former club [[Brøndby IF]] starting in January 2012, but when Jensen was sacked on 24 October, Auri was appointed as caretaker manager for the remainder of 2011.

In October 2012, with Brøndby last in the [[2012–13 Danish Superliga|2012–13]] Superliga table, Skarbalius was expected to be sacked soon, according to Danish bookmakers.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Winther-Rasmussen |first1=Michael |title=Bookmaker: Auri er brandvarm ... som fyringskandidat |url=https://ekstrabladet.dk/sport/betting/spil-nyheder/article4745045.ece |access-date=25 October 2020 |work=Ekstra Bladet |date=2 October 2012 |language=da}}</ref> However, he remained as head coach for the remainder of the season and on 20 May 2013 a new Superliga contract was secured in the last game away to Horsens.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Andersen |first1=Jens |title=Brøndby redder livet i Superligaen - Horsens rykker ned |url=https://www.dr.dk/sporten/fodbold/superliga/broendby-redder-livet-i-superligaen-horsens-rykker-ned |access-date=25 October 2020 |work=DR |date=20 May 2013 |language=da}}</ref> A new club board sacked him and sports director [[Ole Bjur]] on 10 June 2013 and Auri was replaced by [[Thomas Frank (football manager)|Thomas Frank]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Anker-Møller |first1=Kristian |title=Thomas Frank ny cheftræner i Brøndby |url=https://www.bold.dk/fodbold/nyheder/Thomas-Frank-ny-cheftraener-i-Broendby/ |access-date=25 October 2020 |work=bold.dk |date=10 June 2013 |language=da}}</ref>

In September 2013, he was announced as manager of minor Danish club [[Haslev FC]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ringstrøm |first1=John |title=Auri bliver træner i Haslev |url=https://sn.dk/modules/fsArticle/index.php?articleid=353198#.UjS3zX_m4dA |access-date=25 October 2020 |work=Sjællandske Nyheder |date=10 September 2013 |language=da}}</ref> He managed Haslev until Christmas 2013, and in February 2014 he was announced as the replacement for the knee injured [[Ove Christensen]] at [[Viborg FF]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Houlind |first1=Søren |title=Viborg med hemmelig Auri-afsløring |url=https://www.bold.dk/fodbold/nyheder/Viborg-med-hemmelig-Auri-afsloering/ |access-date=25 October 2020 |work=bold.dk |date=10 February 2014 |language=da}}</ref> Skarbalius could not save the club from relegation, but in the following season he helped the team to promote to the [[Danish Superliga]] once again. However, following the promotion he left the club by mutual consent.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.vff.dk/nyhedsarkiv/8-frontpagenews/8775-auri-skarbalius-stopper-som-cheftraener |title=Auri Skarbalius stopper som cheftræner |access-date=20 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150620181312/http://www.vff.dk/nyhedsarkiv/8-frontpagenews/8775-auri-skarbalius-stopper-som-cheftraener |archive-date=20 June 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In the autumn of 2015 Skarbalius became youth coach at [[Brøndby IF]]. When Brøndby-manager [[Thomas Frank (football manager)|Thomas Frank]] resigned in March 2016 following criticism from the chairman, Skarbalius was once again made manager of the club.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Blond |first1=Mikael |title=Auri overtager Brøndby-tøjlerne |url=https://www.bold.dk/fodbold/nyheder/auri-overtager-broendby-toejlerne/ |access-date=25 October 2020 |work=bold.dk |date=9 March 2016 |language=da}}</ref>

On 27 November 2017, it was announced that Skarbalius has signed a contract to become head coach of his first club [[FK Žalgiris|Žalgiris Vilnius]].<ref>{{cite web|title=FK "Žalgiris" turi naują vedlį|url=http://www.fkzalgiris.lt/naujienos/n7019.html|publisher=FK Žalgiris|access-date=27 November 2017|language=lt|date=27 November 2017}}</ref> He was sacked on 22 June 2018.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kamper |first1=Anders |title=Auri fyret i Litauen |url=https://sn.dk/Sport-DB/Auri-fyret-i-Litauen/artikel/768783 |access-date=25 October 2020 |work=Sjællandske Nyheder |date=23 August 2018 |language=da}}</ref>

In December 2018, Auri became head coach of [[FK Trakai]].<ref>{{cite news |title="Trakams" naujajame sezone diriguos Aurelijus Skarbalius |url=https://www.delfi.lt/sportas/futbolas/trakams-naujajame-sezone-diriguos-aurelijus-skarbalius.d?id=79940343 |access-date=25 October 2020 |work=Delfi |date=21 December 2018 |language=lt}}</ref> After [[2019–20 UEFA Europa League]] first qualifying round, when the club had changed its name to [[FK Riteriai]] in the meantime, and had struggled against [[KÍ Klaksvík]], he left the club team.<ref>{{cite news |title=A.Skarbalius traukiasi iš "Riterių" |url=http://fkriteriai.lt/2019/07/a-skarbalius-traukiasi-is-riteriu/ |access-date=25 October 2020 |work=Futbolo Klubas Riteriai |date=18 July 2019 |language=lt}}</ref>

On 5 December 2019, it was announced that Skarbalius would return as manager of [[HB Køge]] on 1 January 2020.<ref>{{cite web|title=Auri Skarbalius er ny træner i HB Køge|language=da|date=5 December 2019|access-date=5 December 2019|publisher=bold.dk|url=https://www.bold.dk/fodbold/nyheder/auri-skarbalius-er-ny-traener-i-hb-koege/}}</ref> In March 2021, the club confirmed that Skarbalius would be the club's Technical Director from the coming season.<ref>[https://www.hbkoge.dk/ny-rolle-til-auri-skarbalius-bliver-teknisk-direktoer-for-capelli-sport-football/ Ny rolle til Auri Skarbalius: Bliver teknisk direktør for Capelli Sport football], hbkoge.dk, 30 March 2021</ref> Three years later, in June 2024, Skarbalius became the club's Sports Director.<ref>[https://www.hbkoge.dk/auri-skarbalius-bliver-sportsdirektoer/ Auri Skarbalius bliver sportsdirektør], hbkoge.dk, 24 June 2024</ref>

==Career statistics==
:''Scores and results list Lithuania's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Skarbalius goal.''

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ List of international goals scored by Aurelijus Skarbalius<ref name="rsssf">{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/skarbalius-intl.html|title=Aurelijus Skarbalius - International Appearances|website=[[RSSSF]]|access-date=12 May 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.soccer-db.info/index.php?option=com_joomsport&task=player&id=12839|title=Aurelijus Skarbalius|publisher=Soccer-DB|access-date=12 May 2017}}</ref>
|-
!scope="col"|No.
!scope="col"|Date
!scope="col"|Venue
!scope="col"|Opponent
!scope="col"|Score
!scope="col"|Result
!scope="col"|Competition
|-
| align="center"|1 || 17 November 1991 || [[Kretinga City Stadium]], [[Kretinga]], Lithuania || {{fb|LVA}} || align="center"|1–1 || align="center"|1–1 || [[1991 Baltic Cup]]
|-
| align="center"|2 || 17 August 1994 || [[Eyravallen]], [[Örebro]], Sweden || {{fb|SWE}} || align="center"|2–3 || align="center"|2–4 || [[Friendly (association football)|Friendly]]
|-
| align="center"|3 || 7 September 1994 || [[Olimpiyskiy National Sports Complex|Republican Stadium]], [[Kyiv]], Ukraine || {{fb|UKR}} || align="center"|2–0 || align="center"|2–0 || [[UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying Group 4|UEFA Euro 1996 qualification]]
|-
| align="center"|4 || 20 May 1995 || [[Daugava Stadium (Riga)|Daugava Stadium]], [[Riga]], Latvia || {{fb|EST}} || align="center"|1–0 || align="center"|7–0 || [[1995 Baltic Cup]]
|-
| align="center"|5 || 29 July 1995 || [[Žalgiris Stadium]], [[Vilnius]], Lithuania || {{fb|BLR}} || align="center"|1–0 || align="center"|1–1 || Friendly
|}

==Managerial statistics==
{{updated|26 May 2021}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|-
!rowspan="2"|Team
!rowspan="2"|Nat
!rowspan="2"|From
!rowspan="2"|To
!colspan="6"|Record
|-
!G!!W!!D!!L!!Win %
|-
| align=left|[[Herfølge Boldklub]]
| Denmark
| align=left|1 January 2006
| align=left|30 June 2009
{{WDL|90|49|18|23}}
|-
| align=left|[[HB Køge]]
| Denmark
| align=left|1 July 2009
| align=left|24 November 2011
{{WDL|82|28|13|41}}
|-
| align=left|[[Brøndby IF]]
| Denmark
| align=left|25 November 2011
| align=left|10 June 2013
{{WDL|59|18|19|22}}
|-
| align=left|[[Haslev FC]]
| Denmark
| align=left|20 September 2013
| align=left|3 November 2013
{{WDL|8|5|3|0}}
|-
| align=left|[[Viborg FF]]
| Denmark
| align=left|10 February 2014
| align=left|6 June 2015
{{WDL|49|18|18|13}}
|-
| align=left|[[Brøndby IF]]
| Denmark
| align=left|9 March 2016
| align=left|30 May 2016
{{WDL|15|7|2|6}}
|-
| align=left|[[FK Žalgiris|Žalgiris Vilnius]]
| Lithuania
| align=left|27 November 2017
| align=left|22 June 2018
{{WDL|11|5|4|2}}
|-
| align=left|[[FK Trakai]]
| Lithuania
| align=left|21 December 2018
| align=left|18 July 2019
{{WDL|19|8|7|4}}
|-
| align=left|[[HB Køge]]
| Denmark
| align=left|1 January 2020
| align=left|31 May 2021
{{WDL|50|14|13|23}}
|-
!colspan="4"|Total
{{WDLtot|383|152|97|134}}
|}

==Honours==
'''Žalgiris Vilnius'''
* [[Baltic Cup (football)|Baltic Cup]]: [[Baltic Cup 1991|1991]]
* [[A Lyga|Lithuanian Championship]]: 1991, 1992
* [[Lithuanian Cup]]: 1993, 1994

'''Inkaras Kaunas'''
* Lithuanian Championship: 1995
* Lithuanian Cup: 1995

'''Brøndby'''
* [[Danish Superliga]]: [[1995–96 Danish Superliga|1995–96]], [[1996–97 Danish Superliga|1996–97]], [[1997–98 Danish Superliga|1997–98]], [[2001–02 Danish Superliga|2001–02]], [[2004–05 Danish Superliga|2004–05]]
* [[Danish Cup]]: 1997–98, 2002–03, 2004–05

'''Individual'''
* [[Brøndby IF]] Player of the year: 2002
* [[A Lyga]] Coach of the Month: [[2018 A Lyga#Monthly awards|May 2018]]<ref>{{cite news |title=Geriausias gegužės mėnesio treneris – A. Skarbalius |url=https://alyga.lt/naujiena/geriausias-geguzes-menesio-treneris-a.-skarbalius/5265 |access-date=28 October 2018 |publisher=Aukščiausia Lietuvos futbolo lyga |date=28 May 2018 |language=lt}}</ref>

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20041010023043/http://www.brondby.com/player.asp?sid=20&id=33 Brøndby IF profile]
*[http://fotball.bladet-tromso.no/stats/isPlayer.jhtml?isPlayerID=94990 Career stats]{{dead link|date=October 2016|bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} (not including European matches)
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070926230811/http://90min.dk/auri-jeg-er-ingen-legende/ Interview with Auri] (In Danish)

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{A Lyga Player of the Year}}
{{Brøndby IF Player of the Year}}
{{Navboxes|title= Aurelijus Skarbalius managerial positions|list1=
{{Herfølge BK managers}}
{{HB Køge managers}}
{{Brøndby IF managers}}
{{Viborg FF managers}}
{{FK Žalgiris Vilnius managers}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Skarbalius, Aurelijus}}
[[Category:1973 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Lithuanian men's footballers]]
[[Category:Footballers from Vilnius]]
[[Category:Men's association football fullbacks]]
[[Category:Lithuania men's international footballers]]
[[Category:FK Žalgiris players]]
[[Category:FK Inkaras Kaunas players]]
[[Category:A Lyga players]]
[[Category:Brøndby IF players]]
[[Category:Herfølge Boldklub players]]
[[Category:Danish Superliga players]]
[[Category:Lithuanian football managers]]
[[Category:Herfølge Boldklub managers]]
[[Category:HB Køge managers]]
[[Category:Brøndby IF managers]]
[[Category:FK Žalgiris managers]]
[[Category:Danish Superliga managers]]
[[Category:Viborg FF managers]]
[[Category:FK Riteriai managers]]
[[Category:A Lyga managers]]
[[Category:Danish 1st Division managers]]
[[Category:Lithuanian expatriate football managers]]
[[Category:Lithuanian expatriate sportspeople in Denmark]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Denmark]]
[[Category:Expatriate football managers in Denmark]]