Nerijus Barasa
Encyclopedia
Nerijus Barasa is a former Lithuania
n professional footballer
. He played as a right-back or defensive midfielder.
Barasa started his career with FBK Kaunas
in 1994 before joining Atlantas Klaipėda
the following season. After a year in Latvia
with Baltika Liepāja, he returned to Lithuania
with his family, then FBK Kaunas
came in for him .
Kaunas
beckoned for Barasa in 2001, where he spent the following 5 seasons; 4 in the Russian Premier League
with FC Krylia Sovetov Samara and FC Alania Vladikavkaz and one in the Russian First Division with FC Lada Togliatti
. During this period he was called up to the Lithuanian national team
, earning his first cap in 2001.
At the end of the 2005 season, Barasa moved to Scotland
, signing for FBK Kaunas then being immediately loaned to Heart of Midlothian. He joined the Tynecastle
side on 13 January 2006 and spent a total of 16 months with the Edinburgh
club appearing 5 times before moving back to Kaunas.
In October 2006 Barasa was at the centre of controversy when he and compatriot Saulius Mikoliūnas
were booed by Hearts fans for perceived poor form in a game against Rangers
. This prompted Hearts' Sporting Director Alex Kozlovski to suggest that the supporters had ulterior motives for booing them, expressly their nationality. This claim was contested by fans representative groups and Kozlovski later apologised and retracted it.
Barasa missed half of the 2006-07 season due to injury and left Hearts in the summer of 2007 before also rescinding his contract with Kaunas. After that he decided to hang up his boots to pursue business interests in Samara, Russia, where he lives with his wife. His last game was against Celtic in the Scottish championship on 14 January 2007.
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
n professional footballer
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...
. He played as a right-back or defensive midfielder.
Barasa started his career with FBK Kaunas
FBK Kaunas
Kauno futbolo beisbolo klubas is a Lithuanian football club from the city of Kaunas, that currently plays in the A Lyga, the top level of Lithuanian football.- History :...
in 1994 before joining Atlantas Klaipėda
FK Atlantas
FK Atlantas is a Lithuanian football team from the port city of Klaipėda. The team currently plays on the first level of the Lithuanian football league pyramid....
the following season. After a year in 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...
with Baltika Liepāja, he returned to Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
with his family, then FBK Kaunas
FBK Kaunas
Kauno futbolo beisbolo klubas is a Lithuanian football club from the city of Kaunas, that currently plays in the A Lyga, the top level of Lithuanian football.- History :...
came in for him .
Kaunas
Kaunas
Kaunas is the second-largest city in Lithuania and has historically been a leading centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the biggest city and the center of a powiat in Trakai Voivodeship of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1413. During Russian Empire occupation...
beckoned for Barasa in 2001, where he spent the following 5 seasons; 4 in the Russian Premier League
Russian Premier League
The Russian Premier League , currently called SOGAZ Russian Football Championship due to sponsorship reasons, is the top division of Russian football. There are 16 teams in the competition...
with FC Krylia Sovetov Samara and FC Alania Vladikavkaz and one in the Russian First Division with FC Lada Togliatti
FC Lada Togliatti
FC Lada Tolyatti was a Russian football club based in Tolyatti. In March 2010, the club was excluded from the Second Division, along with another Toylatti team, FC Togliatti, with Tolyatti now represented by FC Akademiya Togliatti.-History:...
. During this period he was called up to the Lithuanian national team
Lithuania national football team
The national football team of Lithuania is under the auspices of the Lithuanian Football Federation. It played its first match in 1923. In 1940, Lithuania was occupied by the Soviet Union; the country regained its independence in 1990 and played their first match as a new nation against Georgia on...
, earning his first cap in 2001.
At the end of the 2005 season, Barasa moved to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, signing for FBK Kaunas then being immediately loaned to Heart of Midlothian. He joined the Tynecastle
Tynecastle Stadium
Tynecastle Stadium is a football stadium situated in the Gorgie area of Edinburgh, Scotland, which is the home ground of Scottish Premier League club Hearts. Tynecastle has a seating capacity of 17,420, which makes it the seventh largest football stadium in Scotland...
side on 13 January 2006 and spent a total of 16 months with the Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
club appearing 5 times before moving back to Kaunas.
In October 2006 Barasa was at the centre of controversy when he and compatriot Saulius Mikoliūnas
Saulius Mikoliunas
Saulius Mikoliūnas is a Lithuanian professional footballer playing for FC Arsenal Kyiv. He is a Lithuanian international and has played for Scottish Premier League club Hearts and FBK Kaunas...
were booed by Hearts fans for perceived poor form in a game against Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
. This prompted Hearts' Sporting Director Alex Kozlovski to suggest that the supporters had ulterior motives for booing them, expressly their nationality. This claim was contested by fans representative groups and Kozlovski later apologised and retracted it.
Barasa missed half of the 2006-07 season due to injury and left Hearts in the summer of 2007 before also rescinding his contract with Kaunas. After that he decided to hang up his boots to pursue business interests in Samara, Russia, where he lives with his wife. His last game was against Celtic in the Scottish championship on 14 January 2007.
International goals
- Scores and results list Lithuania's goal tally first.
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 July 2001 | Skonto Stadions Skonto stadions Skonto Stadium is a football stadium in Riga, Latvia. The stadium has 9,500 seats and was built in 2000. This is the biggest football stadium in Latvia.- Description :Skonto Stadium is located in the heart of Riga - Street E. Melngaiļa 1a, Riga, Latvia... , 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,... , 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... |
1-0 | 1-4 | Baltic Cup Baltic Cup 2001 The 2001 Baltic Cup football competition took place from July 3 to July 5 at the Daugava Stadium in Riga, Latvia, after the tournament had not been staged for three years... |
|
| 2 | 18 August 2004 | Dynamo Stadium, Moscow Moscow Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent... , Russia Russia Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects... |
3-4 | 3-4 | Friendly |
Honours
National Team- Baltic Cup
- 2005Baltic Cup 2005The 2005 Baltic Cup football competition took place without one of the usual contenders in this Baltic states' championship: Estonia. Therefore the event was reduced to a single match between Lithuania and Latvia.-Lithuania vs Latvia:-References:**...
- 2005
External links
- Hearts appearances at londonhearts.com