Vīts Rimkus

Vīts Rimkus (born 21 June 1973 in Riga) is a Latvian former football striker. He last played for Skonto FC in the Latvian First League. Rimkus is of Lithuanian descent.[1]

Vīts Rimkus
Rimkus playing for FK Ventspils
Personal information
Full name Vīts Rimkus
Date of birth (1973-06-21) 21 June 1973
Place of birth Riga, Latvian SSR, Soviet Union
(now Latvia)
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing position(s) Striker (retired)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1993 Pārdaugava Rīga 14 (2)
1994 DAG Rīga 15 (3)
1995 Amstrig Riga 26 (8)
1995–1996 FC Winterthur 10 (8)
1996–1997 1. FC Nürnberg 13 (2)
1997–1998 FC Erzgebirge Aue 10 (0)
1998 Skonto Riga 15 (11)
1999–2000 FK Valmiera 38 (6)
2001–2004 FK Ventspils 100 (70)
2005 FC Rostov 9 (0)
2005–2009 FK Ventspils 109 (66)
2009–2010 FK Ekranas 26 (15)
2011–2012 FC Jūrmala 18 (10)
2012 FK Spartaks Jūrmala 1 (0)
2013 FB Gulbene 23 (20)
2014 AFA Olaine 3 (4)
2016 Skonto FC 19 (13)
National team‡
1995–2008 Latvia 73 (11)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 29 March 2017
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 29 March 2017

Club career

Vīts Rimkus started his career in 1993 with Pārdaugava Rīga, scoring twice in 14 league appearances. After a promising start youngster was transferred to DAG Rīga in 1994. He played 15 league games for the team and scored 3 goals that season. He kept changing clubs and the next season was spent with another club from Riga - Amstrig Rīga. The 1995 season turned out to be a loud start of his career as he managed to net 8 times in 26 matches.

Several offers to go abroad appeared and the player chose to move to Switzerland, signing a contract with FC Winterthur. Scoring 8 goals in 10 matches that season, he moved to Germany in 1996, signing for 1. FC Nürnberg. Despite the loud boom in Switzerland, Rimkus couldn't prove himself in Nürnberg, so he was given away to another German club - FC Erzgebirge Aue. 10 matches with no goals made him return to Latvia then.

In 1998, he was signed by Skonto Riga. After a really successful season the player was given away to FK Valmiera, where he played for 2 years, showing great performance. In 2001 FK Ventspils signed Rimkus for free and had him playing there until 2004. Scoring 70 goals in 100 matches, he attracted attention from many Russian clubs and was signed by FC Rostov in 2005.[2] Staying goalless in 9 games he was soon released and taken back by FK Ventspils. In the next 5 seasons, as a player of FK Ventspils, Rimkus scored 66 league goals in 109 matches. In 2009, he left the club after rumors about betting on his own team results, but nothing was proved in the end, and later it turned out to be a serious conflict with the board of the club.[3]

In 2010 Rimkus moved to Lithuania, signing a one-year contract with FK Ekranas.[4] He became the highest scorer of the team that season with 15 goals in 26 matches respectively, just one goal behind the top scorer of the league Povilas Lukšys.[5] After the season Rimkus moved to Cyprus, signing a half-season contract with the Cypriot Fourth Division club Finikas Ayias Marinas Chrysochous.[6] In July 2011 he returned to Latvia and signed a contract with the Latvian Higher League newcomers FC Jūrmala.[7] Despite joining in mid-season, with 10 goals in 18 games he became the team's highest scorer in the league. In March 2012 Rimkus was signed by the Latvian Higher League newcomers FK Spartaks Jūrmala, but after just playing 1 match he was released.[8]

In January 2013 Rimkus joined the Latvian First League club FB Gulbene.[9] With 20 goals in 23 matches during the 2013 season Rimkus became his club's second best top scorer. Despite Rimkus scoring a goal in the promotion/relegation play-offs, his team lost to FS METTA/Latvijas Universitāte 5–2 on aggregate and failed to secure a place in the Latvian Higher League for the 2014 season.[10] Prior to the 2014 Latvian First League season Rimlus moved to AFA Olaine.[11] Aged 40, he scored four goals in the first three league appearances for the club, but then left the team turning to playing indoor football.

Before the start of the 2016 Latvian First League season Rimkus returned to association football at the age of 42, joining Skonto FC. Throughout the season Rimkus participated in 19 league matches, scoring 13 goals.[12]

International career

Rimkus has played 73 international matches and scored 11 goals for the Latvia national team. He debuted in 1995, and played at Euro 2004.[13]

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References
  1. ""Ekraną" sustiprino puolėjas iš Latvijos". Balsas.lt. 19 February 2010. Retrieved 10 February 2012.
  2. "Apollo - Sports: Rimkus spēlēs Krievijas premjerlīgas klubā "Rostov"". Apollo.lv. Archived from the original on 17 July 2012. Retrieved 10 February 2012.
  3. "Apdraudēta totalizatoru skandālā iejauktā Vīta Rimkus vieta "Ekranas" klubā". Kasjauns.lv. 14 April 2010. Retrieved 10 February 2012.
  4. "Rimkus spēlēs "Ekranas", vairāki mūsējie cer palikt Baltkrievijā un Ukrainā". Sportacentrs.com. Retrieved 10 February 2012.
  5. http://f1.sportacentrs.com/futbols/citas_ligas/top/02112010-rimkus_rezultativakais_ekranas_lietuvas_c%5B%5D
  6. "Grebis un Rimkus karjeru turpinās Kiprā (labots) – Leģionāri – Futbols –". Sportacentrs.com. Retrieved 10 February 2012.
  7. "Pieredzējušais Rimkus karjeru turpinās FC "Jūrmala" komandā". Sarauj.com. Retrieved 10 February 2012.
  8. http://sportacentrs.com/futbols/lmt_virsliga/29032012-spartaks_pastiprinas_ar_rimku
  9. http://sportacentrs.com/futbols/1_liga/06042013-1_liga_sakas_ar_gulbenes_valmieras_skonto
  10. http://sportacentrs.com/futbols/virsliga/17112013-kalninam_hat_trick_metta_lu_speles_virsli
  11. http://sportacentrs.com/futbols/1_liga/28032014-iepazistieties_1_liga_1_dala?is_mobile=0
  12. http://www.skontofc.com/komandas.php?idx2=1&idx=200
  13. "Vits Rimkus > EURO 2004 Portugal". Worldfootball.net. 15 June 2004. Retrieved 10 February 2012.
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