Sergejs Semjonovs

Sergejs Semjonovs(born 15 March 1959) is aLatvianfootballmanager and a former footballer. He played as adefender.

Playing career

Sergejs Semjonovs was one of the most reliable defenders inDaugava Rīgacoached byJānis Skredelisin mid-1980s when the club was one of the strongest sides in the Soviet first league. He played 9 seasons with Daugava, capping 340 appearances and scoring 3 goals.After the collapse of theSoviet UnionSemjonovs played for some time with a club inPoland,in 1995 he retired from playing and switched to coaching.

Coaching career

In 1995 Semjonovs was appointed the second coach ofAmstrig Riga(later – Daugava), after four years he left forFK Ventspilswhere he worked for six seasons as coach of the reserves squad. Before the 2005Virslīgaseason Semjonovs was appointed head coach of FK Ventspils but in the middle of the season he left the club. He worked with the reserves ofFK Rīgauntil middle of the 2006 season when he was selected head coach.In October 2007 when the results of FK Rīga were getting worse, there were rumours in the Latvian press that Semjonovs would be asked to leave FK Rīga,however with Semjonovs as head coachFK Rīgaachieved its best placement inVirslīgaso far by finishing third as the bestRigaclub in front ofSkonto FC.