Genādijs Šitiks died at the age 51

Latvia is in mourning after the coach of the country's Under-21 side, Genādijs Šitiks, died of a heart attack at the age of 51.

Recent assignment
One of the best midfielders in the history of Latvian football, Šitiks will forever be associated with FK Daugava Rīga for whom, playing alongside Aleksandrs Starkovs, he scored 108 goals in more than 400 games. A set-piece specialist, Šitiks switched to coaching after retirement and two years ago accepted Latvia's U21 post. His side beat Andorra 4-0 in their opening 2011 UEFA European U21 Championship qualifier but last week went down 1-0 in Moldova.

"It is a huge loss to our game," Latvian Football Federation general secretary Janis Mežeckis told uefa.com. "I played with him and also coached him, and and can say he was an excellent person and a top-class professional."

Article from uefa.com

LFF Press department