Andrejs Rubins

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Andrejs Rubins

| image = Andrejs Rubins.jpg

| caption = Rubins playing for Inter Baku

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1978|11|26|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Riga, Latvian SSR, Soviet Union

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2022|08|01|1978|11|26|df=yes}}

| death_place =

| height = 1.74 m

| position = Left midfielder

| youthyears1 = –1996

| youthclubs1 = FK Auda

| years1 = 1996

| clubs1 = FK Auda

| caps1 = 0

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 1997

| clubs2 = Östers

| caps2 = 11

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 1998–2000

| clubs3 = Skonto

| caps3 = 67

| goals3 = 14

| years4 = 2000–2003

| clubs4 = Crystal Palace

| caps4 = 31

| goals4 = 0

| years5 = 2003

| clubs5 = Spartak Moscow

| caps5 = 0

| goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2003–2004

| clubs6 = Shinnik Yaroslavl

| caps6 = 51

| goals6 = 4

| years7 = 2005–2007

| clubs7 = Spartak Moscow

| caps7 = 5

| goals7 = 0

| years8 = 2006

| clubs8 = → Shinnik Yaroslavl (loan)

| caps8 = 13

| goals8 = 0

| years9 = 2007

| clubs9 = → Liepājas Metalurgs (loan)

| caps9 = 18

| goals9 = 1

| years10 = 2008–2010

| clubs10 = Inter Baku

| caps10 = 49

| goals10 = 9

| years11 = 2010–2011

| clubs11 = Qarabağ

| caps11 = 12

| goals11 = 0

| years12 = 2011–2012

| clubs12 = Simurq PFC

| caps12 = 18

| goals12 = 1

| totalcaps = 278

| totalgoals = 29

| nationalyears1 = 1998–2011

| nationalteam1 = Latvia

| nationalcaps1 = 117

| nationalgoals1 = 9

| manageryears1 = 2014–2016

| managerclubs1 = FK Ogre (assistant)

| manageryears2 = 2019

| managerclubs2 = FK Auda

| manageryears3 = 2022

| managerclubs3 = Spartaks Jūrmala (assistant)

}}

Andrejs Rubins (26 November 1978 – 1 August 2022) was a Latvian professional footballer who played as a left midfielder. He was a member of the Latvia national team. After retiring as a player, Rubins worked as a football manager.

Club career

Born in Riga, Rubins started his career in 1996 at FK Auda in the Latvian 2nd Division. The following year he moved to Sweden with Östers, where he made eleven league appearances, before moving back to Latvia in 1998 to play for Skonto Riga. He played there for the next three seasons, and managed to win three league titles in a row. He also won the Latvian Cup twice. All in all, over those three seasons he scored 14 goals in 67 league matches.

In 2000, Rubins moved to England, joining English Football League First Division club Crystal Palace. He made just 31 appearances in three seasons at the club, but still managed to impress, scoring twice in the League Cup against Leicester City{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/worthington_cup/1000823.stm |title=Leicester 0–3 Crystal Palace |publisher=BBC Sport |date=1 November 2000 |accessdate=6 January 2010}} and Liverpool.{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/worthington_cup/1108439.stm |title=Palace leave Liverpool red-faced |publisher=BBC Sport |date=10 January 2001 |accessdate=6 January 2010}}

In December 2002, Rubins moved to Russia, initially to play for Spartak Moscow in the Russian Premier League on a free transfer.{{cite news |title=Rubins wings his way to Spartak |publisher=UEFA |date=10 December 2002 |url=http://www.uefa.com/footballeurope/news/kind=2/newsid=46024.html |access-date=3 February 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080309212047/http://www.uefa.com/footballeurope/news/kind%3D2/newsid%3D46024.html |archive-date=9 March 2008 |url-status=dead}} However, three months later, without playing a game, he moved to Shinnik Yaroslavl,{{cite news |title=Trio strengthen Spartak ranks |publisher=UEFA |date=12 March 2003 |url=http://www.uefa.com/footballeurope/news/kind=2/newsid=58413.html |access-date=3 February 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080309212053/http://www.uefa.com/footballeurope/news/kind%3D2/newsid%3D58413.html |archive-date=9 March 2008 |url-status=dead}} where he played 51 games in two seasons, scoring 4 times. In January 2005, Rubins signed a four-year contract with Spartak Moscow, who were then managed by Latvian manager Aleksandrs Starkovs.{{cite news |title=Rubins ready for Spartak |publisher=UEFA |date=5 January 2005 |url=http://www.uefa.com/footballeurope/news/kind=2/newsid=271586.html |access-date=3 February 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080309212002/http://www.uefa.com/footballeurope/news/kind%3D2/newsid%3D271586.html |archive-date=9 March 2008 |url-status=dead}} After struggling to settle, he made just five appearances, and the club sent him on loan back to Shinnik Yaroslavl in January 2006 for 12 months.{{cite news |title=Basinas makes Mallorca move |publisher=UEFA |date=20 January 2006 |url=http://www.uefa.com/footballeurope/news/kind=2/newsid=386999.html |access-date=3 February 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080309212007/http://www.uefa.com/footballeurope/news/kind%3D2/newsid%3D386999.html |archive-date=9 March 2008 |url-status=dead}}

In June 2007, he was linked with another loan move, this time with English Football League Championship club Blackpool,{{cite news |title = Pool target Spartak Moscow player |publisher = Blackpool Gazette |date = 28 June 2007 |url = http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/sports-news/Pool-target-Spartak-Moscow-player.2988413.jp |accessdate = 3 February 2008 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080309195549/http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/sports-news/Pool-target-Spartak-Moscow-player.2988413.jp |archivedate = 9 March 2008 |url-status = dead }} but he eventually went on loan to the Latvian Higher League club Liepājas Metalurgs on 27 July for six months.{{cite news |title=Metalurgs bring Rubins home |publisher=UEFA |date=5 January 2005 |url=http://www.uefa.com/competitions/uefacup/news/kind=1/newsid=564967.html |access-date=3 February 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080309211841/http://www.uefa.com/competitions/uefacup/news/kind%3D1/newsid%3D564967.html |archive-date=9 March 2008 |url-status=dead}} He was released by Metalurgs together with his international team-mate Imants Bleidelis after half-season for unexplained reasons. Bleidelis retired from professional football then, but Rubins signed a contract with the Azerbaijan Premier League club Inter Baku in August 2008.{{Cite web|url=http://www.tvnet.lv/sports/futbols/29154-rubins_paraksta_ligumu_ar_baku_inter|title = Rubins paraksta līgumu ar Baku Inter|date = 19 June 2008}} He spent two successful seasons there, becoming a vital starting eleven player for the club, scoring nine goals in 49 league games. Rubins also managed to become the champion of Azerbaijan in the 2009–10 with Inter.{{cite web |url=http://www.efutbols.lv/news/item/631_Rubins_un_Karlsons_-_Azerbaid%C5%BE%C4%81nas_%C4%8Dempioni |title=Ziņas - Rubins un Karlsons - Azerbaidžānas čempioni |website=www.efutbols.lv |access-date=6 June 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120731120152/http://www.efutbols.lv/news/item/631_Rubins_un_Karlsons_-_Azerbaid%C5%BE%C4%81nas_%C4%8Dempioni |archive-date=31 July 2012 |url-status=dead}}

He started the 2010–11 season with another Azerbaijan Premier League club Qarabağ from Aghdam, joining on a two-year contract on a free transfer.{{Cite web|url=http://sportacentrs.com/futbols/legionari/21072010-rubins_pariet_uz_karabakh|title = Rubins pāriet uz "Karabakh"|date = 21 July 2010}} Rubins suffered several injuries that caused limited game time, and he only managed to appear in 12 league games and was released at the end of the season. In 2011, he was signed by Azerbaijan Premier League club Simurq PFC.{{cite web |url=http://parsportu.lv/articles/3/53851/ |title=Pie Jurana spēlēs Rubins un Grebis |website=parsportu.lv |access-date=6 June 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120716054222/http://parsportu.lv/articles/3/53851/ |archive-date=16 July 2012 |url-status=dead}} Rubins scored one goal in 18 matches for the club, and in July 2012 he was released.

Struggling with a long-term hip injury, Rubins announced his retirement from professional football on 13 March 2013, saying: "If I cannot play for 100%, that's not worth it."

International career

Rubins made his international debut for the Latvia national team on 10 November 1998 in a 3–0 loss in a friendly match against Tunisia.{{Cite web|url=http://www.lff.lv/lv/aizlase/speletaji/rubins/|title = Latvijas Futbola federācija}} With 117 international caps he is the second most capped player in the history of Latvia national team, 50 matches short of Vitālijs Astafjevs.{{cite web|url=http://www.lff.lv/lv/aizlase/speletaji/ |title=Latvijas Nacionalā izlase / Latvian national team |accessdate=9 December 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080212161912/http://www.lff.lv/lv/aizlase/speletaji/ |archivedate=12 February 2008 }} Rubins also participated at the EURO 2004 in Portugal.

Coaching career

After his retirement Rubins started coaching children and youngsters in Ikšķile.{{Cite web|url=http://sportacentrs.com/futbols/latvijas_izlase/13032013-rubins_beidz_futbolista_karjeru|title = Rubins: "Ja nevaru spēlēt par simts procentiem, tad nav vērts"|date = 13 March 2013}} Prior to the 2014 Latvian First League season Rubins was appointed the assistant manager of FK Ogre.{{Cite web|url=http://sportacentrs.com/futbols/1_liga/31032014-prohorenkovs_un_rubins_trenes_1_ligas_jau?is_mobile=0|title = Prohorenkovs un Rubins trenēs 1.līgas jaunpienācēju "Ogri"|date = 31 March 2014}}

As of 2022 he was an assistant coach to FK Spartaks Jūrmala.{{cite web |title=Pāragri mūžībā aizsaukts Andrejs Rubins |trans-title=Andrejs Rubins died too soon |url=https://www.fkspartaks.lv/coaching-staff|website=FK Spartaks Jūrmala |access-date=3 August 2022 |language= |date=3 August 2022}}

Death

Rubins died on 1 August 2022.{{cite web |url=https://www.delfi.lv/a/54612154|title=Atvadīšanās no Andreja Rubina notiks 9. augustā|last=Sports|first=Delfi|website=delfi.lv|access-date=2022-08-09|date=2022-08-05|language=lv}} The Latvian Football Federation announced his death on 3 August.{{cite web |title=Pāragri mūžībā aizsaukts Andrejs Rubins |trans-title=|url=https://lff.lv/zinas/14208/paragri-muziba-aizsaukts-andrejs-rubins/ |website=Latvijas Futbola federācija |access-date=3 August 2022 |language=lv |date=3 August 2022}}

Career statistics

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|National cup !colspan="2"\|League cup !colspan="2"\|Continental !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" \|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
rowspan="4"\|Crystal Palace \|2000–01{{Soccerbase season\|17310\|2000}} \|rowspan="3"\|Football League First Division \|22	0	2	0	3	2	colspan="2"\|–	27	2
2001–02{{Soccerbase season\|17310\|2001}} \|7	0	0	0	1	0	colspan="2"\|–	8	0
2002–03{{Soccerbase season\|17310\|2002}} \|2	0	0	0	0	0	colspan="2"\|–	2	0
colspan="2"\|Total !31	0	2	0	4	2	0	0	37	2
rowspan="3"\|Inter Baku \|2008–09{{cite web\|title=Premier League Stats 2008/09 \|url=http://www.pfl.az/upload/arxiv/200809/oyuncustats200809.pdf \|publisher=Peşəkar Futbol Liqası \|accessdate=26 September 2013 \|url-status=dead \|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140211091820/http://www.pfl.az/upload/arxiv/200809/oyuncustats200809.pdf \|archivedate=11 February 2014}} \|rowspan="2"\|Azerbaijan Premier League \|19	6					0	0	19	6
2009–10{{cite web\|title=Premier League Stats 2009/10 \|url=http://www.pfl.az/upload/arxiv/200910/oyuncustats200910.pdf \|publisher=Peşəkar Futbol Liqası \|accessdate=26 September 2013 \|url-status=dead \|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120809180019/http://www.pfl.az/upload/arxiv/200910/oyuncustats200910.pdf \|archivedate=9 August 2012}} \|30	3					2	0	32	3
colspan="2"\|Total !49	9					2	0	51	9
Qarabağ \|2010–11{{cite web\|title=Premier League Stats 2010/11 \|url=http://www.pfl.az/upload/arxiv/201011/oyuncustats201011.pdf \|publisher=Peşəkar Futbol Liqası \|accessdate=26 September 2013 \|url-status=dead \|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130708090422/http://www.pfl.az/upload/arxiv/201011/oyuncustats201011.pdf \|archivedate=8 July 2013}} \|Azerbaijan Premier League \|12	0	1	0			4	0	17	0
Simurq \|2011–12{{cite web\|title=Premier League Stats 2011/12 \|url=http://www.pfl.az/upload/arxiv/201112/oyuncustats201112.pdf \|publisher=Peşəkar Futbol Liqası \|accessdate=26 September 2013 \|url-status=dead \|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017180225/http://www.pfl.az/upload/arxiv/201112/oyuncustats201112.pdf \|archivedate=17 October 2013}} \|Azerbaijan Premier League \|18	1	1	0			colspan="2"
\|19	1
colspan="3"\|Career total !110	10	4	0	4	2	6	0	124	12