Marked for Kaspars Bulvitis
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Market19 Apr 2027
“This is not anger. I have thought about it for months, and nothing that has happened lately changed my mind.” The request is on a desk at Jelgava, and it is not being withdrawn.
Squad19 Apr 2027
Dominic Gape in a row with a teammate
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Jelgava this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Squad19 Apr 2027
Words at Jelgava training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Jakub Burkowski is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.
Back issues
From our football correspondent
Crisis
Match7 Apr 2027
Jelgava bow out of the cup
Spartaks go through and Jelgava go home, 1‑2 the scoreline that did it. The dressing room will call the league the priority now, because that is what dressing rooms say.
Match10 Apr 2027
The wait goes on for Jelgava
8 without a win now, and the ground has developed the special quiet of a crowd that expects the worst. One scrappy 1-0 would cure most of it; that is the maddening part.
Squad12 Apr 2027
“I remember the meeting. I remember exactly what was promised in it.” Jelgava may remember it differently, which is precisely the problem.
Player ratings12 Apr 2027
Successful dribbles: 21. Every time he got the ball somebody had to make a decision, and every time the decision was wrong.
Squad12 Apr 2027
Words at Jelgava training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Dominic Gape is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.
From our football correspondent
Crisis
Player ratings15 Mar 2027
Successful dribbles: 32. There is a particular sort of despair on a full-back's face by the seventieth minute, and it was on display.
Squad15 Mar 2027
“I remember the meeting. I remember exactly what was promised in it.” Jelgava may remember it differently, which is precisely the problem.
Squad15 Mar 2027
Dominic Gape was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Squad15 Mar 2027
Ciaran Brennan falls out with a teammate over standards
The oldest argument in any dressing room and the only one that is genuinely about football: one man thinks another is not putting enough in. It is also the row a manager privately does not mind having happened.
Match13 Mar 2027
1‑2 to Metta/LU, and no complaints worth printing. The performance asked for nothing more than it got.
Squad15 Mar 2027
“The easiest signature of my career.” Olegs Jagodinskis and Jelgava agree another 3 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than about him.
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
The terraces1 Feb 2027
Jelgava sell a favourite for $55.0K
The accountants will call it good business and they will be right, which is not the point anybody outside the boardroom is making. Gatis Savalnieks was one of the reasons people came, and $55.0K does not replace that by itself.
Squad1 Feb 2027
Dominic Gape was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Market1 Feb 2027
Metta/LU pay $55.0K, and the deal is done. The number reads well on a balance sheet; whether it reads well on the pitch is next season's question.
Squad1 Feb 2027
Ciaran Brennan falls out with a teammate over standards
The oldest argument in any dressing room and the only one that is genuinely about football: one man thinks another is not putting enough in. It is also the row a manager privately does not mind having happened.
Squad1 Feb 2027
“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.
Squad1 Feb 2027
He is doing things on a Saturday afternoon that nobody around him can answer, which is flattering for about one season and a problem after that. Jelgava will not keep him by pretending otherwise.
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Market21 Dec 2026
Only the photograph left for Alvis Cauna
Fee agreed, terms agreed, medical booked. Alvis Cauna will be somebody else’s player by the weekend, and around Jelgava the goodbyes have quietly begun.
Squad21 Dec 2026
Dominic Gape was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Squad21 Dec 2026
Words at Jelgava training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Pavels Fertovs is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Squad9 Nov 2026
Janis Ikaunieks damages knee ligaments — 84 days out
The words a physio says slowly. 84 days is what the club will announce and everybody who has heard this diagnosis before knows the number is the least of it: the knee comes back before the player does.
Squad9 Nov 2026
Dominic Gape was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Squad9 Nov 2026
Words at Jelgava training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Pavels Fertovs is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Squad9 Nov 2026
Kévin Aubeneau was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Squad9 Nov 2026
“I would rather say it to his face than read about it.” The meeting was requested by the player, which tells you most of what you need to know.
Squad9 Nov 2026
He trains hard, says the right things and goes home to an empty flat. Nobody at Metta/LU has done anything wrong, which is exactly what makes it so difficult to fix.
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Squad12 Oct 2026
Janis Ikaunieks damages knee ligaments — 114 days out
The words a physio says slowly. 114 days is what the club will announce and everybody who has heard this diagnosis before knows the number is the least of it: the knee comes back before the player does.
Market12 Oct 2026
“This is not anger. I have thought about it for months, and nothing that has happened lately changed my mind.” The request is on a desk at Jelgava, and it is not being withdrawn.
Squad12 Oct 2026
“The easiest signature of my career.” Marcis Jagodinskis and Jelgava agree another 3 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than about him.
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Squad28 Sep 2026
Janis Ikaunieks damages knee ligaments — 128 days out
The words a physio says slowly. 128 days is what the club will announce and everybody who has heard this diagnosis before knows the number is the least of it: the knee comes back before the player does.
Squad28 Sep 2026
Alvis Cauna was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Squad28 Sep 2026
Words at Jelgava training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Dominic Gape is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Squad21 Sep 2026
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Metta/LU this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Squad21 Sep 2026
There is a level at which a footballer stops being tested and starts being contained, and he reached it some time ago. Metta/LU know it, and so does everybody who watches him.
Squad21 Sep 2026
Matej Pučko is not doing himself any favours
A manager forgives a bad Saturday far more readily than a bad Tuesday, because one of them he can explain and the other one he chose. The reports this week have not been good.
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Squad14 Sep 2026
Janis Ikaunieks damages knee ligaments — 142 days out
The words a physio says slowly. 142 days is what the club will announce and everybody who has heard this diagnosis before knows the number is the least of it: the knee comes back before the player does.
Market14 Sep 2026
“This is not anger. I have thought about it for months, and nothing that has happened lately changed my mind.” The request is on a desk at Jelgava, and it is not being withdrawn.
Squad14 Sep 2026
Dominic Gape was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Squad14 Sep 2026
Words at Jelgava training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Alvis Cauna is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.
Squad14 Sep 2026
This league is too small for Dominic Gape
He is doing things on a Saturday afternoon that nobody around him can answer, which is flattering for about one season and a problem after that. Jelgava will not keep him by pretending otherwise.
Market14 Sep 2026
Alvis Cauna runs his contract down
6 months remain and no agreement is close. Every week without a signature costs Jelgava money.
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Squad14 Sep 2026
Jhonarby Salazar was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Squad14 Sep 2026
Words at Metta/LU training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Gianluca Scremin is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.
Squad14 Sep 2026
“I never wanted to be anywhere else. There is unfinished business here.” Gatis Rugins commits to Metta/LU for another 3 years.
Market14 Sep 2026
He is 14, and nobody at Metta/LU signed him for this season. Deals like this are judged in four years, by people who may not still be in the building.
Market14 Sep 2026
Alvis Stolcers is 14, and Metta/LU have signed him for the player he will be rather than the one he is. The first team can wait; the point of a deal like this is the years it buys.
Squad14 Sep 2026
“I would rather say it to his face than read about it.” The meeting was requested by the player, which tells you most of what you need to know.
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Squad31 Aug 2026
Janis Ikaunieks damages knee ligaments — 156 days out
The words a physio says slowly. 156 days is what the club will announce and everybody who has heard this diagnosis before knows the number is the least of it: the knee comes back before the player does.
Market31 Aug 2026
“This is not anger. I have thought about it for months, and nothing that has happened lately changed my mind.” The request is on a desk at Jelgava, and it is not being withdrawn.
Market31 Aug 2026
Jelgava say no — this time
The offer from Daugavpils for Kaspars Bulvitis was heard out and sent back the same day. First bids are rarely meant to succeed; they are meant to find out how loudly the door closes.