A promise is a promise: Riga FC coach Blanks to get a new haircut after reaching league phase

At Riga FC, where head coaches have changed repeatedly over the years, one constant figure has been assistant coach Kristaps Blanks, who joined the club back when it played in the first league, initially as a player. After the team's win that secured a place in the league phase of European competition, Blanks shared an unusual promise he had made to his teammates.

An emotional meeting before the decisive match

As Blanks was being interviewed after the game, team captain Antonijs Černomordijs walked by and pointedly reminded him of his commitment. Blanks explained that before the previous round's match, the team held a short meeting following some emotional friction among players. To ease tensions and boost motivation, he suggested setting smaller goals alongside the main objective of reaching the league phase. He promised that if the team succeeded, he would shave his head. Since Blanks is not known for making promises lightly, the players took the pledge seriously and found it motivating. Following the win, he had to keep his word the same day — noting that not everyone in his family was thrilled about the decision, but a promise is a promise.

A difficult match

Another Riga FC coach, Mareks Zuntners, remarked that it was the first time he had seen Blanks so overcome with emotion that it looked like he might be in tears. Blanks attributed this to the enormous effort the team had put in and the dramatic course of the match — the opponents managed to equalize at 1:1, and Riga had to play with a man down for a stretch, yet the team held on and scored the winning goal.

Blanks also noted the large number of fans who stayed after the match to applaud and greet the players. He mentioned that a draw would soon determine the club's opponents for the upcoming autumn matches in European competition, adding that such games are eagerly anticipated by both the team and its supporters.