1. Playing Career
Aleksandrs Starkovs had a notable career as a professional footballer, primarily known for his goal-scoring abilities in the Soviet First League.
1.1. Club Career
Starkovs began his football journey in Madona, playing for the local club Olimpija Madona. His talent as a forward was recognized early, as he was selected as the best forward of the 1969 Latvia Leather ball tournament. In 1975, Starkovs joined FK Daugava Rīga, where he spent the majority of his playing career. In 1978, he had a brief stint with FC Dynamo Moscow but soon returned to Riga. The 1980s marked his most successful period, as he became one of the top snipers in the Soviet First League, scoring over a hundred goals for Daugava. During his time with FK Daugava Rīga, he made 303 appearances, scoring 110 goals.
1.2. Player Awards and Recognition
In November 2003, in celebration of UEFA's Jubilee, Aleksandrs Starkovs was honored as the Golden Player of Latvia by the Latvian Football Federation. This prestigious award recognized him as the most outstanding Latvian player of the past 50 years, cementing his legacy as a significant figure in the nation's football history.
2. Coaching Career
Aleksandrs Starkovs' coaching career is extensive and marked by significant achievements, particularly with Skonto FC and the Latvia national football team.
2.1. Skonto FC
Starkovs made his name as a team manager with Skonto FC, leading the club to unprecedented success in Latvian domestic football. He guided Skonto FC to numerous Latvian championships and cup titles during his first tenure from 1993 to 2004. After a period away, he returned to manage Skonto FC in January 2010, following the departure of Paul Ashworth. His return proved explicitly successful, as he managed to win the league title in the 2010 season. He left Skonto FC again in January 2011 to take on a new challenge in Azerbaijan.
2.2. Latvia National Team
Starkovs had three significant stints as manager of the Latvia national football team. He also worked with the Latvia U21 national team early in his coaching career.
He was first appointed as the general manager of the Latvia national team in 2001, taking over after the team's disappointing performance in the 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Under his leadership, the team achieved its greatest success ever by qualifying for UEFA Euro 2004. This historic qualification was secured with a victory over Turkey, who had previously won a bronze medal at the World Cup. This achievement was a monumental moment for Latvian football, inspiring national pride and demonstrating the team's potential on the European stage.
After his initial success with the national team, Starkovs returned to manage the Latvia national team in 2007, taking over from Jurijs Andrejevs, who had been struggling. He remained in this role until 15 July 2013, when he was replaced by former Southampton F.C. star Marians Pahars. Starkovs had a third, shorter stint as the national team coach from 2017 to 2018.
2.3. FC Spartak Moscow
Following his success as the Latvia national team coach, Starkovs joined Spartak Moscow in Russia in 2004. During his tenure, the club achieved a significant milestone by winning the silver medal in the Russian Premier League in 2005. However, his time at Spartak Moscow was not without challenges. In April 2006, he was forced to resign due to what was described as "total obstruction" from the team's fans and a public conflict with former team captain Dmitri Alenichev. This period highlighted the intense pressures and internal dynamics that can impact even a successful coach in a high-profile club.
2.4. FK Baku
In January 2011, Aleksandrs Starkovs accepted an offer to manage FK Baku, an Azerbaijani club in the Azerbaijan Premier League. Notably, he continued to serve as the manager of the Latvia national team concurrently with his role at FK Baku.
2.5. Other Coaching Roles
Beyond his prominent roles, Starkovs' coaching career also included involvement with the Latvia U21 national team. More recently, he held a coaching position with FK Liepāja.
3. Post-Coaching Career and Current Role
After his primary coaching roles, particularly following his departure from the Latvia national team in 2013, Aleksandrs Starkovs was linked with potential moves to various clubs and national teams. However, he did not take office at any of them, stating that he was "waiting for an interesting offer football-wise." Currently, Aleksandrs Starkovs continues to contribute to Latvian football in an administrative capacity. He is working at the Latvian Football Federation as the director of the National teams, overseeing the development and strategy for Latvia's national football programs.