From Game Show Winnings to a Student Visa in London
With $1,300 in hand, Dambrauskas packed his bags and moved to England in August 2002 at age 25, entering the country on a student visa with limited English proficiency.
Knowing since the age of 12 that he would not forge a professional career as a player, Dambrauskas focused entirely on coaching to stay close to the game. He enrolled in a sports science and coaching course at London Metropolitan University in 2004, laying the academic groundwork for his career while navigating life in a new city.
Grind and Growth in Non-League and Community Football
For eight years, Dambrauskas juggled fatherhood, intensive studies, and multiple survival jobs.
Alongside his shifts, he threw himself into volunteering. He coached underprivileged children through the Access to Sports Project in Finsbury Park and joined the London Tigers, a charitable community organization running teams from junior levels up to semi-professional non-league football. Over five years with the Tigers, he advanced to manage the first team in the Spartan South Midlands League, the FA Cup, and the FA Vase.
His persistence paid off when he became the first Lithuanian to earn a UEFA coaching licence through the London Football Association. “Everywhere I could go just to gain some information, some knowledge, some extra diploma, extra course.”
Breakthroughs with Manchester United and Brentford
Dambrauskas secured his first professional club opportunity when Manchester United Soccer Schools accepted him onto their coaching staff in 2004. He spent five years coaching residential courses across the United Kingdom and Europe.
Following brief stints with Fulham and Brentford—where he credited academy director Ose Aibangee as a major influence—he built a resume that eventually led him to senior management roles across Europe and now into the Champions League.
Facing Premier League Giants in Europe
Dambrauskas’ journey has come full circle as Sabah competes in the Champions League group stage, featuring fixtures against English giants. The matchup against Manchester United brings his career back to the organization that gave him his initial professional break.
The campaign also includes a trip to face Arsenal in January. That fixture carries symbolic weight for the coach: one of the academic buildings at London Metropolitan University on Holloway Road directly overlooked Emirates Stadium during his student years. It was really amazing. England gave me all this and I’ll forever be grateful.”
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