Daily Star Sunday

Ed boys look for Mour joy

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STEVE MILLAR EDGARAS JANKAUSKAS was in the Porto side which witnessed Jose Mourinho’s manic pitchside sprint at Old Trafford to celebrate their famous Champions League triumph over Manchester United.

Now 13 years on, he is realistic enough to know that he will not be copying Jose’s jig when he manages Lithuania against England tonight in their World Cup qualifier at Wembley.

But Jankauskas believes it is a game where his players can make a name for themselves and earn big-money moves to the Premier League and across Europe.

The former Soviet state, with a population of less than three million, has never reached a major tournament since achieving independen­ce in 1990.

Jankauskas, 42, is not holding his breath that history is about to be rewritten as he prepares to face Gareth Southgate’s new-look, youthful England.

He is convinced, though, that this could be a game to change Lithuania lives forever.

Jankauskas (right) said: “Realistica­lly, we know that Gareth Southgate could put out his first, second or third team and beat us. We are playing against men from the strongest league in the world.

“But I will be saying to the players that this is a match which could change their lives. There will be scouts from all over the world and this is their opportunit­y.

“We have a number of new faces – players that people might not have heard of. Well, this is their chance to change that.

“I’m a realist but these players have given us hope, confidence and a foundation that we can build on.

We have to know who we are, what we are capable of and give everything.”

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LING-LAND: United ace is desperate to succeed at internatio­nal level DAB HAND: Lingard found ‘fame’ with his vid from the team bus and ‘dab’ celebratio­n
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