[Road to EURO 2016- 04/09/2015] Denmark vs Albania

[Aurora Bulkualis]

Now we're undefeated in a group with Portugal, Denmark and France. The results speak for themselves.

Yes, but no one is debating which team can get better results, as that is clear. We're debating specific aspects that this team doesn't have compared to the older guard. You only mention Skela, but Lala, Murati, and Hasi were really good midfield players too, and much better passers with more creativity.

I remember Lala, a DM, who was practically retired in his mid 30s and his passing was still better than Abrashi. We're also comparing guys like Cikalleshi that have 0 goals for NT to top scorers like Bogdani. Remember Bogdani, who was like 36 at the time, bitching France for half the field and their defenders, and scoring through Lloris' legs?

Greece in '04 got the best results, were the most motivated and organized, but they didn't have the better individuals. Apart from defensive minded players, we don't have much individual quality.

[Dallku]

Cikalleshi has no idea what's around him. He just puts his head down and tries to take on the world in slow motion.

[artan]

That mid-90's team has probably one of the worst records in our history. A pernenial Pot 5 team that scarred us for life and gave us the psychological complex we suffer from today. That team would play an amazing half against a top team and then concede in the dying minutes of a game or they would collapse against mediocre teams like Georgia or Belarus, sometimes at home. That team made me appreciate the win against Armenia at home as I gave up hope after we went down 1-0 and said to myself "Typical Albanian lossers". These guys clawed their back to victory like very few teams have done in the past.

The mid 80's team beat Belgium at home and was one win away from qualifying for the 86' world cup. Yes I agree that Skela is a more skillful player than any of our current players but all I remember from Skela in the NT games was how he would try to run circles against a couple of opposition players and slow down the game. We play very differently now, a more high tempo high press game.

You pretty much said what I was thinking but I didn't want to bash the former players because those guys did have to play in an era where 0 fucks were given for the national team or the sport in general. But I can't take them seriously when the said they were better because player X scored a great goal in a loss..

I mean are you guys listening to yourselves? You're glorifying Ervin Skela like he's messi. Fact is he was a fringe Bundesliga player with limitations regarding pace, physicality and defensive ability. He's kinda like a rich man's Meha and Meha can't even make the roster... Some of you guys are way too nostalgic for these guys to the point where you are saying Skela was playing Tiki-Taka?!? And after Skela and Lala? Team was filled with amateurs like Hidi in goal, Salihi as a winger, out of form Besart Berisha, Alban Bushi, Jupi, etc. Those squads were filled with players playing in random countries like Cyprus, second division greek sides, Albanian superliga players. We replaced those guys with players who are key players in Switzerland..

The point we had more players in top leagues because of Skela, Lala and Lala? What? Gashi was top scorer for Basel and Xhaka a regular starter for Basel which is a bigger club then Anderlecht. Gashi would have been the best attacker on that squad. Lenjani starter in league 1(as will Cana this year), Berisha spot starter for a borderline CL team, Cana has had a more prestigious career than any Albanian player(maybe with the exception of Lala), Mavraj fringe bundesliga player, etc.

[artan]

Now we're undefeated in a group with Portugal, Denmark and France. The results speak for themselves.

Yes, but no one is debating which team can get better results, as that is clear. We're debating specific aspects that this team doesn't have compared to the older guard. You only mention Skela, but Lala, Murati, and Hasi were really good midfield players too, and much better passers with more creativity.

I remember Lala, a DM, who was practically retired in his mid 30s and his passing was still better than Abrashi. We're also comparing guys like Cikalleshi that have 0 goals for NT to top scorers like Bogdani. Remember Bogdani, who was like 36 at the time, bitching France for half the field and their defenders, and scoring through Lloris' legs?

Greece in '04 got the best results, were the most motivated and organized, but they didn't have the better individuals. Apart from defensive minded players, we don't have much individual quality.

I don't know if you remember but at the time Bogdani was one of the most criticized players in the NT. We all wanted him gone from the NT for the longest time because we all thought he was useless. Most of us were favoring Salihi over him.

On other note some of those guys on the 80's team looked really promising(they were probably better than the 90's-early 2000's palyers). Always impressed Kushta from the clips I've seen him against Partizani Belgrade but it's really tough comparing them to today's players.

[Migjeni]

I mean are you guys listening to yourselves? You're glorifying Ervin Skela like he's messi. Fact is he was a fringe Bundesliga player with limitations regarding pace, physicality and defensive ability. He's kinda like a rich man's Meha and Meha can't even make the roster... Some of you guys are way too nostalgic for these guys to the point where you are saying Skela was playing Tiki-Taka?!? And after Skela and Lala? Team was filled with amateurs like Hidi in goal, Salihi as a winger, out of form Besart Berisha, Alban Bushi, Jupi, etc. Those squads were filled with players playing in random countries like Cyprus, second division greek sides, Albanian superliga players. We replaced those guys with players who are key players in Switzerland..

The point we had more players in top leagues because of Skela, Lala and Lala? What? Gashi was top scorer for Basel and Xhaka a regular starter for Basel which is a bigger club then Anderlecht. Gashi would have been the best attacker on that squad. Lenjani starter in league 1(as will Cana this year), Berisha spot starter for a borderline CL team, Cana has had a more prestigious career than any Albanian player(maybe with the exception of Lala), Mavraj fringe bundesliga player, etc.

I don't know if you remember but at the time Bogdani was one of the most criticized players in the NT. We all wanted him gone from the NT for the longest time because we all thought he was useless. Most of us were favoring Salihi over him.

On other note some of those guys on the 80's team looked really promising(they were probably better than the 90's-early 2000's palyers). Always impressed Kushta from the clips I've seen him against Partizani Belgrade but it's really tough comparing them to today's players.

I was reading through some of those comments and was already preparing what to write in my head, as I came to the last page and Artan's posts. You've spared me a lot of time to write all of that, and I completely agree with every single word. Thanks.

[Plako]

On other note some of those guys on the 80's team looked really promising(they were probably better than the 90's-early 2000's palyers). Always impressed Kushta from the clips I've seen him against Partizani Belgrade but it's really tough comparing them to today's players.

Kushta was a great player, he could have definitely played for a decent Euro club if he were allowed to move in his prime. He scored 10 goals in 31 matches. In comparison Tare scored 10 in 68, Rraklli 11 in 64, and Salihi 11 in 50. Also when he played there weren't many scrub teams in Eruope like you have nowadays. Kushta was nominated for European player of the year in 1987.
http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/europa-poy87.html

Shkelqim Muca was another player who could have excelled had it not been for an injury and timing.

[Simboli i Diellit]

For those who want to rewatch the full game here is the Torrent Link in Russian , it's HD and i'll leave my computer online on request if someone of you asks for it

http://www45.zippyshare.com/v/rWdahpf6/file.html

More than 8 gigs . Any streams?

No streams so far just that ripped source (great quality) . If you have a good connection then you could download it in 30 min- 1 hour.

[Aurora Bulkualis]

The point we had more players in top leagues because of Skela, Lala and?

Besnik Hasi? Edvin Murati? Murati was a midifielder and scored 30 meter free kicks against Switzerland, and goals against Greece right after they won Euros. Even mediocre defenders like Aliaj could score 40 meter free kicks. A midfield of Skela, Lala, Hasi, Murati is much better than we have now. Ffs, we're just above San Marino in passes completed. And we wanted Bogdani out because he was 36 and without a club, but the fact that he lasted that long was a testament to his quality. He's our all time top scorer ffs and 1 goal every 4 appearances. Cika has 0 goals in 10 appearances.

It's like some people can't compartmentalize and see the bad and good in different squads; they're either 99%/100% better or completely worse.

P.S. Cana was of "that" generation. Marseilles Cana >>>>> Lazio/Nantes Cana

[ZenMaster]

I don't think we have right now a player of Bledar Kola level, he had some fantastic individual performances. He scored 6 goals for NT and 3 of them was scored against Germany (2 penalty kicks).

[Plako]

I don't think we have right now a player of Bledar Kola level, he had some fantastic individual performances. He scored 6 goals for NT and 3 of them was scored against Germany (2 penalty kicks).

Agreed. Bledar Kola was really good.