Albanian National Team [General topic]

[Dallku]

Albania's backline against Italy was damn near inside the penalty box.... and just waiting for them to score.

the inferiority complex in that game needs to be studied by anthropologists

[Aurora Bulkualis]

Albania's backline against Italy was damn near inside the penalty box.... and just waiting for them to score.

the inferiority complex in that game needs to be studied by anthropologists

Spain wasn't any better. Defending a 0-1 against their B team who was already qualified.

[ZenMaster]

Xhaka masterclass dominating Italy midfield as it was San Marino. More than anything else is matter of mentality, that's why i love to recruit players from diaspora. If we could fill all sport studios also with albos from diaspora who aren't Italy or Germany asslickers.

[Aurora Bulkualis]

Xhaka masterclass dominating Italy midfield as it was San Marino. More than anything else is matter of mentality, that's why i love to recruit players from diaspora. If we could fill all sport studios also with albos from diaspora who aren't Italy or Germany asslickers.

Diaspora players are the worst ones, especially the ones who play in those countries. Swiss rejects shat their pants in 2016 against Switzerland, and Italian rejects shat their pants in 2024. Like I said, it was at the height of Enver Hoxha's isolation when we actually beat a Top 5 league team (should've been 1-0), and DQed Germany from a major tournament the only time in their history.

This idea that foreign = good is the exact cause of this inferiority complex. Sokol Kushta and co were going toe to toe with Barcelona at a certain point during communism, and only lost on GD.

[RedFootballs]

Albania's backline against Italy was damn near inside the penalty box.... and just waiting for them to score.

the inferiority complex in that game needs to be studied by anthropologists

Spain wasn't any better. Defending a 0-1 against their B team who was already qualified.

I don't even think we were defending but just we couldn't find any way in. We also had several chances to equalise.

A lot of talk here about playing negatively which is valid but our players also blew great chances to score every game. Against Croatia, Asllani (i think? Who was on the 1v1?), Manaj blew great chances, against Spain Broja missed great chances, if we were more clinical we would also qualify.

Overall I concur with the sentiment here that the team could have qualified from this group, either with a win vs Croatia or Italy, or even 3 draws, but in general I also wouldn't blame Sylvinho too hard for the team not making it. I'm mainly happier that we showed a good level of play - and that doesn't mean just about respectable losses. It's also about showing we are able to attack and create against these top sides, which we also showed, it's not like the 'respectable losses' of the past against Italy and the likes where we would lose 1-0 and not create a single chance. This time has been different, we showed far more attacking impetus than we have ever showed, we are improving.

When we finally break the ice of being scared (which we are making progress on) we will become a good team.

This is a mentality that was developed over a very long time long before Sylvinho. It's impossible to get rid of it in a year. Something that took 20 years to develop won't be erased in 1 year. We are making progress (managed to beat Czechs and Poland) and this tournament showed some great level of play vs Croatia where we really looked like a great team. We are growing and gradually learning from these experiences and we need to be patient as fans. I think the team and Sylvinho also know it that we would have done better playing more aggressively but even just in general being more confident.

[artan]

Xhaka masterclass dominating Italy midfield as it was San Marino. More than anything else is matter of mentality, that's why i love to recruit players from diaspora. If we could fill all sport studios also with albos from diaspora who aren't Italy or Germany asslickers.

Diaspora players are the worst ones, especially the ones who play in those countries. Swiss rejects shat their pants in 2016 against Switzerland, and Italian rejects shat their pants in 2024. Like I said, it was at the height of Enver Hoxha's isolation when we actually beat a Top 5 league team (should've been 1-0), and DQed Germany from a major tournament the only time in their history.

This idea that foreign = good is the exact cause of this inferiority complex. Sokol Kushta and co were going toe to toe with Barcelona at a certain point during communism, and only lost on GD.

What are you on about? Those 2016 players were mediocre at best but yet fought hard and had a sense of professionalism. Those guys almost held the host country France to a draw and played with a man down the entire game against Switzerland and probably should have got a point in that match.

Without the Italian "rejects" or any diaspora this team would be on par with Bulgaria for the worst team in the Balkans. Are we going to act like a team whose best players are Uzuini, Keidi Bare and Sokol Cikaleshi are going to compete? Could we even field a starting 11 without diaspora? Such an extreme take.

[Aurora Bulkualis]

What are you on about? Those 2016 players were mediocre at best but yet fought hard and had a sense of professionalism. Those guys almost held the host country France to a draw and played with a man down the entire game against Switzerland and probably should have got a point in that match.

Without the Italian "rejects" or any diaspora this team would be on par with Bulgaria for the worst team in the Balkans. Are we going to act like a team whose best players are Uzuini, Keidi Bare and Sokol Cikaleshi are going to compete? Could we even field a starting 11 without diaspora? Such an extreme take.

I'm not talking about individual quality but mentality. Individual quality most of the Georgian team are bartenders.

When these diaspora players face their "parent" team they shit their pants. Lenjani and Gashi were terrified of scoring against Switzerland in 2016.

[Dallku]

Xhaka masterclass dominating Italy midfield as it was San Marino. More than anything else is matter of mentality, that's why i love to recruit players from diaspora. If we could fill all sport studios also with albos from diaspora who aren't Italy or Germany asslickers.

It's easy for Xhaka when he's surrounded by all those Swiss and Africans.

The diaspora players have the most inferiority complex. The team is full of them and look how they behaved.

Give me someone like Ernest Muci who's an Albania product and put 3 past Aston Villa. But he's not good enough and Young Boys diaspora reject Seferi is....

Shame on Sylvinho

[RedFootballs]

Xhaka masterclass dominating Italy midfield as it was San Marino. More than anything else is matter of mentality, that's why i love to recruit players from diaspora. If we could fill all sport studios also with albos from diaspora who aren't Italy or Germany asslickers.

Diaspora players are the worst ones, especially the ones who play in those countries. Swiss rejects shat their pants in 2016 against Switzerland, and Italian rejects shat their pants in 2024. Like I said, it was at the height of Enver Hoxha's isolation when we actually beat a Top 5 league team (should've been 1-0), and DQed Germany from a major tournament the only time in their history.

This idea that foreign = good is the exact cause of this inferiority complex. Sokol Kushta and co were going toe to toe with Barcelona at a certain point during communism, and only lost on GD.

What are you on about? Those 2016 players were mediocre at best but yet fought hard and had a sense of professionalism. Those guys almost held the host country France to a draw and played with a man down the entire game against Switzerland and probably should have got a point in that match.

Without the Italian "rejects" or any diaspora this team would be on par with Bulgaria for the worst team in the Balkans. Are we going to act like a team whose best players are Uzuini, Keidi Bare and Sokol Cikaleshi are going to compete? Could we even field a starting 11 without diaspora? Such an extreme take.

I think I get what he means but it's not really about diaspora or not, some players simply have the dawg in them as they say.

Uzuni is one of those guys for example that even though he is really talented, and is good enough to play in a top league, is never good for the NT simply due to mentally not being strong. Same with Hysaj.

Asani is an example of a guy who far exceeded his ability here because he is a savage who doesn't really give a f***. That meant that he put in one of the best campaign for us of all-time whilst playing in SK (let's see if he can move anywhere, though).

[Aurora Bulkualis]

Look at some of our biggest upsets... all domestic Albo scrubs.

Win away vs. Norway -> Salihi goal, Bulku assist
Win away vs. Portugal -> Balaj goal, Roshi assist
Win vs. Romania -> Sadiku goal (here Memushaj assisted who counts as diaspora I guess, but it started with Lila)

This is the paradox for us. Diaspora players bring in more overall technical ability, but way shittier mentality.

But let's be real, the Albanian league is a disaster technically, so we're stuck in this weird purgatory.