Albanian National Team [General topic]

[RedFootballs]

What happened to the like button btw? Could we bring it back maybe? It was nice to like someone's post instead of repeating what they say or replying.

[Dallku]

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.

It's really ironic.

And first ever goal/victory in a major tournament: Armando Sadiku.

Do you remember the sitters Shkelzen Gashi missed?

Has to be with the fact that the diaspora who choose Albania just have an inferior mentality in general.

[RedFootballs]

Sadiku in those few years (2014-2017) for the NT was a boss. This guy was scoring bangers like every game and even carrying the team to victories like against Israel.

I would take that version of Sadiku any day over any of our current strikers. Its a shame his best years came when the NT had no chances to do well, if he had the talent around him that we do now he would have scored goals for us here 100%.

[artan]

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.

Look you just can't cherry pick the few goals some non-diaspora players have scored in the past 15 years to prove your point. If that's the case you can make the same argument for diaspora player but on a larger scale.

We've had enough sample size over the past 15 years with non-domestic players to prove they are significantly inferior to diaspora players in every aspect. Out of the non-diaspora players Armando Sadiku and Roshi were probably the best and even their careers with the NT can be considered mix. Acting like Hamdi Salihi was some sort of fearless striker because he scored a set piece goal is ridiculous, he was a below average goal poacher who was just as limited and poor as Manaj. The standards are set so low for non-diaspora players.

[Dallku]

Sadiku in those few years (2014-2017) for the NT was a boss. This guy was scoring bangers like every game and even carrying the team to victories like against Israel.

I would take that version of Sadiku any day over any of our current strikers. Its a shame his best years came when the NT had no chances to do well, if he had the talent around him that we do now he would have scored goals for us here 100%.

True. I didn't like Sadiku as a player (he was limited) but he definitely had a killer mentality.

Bogdani too scored against Portugal, France, etc...

The biggest results of the NT like against Greece, Russia, Portugal etc all came from Albania products.

Yes the diaspora technically had more success by qualifying but it's also a different period where it's much easier to qualify. When half of Europe qualifies to the Euros you'll eventually will too.

[Aurora Bulkualis]

I'm not even mad at the players. They are who they are. It's mostly our foreign coaches that treat Albania like San Marino. Most of these guys have not even heard of Albania before they come here, and think they're coaching some semi-pro team and keep treating us like some Sunday league team. That's why they're always happy with "respectful" losses.

It's a fucking crime that coaches like Ilir Daja or Mirel Josa (who also beat Belgium 2-0 in 1984 as a player) who've done well in Europa League with Albanian teams, still have not gotten a chance. This is all fatass Armando's fault.

[artan]

Sadiku in those few years (2014-2017) for the NT was a boss. This guy was scoring bangers like every game and even carrying the team to victories like against Israel.

I would take that version of Sadiku any day over any of our current strikers. Its a shame his best years came when the NT had no chances to do well, if he had the talent around him that we do now he would have scored goals for us here 100%.

True. I didn't like Sadiku as a player (he was limited) but he definitely had a killer mentality.

Bogdani too scored against Portugal, France, etc...

The biggest results of the NT like against Greece, Russia, Portugal etc all came from Albania products.

Yes the diaspora technically had more success by qualifying but it's also a different period where it's much easier to qualify. When half of Europe qualifies to the Euros you'll eventually will too.

Albania never finished higher than 4th in European Qualifying before 2016. Most of the time Albania would finish dead last in their group. With current EURO rules they would still come nowhere close to qualify. They would constantly finish dead last in WC qualification as well.

So I'm not sure where this idea that Albania used to be a bunch of killers come from lol.

[Pjetër]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Euro ... ng_Group_6

O wins -10 goal differential

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Euro ... ng_Group_1

O wins -15 goal differential. 2 goal scored in total by the team.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1990_FIFA ... FA_Group_2

0 wins -12 goal differential.

Historically speaking the Albanian national team has been one of the worst in Europe. They could have given 40 spots to UEFA teams in the World Cup and Euros and Albania still wouldn't have come close to qualifying.

Edit: Wow going through the 1990 qualification it is even more embarrassing. Albania was the ONLY nation to finish with 0 points. Malta, Cyprus, and Luxembourg all at least managed to get 1 point. 1988 is dreadful too.

[ZenMaster]

With Broja exception Albania never managed to recruit top diaspora players, even Bajrami who was one best players on this qualifying campaign wasn't good enough for Switzerland.

[artan]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Euro ... ng_Group_6

O wins -10 goal differential

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Euro ... ng_Group_1

O wins -15 goal differential. 2 goal scored in total by the team.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1990_FIFA ... FA_Group_2

0 wins -12 goal differential.

Historically speaking the Albanian national team has been one of the worst in Europe. They could have given 40 spots to UEFA teams in the World Cup and Euros and Albania still wouldn't have come close to qualifying.

Edit: Wow going through the 1990 qualification it is even more embarrassing. Albania was the ONLY nation to finish with 0 points. Malta, Cyprus, and Luxembourg all at least managed to get 1 point. 1988 is dreadful too.

But dude you missed the point, remember that goal Sokol Kushta scored against the Belgium in 84’?!?! Kushta today would be a Ronaldo clone