Albanian Superliga

[artan]

With no European football for Skenderbeu maybe a few of their guys like Salihi and Lilaj leave for elsewhere. If so, it may just open the door for Partizani and other teams(mainly Partizani). As long as the competitiveness in the Superliga rises I'm fine.

But that being said giving Skenderbeu the axe would be bad for Albanian football even if they probably deserve it. It would reduce competitiveness and eliminate one of the few professional clubs in Albania

[Plako]

With no European football for Skenderbeu maybe a few of their guys like Salihi and Lilaj leave for elsewhere. If so, it may just open the door for Partizani and other teams(mainly Partizani). As long as the competitiveness in the Superliga rises I'm fine.

But that being said giving Skenderbeu the axe would be bad for Albanian football even if they probably deserve it. It would reduce competitiveness and eliminate one of the few professional clubs in Albania

Skenderbeu is solely responsible for the destruction of Dinamo, a fact that is conveniently forgotten by many Skenderbeu apologists. Football in Albania has been played for 80 years. We'll be alright.

[artan]

With no European football for Skenderbeu maybe a few of their guys like Salihi and Lilaj leave for elsewhere. If so, it may just open the door for Partizani and other teams(mainly Partizani). As long as the competitiveness in the Superliga rises I'm fine.

But that being said giving Skenderbeu the axe would be bad for Albanian football even if they probably deserve it. It would reduce competitiveness and eliminate one of the few professional clubs in Albania

Skenderbeu is solely responsible for the destruction of Dinamo, a fact that is conveniently forgotten by many Skenderbeu apologists. Football in Albania has been played for 80 years. We'll be alright.

I know some of you guys mention this but how so? Because they purchased many of their players? Seems like Dinamo had poor management/finances and a team like Skenderbeu capitalized. It's dirty but it's fair. Teams do that all the time(ex-Bayern).

I do like SKenderbeu's scouting network. They did a good job in landing unknown players like Berisha, Latifi, Jashanica, etc.

[Plako]

I know some of you guys mention this but how so? Because they purchased many of their players? Seems like Dinamo had poor management/finances and a team like Skenderbeu capitalized. It's dirty but it's fair. Teams do that all the time(ex-Bayern).

I do like SKenderbeu's scouting network. They did a good job in landing unknown players like Berisha, Latifi, Jashanica, etc.

Skenderbeu got directly promoted to the Superliga in the 2009 season as a runner-up in the second division. In the 2010 season, when Dinamo were crowned champions, Skenderbeu escaped direct relegation on the last day of the campaign and it widely reported that the matches were fixed (nothing out of the ordinary for the Superliga).

This is where things begin getting interesting. Dinamo was "forced" to sell 6 of its top players to Skenderbeu. At the time Dinamo was owned by Besnik Sula (most famously known as the owner of the Taiwan complex and casino). Skenderbeu then goes on to win the next title in 2011 while Dinamo's owner is being openly attacked by Berisha's government (not gonna go into the reasons here).

In the next campaign Dinamo gets relegated and the battle to strip the club of its most most prized asset (the multi-sport athletic complex) heats up. The Club is soon after stripped of its assets and the complex is then awarded to the Albanian Olympic Committee. I think Sula then gave up on supporting the club financially. Dinamo has not recovered since.

Skendebeu is not a "professional" club no matter how hard they scream about it. Dinamo was that and more before Skenderbeu dismantled it. Who is to say Dinamo would not have as successful as Skenderbeu if they weren't targeted in a concerted effort by Duka, Bode, Takaj & Co.

Skenderbeu is not some fairy tale Albanian version of Leicester City, it is a shady enterprise built by ill reputable elements and used as a vehicle for personal enrichment of the aforementioned individuals. It is the Sheriff Tiraspol of Albania.

Just a bit background of what happened in 2011
http://www.peshkupauje.com/node/35007



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[NYVirus]

I think 6 league titles in a row suggest that Plako is correct, Skenderbeu is not some fairy tale like Leicester City. It is a dominant club that has utterly dominated Albanian football (akin to Bayern Munchen in the Bundesliga). Add to that the fact that its youth teams all won their respective youth Albanian leagues. It is not just a professional club, it is the most professional club that Albania has ever seen. I'm not even going to get into its European tournament accomplishments...

Having said that, it's much ado about nothing. A one year ban from UEFA tournaments, really? What will that accomplish exactly? Partizani will get embarassed in the Champions League qualifiers and we'll be back to status quo (i.e., league title x7) before we even know it.

[AlMadman]

This whole thing is pretty embarrassing to be honest.

[Plako]

I think 6 league titles in a row suggest that Plako is correct, Skenderbeu is not some fairy tale like Leicester City. It is a dominant club that has utterly dominated Albanian football (akin to Bayern Munchen in the Bundesliga). Add to that the fact that its youth teams all won their respective youth Albanian leagues. It is not just a professional club, it is the most professional club that Albania has ever seen. I'm not even going to get into its European tournament accomplishments...

Having said that, it's much ado about nothing. A one year ban from UEFA tournaments, really? What will that accomplish exactly? Partizani will get embarassed in the Champions League qualifiers and we'll be back to status quo (i.e., league title x7) before we even know it.

Aha yeah if you started following football in 2010 yes Skenderbeu is the most professional club in our football history.

My observation may come off as that of a hater but they are not. The are just the observations of a frustrated Albanian football fan who has followed the league for close to 30 years. I don't think Partizani were ever hard done by Skenderbeu in the last couple of seasons so it is not personal either.

Skenderbeu's rise has turned Superliga in a league completely devoid of any competition. Every couple of years there is a team that "challenges" Skenderbeu for the title (Kukesi, Tirana, Partizani) yet we all know from Week 1 who the real winners will be come May. We all know how the league works and how the winner is determined. As long as Duka is president of the FSHF Skenderbeu will be guaranteed the title.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[NYVirus]

I hear what you're saying, and the suspicions are very likely not unwarranted... But the Albanian Superliga has never really been any better. If not Skenderbeu, it used to be Tirana or Partizani or Dinamo, with maybe 1-2 teams that would compete with them for the title and the rest of the league made up of doormats. And none of those teams went anywhere in the European competitions.

[Plako]

I hear what you're saying, and the suspicions are very likely not unwarranted... But the Albanian Superliga has never really been any better.

Yes, it has. Granted the league was dominated by the Tirana clubs but there was healthy competition among the three teams and Vllaznia occasionally challenging them for the title. From 90-95 there were 6 different league winners. Then Tirana started dominating winning 10 of the following 15 titles with Skenderbeu taking the reigns in the last 6 years. Partizani has won 2 titles in the last 30 years.

And none of those teams went anywhere in the European competitions.

Hmm actually Flamurtari has done way better than Skenderbeu in its two UEFA Cup campaigns and Tirana actually has done very well in at least 3 campaigns that I can remember. The format was different back in the day so it was not possible for teams to play as many rounds as Skenderbeu does now and the competition was pretty strong even in the first rounds. I mean had you heard of Crusaders FC? I never had before Skenderbeu played them. Whereas Flamurtari and Tirana have eliminated Partizan Belgrade and Dinamo Bucarest in European competitions.

[artan]

I know some of you guys mention this but how so? Because they purchased many of their players? Seems like Dinamo had poor management/finances and a team like Skenderbeu capitalized. It's dirty but it's fair. Teams do that all the time(ex-Bayern).

I do like SKenderbeu's scouting network. They did a good job in landing unknown players like Berisha, Latifi, Jashanica, etc.

Skenderbeu got directly promoted to the Superliga in the 2009 season as a runner-up in the second division. In the 2010 season, when Dinamo were crowned champions, Skenderbeu escaped direct relegation on the last day of the campaign and it widely reported that the matches were fixed (nothing out of the ordinary for the Superliga).

This is where things begin getting interesting. Dinamo was "forced" to sell 6 of its top players to Skenderbeu. At the time Dinamo was owned by Besnik Sula (most famously known as the owner of the Taiwan complex and casino). Skenderbeu then goes on to win the next title in 2011 while Dinamo's owner is being openly attacked by Berisha's government (not gonna go into the reasons here).

In the next campaign Dinamo gets relegated and the battle to strip the club of its most most prized asset (the multi-sport athletic complex) heats up. The Club is soon after stripped of its assets and the complex is then awarded to the Albanian Olympic Committee. I think Sula then gave up on supporting the club financially. Dinamo has not recovered since.

Skendebeu is not a "professional" club no matter how hard they scream about it. Dinamo was that and more before Skenderbeu dismantled it. Who is to say Dinamo would not have as successful as Skenderbeu if they weren't targeted in a concerted effort by Duka, Bode, Takaj & Co.

Skenderbeu is not some fairy tale Albanian version of Leicester City, it is a shady enterprise built by ill reputable elements and used as a vehicle for personal enrichment of the aforementioned individuals. It is the Sheriff Tiraspol of Albania.

Just a bit background of what happened in 2011
http://www.peshkupauje.com/node/35007



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That's interesting. I remember someone saying something like that in the past(probably was you actually) but that's some shady shit.

On one hand I want Skenderbeu to get the axe to send a message to the Superliga teams but I also know it may have ripple effects on the league. But either way it may be an end of an era for Skenderbeu if Josa decides to leave. I heard he was looking at some Asian clubs. Expect some of their bigger players to leave since no European football and some financial restrictions for Skenderbeu.