Albanians abroad

[Princ]

Dude, it's not about "wanting" a split team, it's literally about having it. That's the reality of it and we have to act accordingly to the reality. Right now Albania is the 3rd/4th choice for Kosovar diaspora and rightfully so. You think those "rejects" would make a difference for Albania? Hell no.. so not even bothering with them and only focusing on your own is only positive.

People seriously overestimate the "talents". Even in 2016 Hysaj was easily the best player on paper. We never had a "talented" team. When we qualified we had a cohesive team, full of pitbulls and De Biasi's ultra defensive tactics suited them. It wasn't a talented team. Also the euro format and outside forces helped us qualify too.

'Albania will eventually qualify again, if not from the groups then from the Nations League. The format now is a joke and anyone can qualify to the euros. Qualifying for world cup is what's hard but even with De Biasi we weren't close to qualifying, even with that united mostly Kosovar team you guys are hyping.

Nobody is denying that the split team full of domestic products is the inevitable reality, one would only have to look at the current u21 list to come to that conclusion. The concern though lies in its efficiency (or lack thereof) to achieve success. You are seriously underrating the De Biasi era team and failing to realize how much weaker the midfield and defense will be without the Western diaspora, despite getting a taste of this harsh reality these last few years.

During our Euro 2016 run, the squad was absolutely head and shoulders above what we have now. Hysaj, “the best player on paper,” was just a single peice of the puzzle. The midfield was absolute class in comparison to the scrubs of today. We have still not found the replacements of Basha, Kukeli, Abrashi and Xhaka and our results show it. Those replacements have already or will in the future flock to Kosovo.

You have faith we will soon qualify again, but I am curious as to where the optimism comes from as the last few years surely have not been promising. De Biasi took a lot of flak for not calling up many Superliga players during his time but he was not a stupid man.. he knew that these Western products were much superior to those produced in Albania and his knowledge paid off big time.

[Aurora Bulkualis]

Who is this Eljon Toci kid? Joined Fiorentina primavera as a striker.

[Dallku]

During our Euro 2016 run, the squad was absolutely head and shoulders above what we have now. Hysaj, “the best player on paper,” was just a single peice of the puzzle. The midfield was absolute class in comparison to the scrubs of today. We have still not found the replacements of Basha, Kukeli, Abrashi and Xhaka and our results show it. Those replacements have already or will in the future flock to Kosovo.

That's just pure exaggeration. You are seriously overrating those players and their mediocre careers prove it. That midfield wasn't even more talented than the generation before it (Skela, Lala, Duro, etc) but they were more defensive minded, had a superior coach(DB) and also had a REAL defense behind them with Hysaj, Mavraj, Cana, and Agolli(who became very good in his late years). That's why that midfield seemed better than they were individually.

Right now we still have a similar midfield but potentially more technical with Bare and co.

[Dallku]

You have faith we will soon qualify again, but I am curious as to where the optimism comes from as the last few years surely have not been promising.

Well anyone can qualify to the Euros. Even the Luxembourgs of Europe will start to qualify thanks to the nations league format.

For the world cup it will be a challenge but it always was. That will depend a lot on what attackers pop out and make a difference.

Defense/GK are not an issue and you can always find adequate midfielders. Albania actually never suffered in midfield.. it was always either defenders(before De Biasi) or attackers(now)

[Aurora Bulkualis]

Who is this Eljon Toci kid? Joined Fiorentina primavera as a striker.

Another kid joining Verona youths

http://www.panorama.com.al/sport/nje-ta ... -dervishi/

We are turning Serie A into our factory, like Belgium did with England

[Princ]

That's just pure exaggeration. You are seriously overrating those players and their mediocre careers prove it. That midfield wasn't even more talented than the generation before it (Skela, Lala, Duro, etc) but they were more defensive minded, had a superior coach(DB) and also had a REAL defense behind them with Hysaj, Mavraj, Cana, and Agolli(who became very good in his late years). That's why that midfield seemed better than they were individually.

Right now we still have a similar midfield but potentially more technical with Bare and co.

Let’s compare the midfielders of today with those De Biasi had:

-Gjasula is a career 3/4 division player who thought about leaving football a few years ago to open a restaurant(over 30)
-Bare is a midget who is playing for a bottom table second division team
-Abrashi is not the man he once was(over 30)
-The rest are a bunch of unproven players/absolute scrubs

-Basha was a tall, box to box mid who played 3 seasons with Torino as well as giving huge contributions to Euro run
-Kukeli was a lifelong starter in the Swiss first division, another tall player who was solid on D who gave a huge contribution by keeping the Swiss at bay in first match of the Euros when we were down to 10 men, as well as keeping the French at bay for 75 minutes before getting subbed off and us conceding two fatal goals
-Prime Abrashi was a lifelong starter in the Swiss first division who played in the Bundesliga for a few years and gave big contribution to the Euro run as well. He is not the man he once was but still a no doubt starter for us
-Xhaka was a career starter at Basel who played CL football multiple years and gave big contribution to Euros. He has left the NT but would be a no doubt starter even still

No exaggeration here mate.. this was a well balanced midfield consisting of all around players with solid height, and good defensive attributes. Lala and Skela were good technical players, but not at all well rounded. They were fun to watch but they lacked the physical attributes to really take our NT to that next level. We suffered a lot due to the poor size and defensive ability of the pair. I’d take the De Biasi men over those guys anyday.. Bogdani was the really special player of the previous era. He had all the tools and he scored goals against the cream of the crop in football, both in Serie A and more importantly for the NT.

[Aurora Bulkualis]

That's just pure exaggeration. You are seriously overrating those players and their mediocre careers prove it. That midfield wasn't even more talented than the generation before it (Skela, Lala, Duro, etc) but they were more defensive minded, had a superior coach(DB) and also had a REAL defense behind them with Hysaj, Mavraj, Cana, and Agolli(who became very good in his late years). That's why that midfield seemed better than they were individually.

Right now we still have a similar midfield but potentially more technical with Bare and co.

Let’s compare the midfielders of today with those De Biasi had:

-Gjasula is a career 3/4 division player who thought about leaving football a few years ago to open a restaurant(over 30)
-Bare is a midget who is playing for a bottom table second division team
-Abrashi is not the man he once was(over 30)
-The rest are a bunch of unproven players/absolute scrubs

-Basha was a tall, box to box mid who played 3 seasons with Torino as well as giving huge contributions to Euro run
-Kukeli was a lifelong starter in the Swiss first division, another tall player who was solid on D who gave a huge contribution by keeping the Swiss at bay in first match of the Euros when we were down to 10 men, as well as keeping the French at bay for 75 minutes before getting subbed off and us conceding two fatal goals
-Prime Abrashi was a lifelong starter in the Swiss first division who played in the Bundesliga for a few years and gave big contribution to the Euro run as well. He is not the man he once was but still a no doubt starter for us
-Xhaka was a career starter at Basel who played CL football multiple years and gave big contribution to Euros. He has left the NT but would be a no doubt starter even still

No exaggeration here mate.. this was a well balanced midfield consisting of all around players with solid height, and good defensive attributes. Lala and Skela were good technical players, but not at all well rounded. They were fun to watch but they lacked the physical attributes to really take our NT to that next level. We suffered a lot due to the poor size and defensive ability of the pair. I’d take the De Biasi men over those guys anyday.. Bogdani was the really special player of the previous era. He had all the tools and he scored goals against the cream of the crop in football, both in Serie A and more importantly for the NT.

Stop it with nonsense. What does Gjasula wanting to open a restaurant have to do with anything? Schurrle quit football at 29 too.

[Princ]

Stop it with nonsense. What does Gjasula wanting to open a restaurant have to do with anything? Schurrle quit football at 29 too.

What?

Schurrle quit at 29 after winning the World Cup along with a long list of achievements.. Gjasula was about to quit because he was tired of his own mediocrity.

http://www.panorama.com.al/sport/doja-t ... e-ne-dush/

[artan]

During our Euro 2016 run, the squad was absolutely head and shoulders above what we have now. Hysaj, “the best player on paper,” was just a single peice of the puzzle. The midfield was absolute class in comparison to the scrubs of today. We have still not found the replacements of Basha, Kukeli, Abrashi and Xhaka and our results show it. Those replacements have already or will in the future flock to Kosovo.

That's just pure exaggeration. You are seriously overrating those players and their mediocre careers prove it. That midfield wasn't even more talented than the generation before it (Skela, Lala, Duro, etc) but they were more defensive minded, had a superior coach(DB) and also had a REAL defense behind them with Hysaj, Mavraj, Cana, and Agolli(who became very good in his late years). That's why that midfield seemed better than they were individually.

Right now we still have a similar midfield but potentially more technical with Bare and co.

Klodian Duro are you kidding me? What's next Alban Bushi was a the best poacher in Europe? That Jupi was better than Hysaj?

[Dallku]

Let’s compare the midfielders of today with those De Biasi had:

-Gjasula is a career 3/4 division player who thought about leaving football a few years ago to open a restaurant(over 30)
-Bare is a midget who is playing for a bottom table second division team
-Abrashi is not the man he once was(over 30)
-The rest are a bunch of unproven players/absolute scrubs

-Basha was a tall, box to box mid who played 3 seasons with Torino as well as giving huge contributions to Euro run
-Kukeli was a lifelong starter in the Swiss first division, another tall player who was solid on D who gave a huge contribution by keeping the Swiss at bay in first match of the Euros when we were down to 10 men, as well as keeping the French at bay for 75 minutes before getting subbed off and us conceding two fatal goals
-Prime Abrashi was a lifelong starter in the Swiss first division who played in the Bundesliga for a few years and gave big contribution to the Euro run as well. He is not the man he once was but still a no doubt starter for us
-Xhaka was a career starter at Basel who played CL football multiple years and gave big contribution to Euros. He has left the NT but would be a no doubt starter even still

No exaggeration here mate.. this was a well balanced midfield consisting of all around players with solid height, and good defensive attributes. Lala and Skela were good technical players, but not at all well rounded. They were fun to watch but they lacked the physical attributes to really take our NT to that next level. We suffered a lot due to the poor size and defensive ability of the pair. I’d take the De Biasi men over those guys anyday.. Bogdani was the really special player of the previous era. He had all the tools and he scored goals against the cream of the crop in football, both in Serie A and more importantly for the NT.

There is no difference between Gjasula who was a starter and captain in Bundesliga last year than these Swiss league scrubs you're overhyping. Playing in the Swiss league is no accomplishment. Shkelzen Gashi used to tear that league up and we know how painfully average he really was. Swiss league is equivalent to German 3rd or mid/lower 2nd division at best.

What even is "prime Abrashi"? Dude became injury prone as soon as he went to the Bundesliga. But he was still a valuable anti-footballer for DB's system.

Migjen Basha is a career Serie B and 2nd division player and has failed in most places he went. De Biasi tried to hook him up in Serie a but at most he was a bench player there.

Xhaka didn't leave the NT(never mentioned he retired), he's just not preferred by the coaches anymore because Bare has outclassed him. Bare is like Xhaka except way more technical and faster. That's why no one is losing any sleep over Xhaka anymore.

Btw you are focusing on size and height but all these players you're hyping (except Kukeli) are literally midgets. That was a big complain we had in DB's era.