With memories of the golden years (80's) of the albanian football still fresh on her mind, Albania is now attempting to recreate its strong football legacy. As young players start making their names abroad, the future is looking bright for Albanian football!
Dallku wrote: ↑Sun Feb 20, 2022 11:04 pm
But those players were at least borderline top league. Even Andi Lila was good enough for a season in Serie a. They weren't amateurs.
Now Albania has more "established" top leaguers. That's why qualification should be easier than ever before.
Many players got a move to a top league as a RESULT of all the success they experienced with Albania. Lila, Sadiku, Lenjani, Abrashi, Ajeti and others make up this list.
I am still waiting for someone to explain how the undisputed MVP scored 8 in 8 and carried us on his back while playing in the second Turkish division.
Dermaku
Trashi
Hoxhallari
Ramadani
Gjasula
Lenjani
Memolla
Balaj
Roshi(I hate to say but in his current state)
Seferi
Are all full time NT players... Meaning they don't have much of a club career at all. They just look forward to NT callups because it's the only team they have. That should be unacceptable. All serious players should have a serious club career. These are borderline amateurs and a foot away from retiring.
Dallku wrote: ↑Sun Feb 20, 2022 11:16 pm
Right now:
Dermaku
Trashi
Hoxhallari
Ramadani
Gjasula
Lenjani
Memolla
Balaj
Roshi(I hate to say but in his current state)
Seferi
Are all full time NT players... Meaning they don't have much of a club career at all. They just look forward to NT callups because it's the only team they have. That should be unacceptable. All serious players should have a serious club career. These are borderline amateurs and a foot away from retiring.
Players who don't contribute anything to the NT should not be called up. It's that simple. If they still play well with NT, they should start.
All club performance should do is give them priority in proving themselves, because we can't try every single player out. I.E. Even though Bajrami has been invisible, he should still be called up. Even though Doka has been decent, he should be lowered in priority.
"Cheap things you can buy in bulk, but Bulku is priceless" Ervin Xhevahir Bulku
Dallku wrote: ↑Sun Feb 20, 2022 11:04 pm
But those players were at least borderline top league. Even Andi Lila was good enough for a season in Serie a. They weren't amateurs.
Now Albania has more "established" top leaguers. That's why qualification should be easier than ever before.
Many players got a move to a top league as a RESULT of all the success they experienced with Albania. Lila, Sadiku, Lenjani, Abrashi, Ajeti and others make up this list.
I am still waiting for someone to explain how the undisputed MVP scored 8 in 8 and carried us on his back while playing in the second Turkish division.
For the 1000th time Cikaleshi can only score against the minnows of Europe because he's able to get chance after chance to score open headers or tap in goals. Against any decent competition those chances don't come up and he becomes useless because he can't create and he's useless defensively. You can't take goals against Moldova seriously because Seferi, Balaj or any random striker would have burried those chances. The quality they display in league competition is what indicates how good they are and the fact he's a below average goal scorer in the Turkish first division and Turkish Superliga pretty much sums him up as a player. He's a semi-professional. It's the same with Balaj and Manaj too.
The 2016 cast of players are starting to get overrated here as well but they were really punching above their weight for 2 years and were playing in a system that really hid their weakness. Kukeli was solid (and a step above Basha) but near the end of that qualification cycle regressed badly and would make awful passes that would lead to scoring chances. Basha to me might be the most overrated player in our recent history because he really didn't contribute in that qualification cycle and had some okay performances post 2016. It's the same with alot of these guys because they were generally hard working players who were able to press and fight but didn't have much skill. Once Di Biasi's pressing style started to fade we really got exposed.
This is on the coach for alienating solid players and playing with a system that doesn't work. Di Biasi understood he didn't have talent but found the best 11 guys to fit his style of play (pressing and anti-football) and was able to compete.
artan wrote: ↑Mon Feb 21, 2022 12:49 am
For the 1000th time Cikaleshi can only score against the minnows of Europe because he's able to get chance after chance to score open headers or tap in goals. Against any decent competition those chances don't come up and he becomes useless because he can't create and he's useless defensively. You can't take goals against Moldova seriously because Seferi, Balaj or any random striker would have burried those chances. The quality they display in league competition is what indicates how good they are and the fact he's a below average goal scorer in the Turkish first division and Turkish Superliga pretty much sums him up as a player. He's a semi-professional. It's the same with Balaj and Manaj too.
The 2016 cast of players are starting to get overrated here as well but they were really punching above their weight for 2 years and were playing in a system that really hid their weakness. Kukeli was solid (and a step above Basha) but near the end of that qualification cycle regressed badly and would make awful passes that would lead to scoring chances. Basha to me might be the most overrated player in our recent history because he really didn't contribute in that qualification cycle and had some okay performances post 2016. It's the same with alot of these guys because they were generally hard working players who were able to press and fight but didn't have much skill. Once Di Biasi's pressing style started to fade we really got exposed.
This is on the coach for alienating solid players and playing with a system that doesn't work. Di Biasi understood he didn't have talent but found the best 11 guys to fit his style of play (pressing and anti-football) and was able to compete.
It's not really about overrating them. It's to show that even players who inglorious in their clubs can still do great things in NTs.
Getting a "Top 5 league player" stamp should come after being a consistent regular in that league for years. Not just being a borderline starter that has a good streak for 4 weeks and then gets benched. And that's not to say that Serie A/EPL second stringers shouldn't play with us, but we can't use their club situation by itself to write a blank cheque. Someone like Djimsiti has been a regular for years at a top club. He's a "Top 5 league player". Not Manaj that plays for a few weeks and sucks.
"Cheap things you can buy in bulk, but Bulku is priceless" Ervin Xhevahir Bulku
Honestly there is nothing wrong with having players from smaller leagues but only if they play for the top teams of those leagues. For example: Olympiakos, Basel, Top Turkish trio, top Russian, top Ukrainian, and hell even Dinamo Zagreb, etc. Yes the level in those leagues is not the greatest but those are very serious clubs who invest a lot and have legit expectations.
So no, it doesn't have to be top 4. The problem is players from mid to relegation of those smaller leagues. Do you really trust them? Like those Lokomotiva players or those from mid table Hungary like Jasani or Ramadani. They seem like Albanian league players who finally found some shit clubs abroad.
CanaYouDoIt wrote: ↑Sun Feb 20, 2022 7:04 pm
1) I don't think that's a strawman argument
2) It was literally a couple days ago where it was claimed he is too small to be our DM
artan wrote: ↑Mon Feb 21, 2022 12:49 am
For the 1000th time Cikaleshi can only score against the minnows of Europe because he's able to get chance after chance to score open headers or tap in goals. Against any decent competition those chances don't come up and he becomes useless because he can't create and he's useless defensively. You can't take goals against Moldova seriously because Seferi, Balaj or any random striker would have burried those chances. The quality they display in league competition is what indicates how good they are and the fact he's a below average goal scorer in the Turkish first division and Turkish Superliga pretty much sums him up as a player. He's a semi-professional. It's the same with Balaj and Manaj too.
Sokol Cikalleshi..
the semi-pro who scored super goals on the best Slavs from Warsaw to Prague.
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