Albanian Football Forum

Strength of domestic league is usually the most reliable indicator of how good the NT will be. Liga ha’Al is far superior than Superliga, and it is why Israel (who fields a bunch of home grown talents), was favoured to win the group.

Without a strong Superliga, we will forever rely on the leftovers of bigger nations (the benchwarmers). If these diaspora guys were actually any good, they would not be playing for Albania.

Princ wrote: Thu Jun 30, 2022 8:43 pm Strength of domestic league is usually the most reliable indicator of how good the NT will be.

That's just completely inaccurate.

Croatia, Serbia and many many others beg to differ.

Dallku wrote: Thu Jun 30, 2022 9:24 pm

Princ wrote: Thu Jun 30, 2022 8:43 pm Strength of domestic league is usually the most reliable indicator of how good the NT will be.

That's just completely inaccurate.

Croatia, Serbia and many many others beg to differ.

These leagues have traditionally produced a lot of very good players who end up transferring to bigger leagues. These players end up playing for Croatia and Serbia.

artan wrote: Thu Jun 30, 2022 9:27 pm

These leagues have traditionally produced a lot of very good players who end up transferring to bigger leagues. These players end up playing for Croatia and Serbia.

Exactly but their leagues are still in shambles because they are "export" football countries. Producing talents shouldn't be confused with actual league strength.

I remember about 10 years ago Cypriot clubs led by APOEL were very competitive because they used to invest a lot in foreign players. Here's the problem: Their NT was still dogshit because they didn't produce their own players. They just imported mercenaries. Sure their clubs in Europe were competitive but it had nothing to do with the NT.

Serbian SuperLiga is strongest league in Balkans, just as Serbia is the best NT in the region.

As is the case with any other measure, there will be the odd exception. Cyprus is a good example, where the strength of their league would typically suggest more successful results for the NT.

Nonetheless, the nation with a stronger domestic league will usually be favoured to come out on top. From my experience, it is easily the most reliable measure of how good a NT will be.

Macedonia, Kosovo, Bosnia have stronger NTs than leagues. Montenegro did too when they had their golden generation.

Talent production is what promises NT success not league strength. Albania's problem is that it's producing absolutely nothing. If it did then it could export talents all over Europe like Croatia and Serbia are doing. Right now the reason Albania is competitive is because of the diaspora.

Israel actually produces players. Their u19 just eliminated France to advance in the final for the u19 Euros. Can you imagine an Albanian youth team doing that? lol

Youth development is the best indicator of NT. Albanian league is not weaker than most other shit-level leagues, but I would say it's youth development is by far the worst. Kosova is clearly better at that.

Like Dallku said, leagues like Cyprus/Moldova or some Arab teams have had good performers in Europe, while still producing nothing. All because they were throwing money around.

How would you measure talent production other than strength of domestic league?

Talents need a competitive environment to develop.

Princ wrote: Thu Jun 30, 2022 11:16 pm How would you measure talent production other than strength of domestic league?

Talents need a competitive environment to develop.

Small countries that are good at producing players don't have good leagues because their talents don't stay in their domestic league. They get snatched up early in their careers. Uruguay is another example like Croatia.

Ideally that's what Albania should be. An export nation. League should practically be a youth league more than anything. Selling players is the only realistic way Albanian clubs can make money too but they don't get it. Skenderbeu was the only one that sort of got it before they got banned.

Lol eye test never lies

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