Likely the development of Albanian football isn’t in the same pace comparing to the other Balkan or Southern Europe countries like Croatia, Serbia or Greece. Whereas, the Albanian FA was established since 1930 and even the Albanian league was founded in 1911.
Lot of us might have never seen Albanian team without Euro 2016 or wondering whether there is a good footballer from Albania or not. Indeed, Albanian football power is small at the worldwide level. However, if small football countries like Rumania or Bulgaria had produced high-rated footballers (Gheorghe Hagi or Hristo Stoichkov), why Albania hasn’t produced them yet?
How comes almost were no Albanian national team, clubs or footballer had succeeded in major football level in the past?
Arguably, Albania isn’t a wealthy country economically. Low economics growths causing lack of sufficient sports infrastructure. Surely, this problem could be troubling the football development there.
Besides lack of supportive infrastructure, Albania international relation ever been restricted, even isolated by the socialist regime then. This also affected in football, when Albanian people were restricted did traveling abroad.
During the regime, footballers rarely experienced international football atmosphere, sometimes the clubs had been excluded from the European tournament for an uncertain reason and even the national team didn’t participated in several major tournaments. Freedom of movement was something really precious at the time.
The isolation in Albania was different compared to the socialist regime in other countries. The Soviet and Yugoslavia were good in international football, even though against the Western political stand. Those because football was included in political agenda for both former countries. Sophisticatedly, Soviet or Yugos had shown up the ideology’s power through football as well. Unfortunately, that was rarely been did by the Albanian socialist regime.
When the countries frequently face each other (in the club and national football level) to develops and measure the capacity or the footballers sought moved abroad to exercise and fulfill the potential in the European continent. Literally, Albanian football whether their national team, clubs or footballer, had lost that momentum in the past because of the isolation policy.
Fortunately, the circumstances were better when the socialist regime falling down in the 90’s and offered new national hope including the future of Albanian football.
Close Friend: Italy and Albania
Currently, Albania has shown progressive signs in football, and concrete evidence was their campaign in Euro 2016. However, these mostly because of the half-squad from Albanian descents abroad.
In order to keep the sustainability, Albanian couldn’t only be relying on diasporas. They have to create own football development including sufficient competition in order to develop their players or providing and promoting local talents to be developed in the bigger football country.
Hence, Italy might be the nearest and big football country which could be an ideal place to develop the Albanian youth.
As a one of the Latin country in the world, surely Italy has the specific socio-cultural connection with other Latinas. However, as a Mediterranean country where live on the near Balkan and South European region, Italy has intense cross socio-cultural exchanges as well with them, no exception with Albania
The formal historical relation of both countries began since recognization from Italy to the Albanian Independence Declaration in 1912.
Surely, there is fluctuating diplomatic relation between those two Adriatic sea countries. However, co-operation and mutual relation between both countries are just facts not only in economics or politics but also in socio-culture things.
A real example in Sicily. There is commune which specifically inhabited by Albanian, Piana degli Albanesi, that also use officially the Albanian language, beside the Italian one. That commune use to living place for refugees from Albania during the Ottoman conquest. In fact, today several other communes in Southern Italy being the domiciles for many Albanian descents.
Vice versa, many Italian migrates to Albania in order to seek economics or educational activities in the past or nowadays. Moreover, the Italian language also is one of the most popular foreign languages there.
Calcio for Albania
Then, how about Italy and Albania in football? Judging in the current circumstances, likely the close relationship between Italy and Albania also affecting into football area and this could be good things for both sides.
Italian clubs, as we know often get some under-radar talented footballer from Balkan or Southern Europe countries. Mostly they come from Serbia, Croatia, Greek, Romania or even Macedonia instead from Albania. However, the current circumstances are different.
Italian clubs could easily spread their scouting networks into Albania, or Albanian could easily join trial in Italy. Those were like impossible things in the past.
Look at Elseid Hysaj story. He was playing in an amateur team, Skhodra before moved to Italy at age 15 (2009). Thanks to the reform in Albania, when isolation policy had been revoked in the early 90’s. If the freedom of movement hasn’t emerged in Albania, probably Hysaj’s father didn’t met football agent Marco Piccioli. By design, Hysaj went to football trial exhibition in Italy after his father effort. He eventually signed by Empoli then.
As the isolation had been revoked in the late 90’s, Albanian allowed going to abroad, nothing less to Italy. Since the freedom of movement began, many Albanian footballers have gone abroad. The momentum impacted good things for Albanian football as well.
An Albanian striker and journeymen, Igli Tare destined to retired at Lazio (2008). Since he becomes the sporting director in 2009, no wonder the Albanian connection is very strong under Tare. Lazio brought several Albanian players such as Lorik Cana, Etrit Berisha, and Thomas Strakosha or Albanian descents like Valon Berisha, and Riza Durmisi.
In another hand, massive migrations from Albania creating the socio-cultural mixture, so that we can see a lot of young Albanian players descent who are upbringing or born in Italy. The example names are Rey Manaj (Internazionale/Albacete), Ismet Sinani (Milan, later switch to Kosovo), Emanuele Ndoj (Brescia), Giacomo Vrioni (Venezia) and Kastriot Dermaku (Cosenza).
Not to addition with Albanian national player who currently playing or once been the players for Italian clubs such as Berat Djimsiti (Atalanta), Ledian Memushaj (Pescara), Freddie Veseli (Empoli), Arlind Ajeti (ex-Torino), Migjen Basha (ex-Bari) and Andi Lila (ex-Parma).
Besides being the breed cage for Albanian players, Calcio or Italian football seems to be the national platform of Albanian football. Albanian hopes through their national team have relied on the Italian tactician.
Gianni De Biasi was the man behind the Kuq e Zinjtë successful journey to Euro 2016. After De Biasi resignation, now, former Italian versatile defender, Christian Panucci is the manager for Thaulant Xhaka and co.
Based on the close relationship as the neighboring countries, Italy and Albania could have the reciprocal relationship not only in vertical meaning (politics and economics). In football measure, Italian clubs have more wide networks on scouting under-radar players in Albania, beside comes from the reputable ground like Serbia or Croatia.
Meanwhile, when Albanian footballing environment still develops and relying on diasporas footballers couldn’t be the permanent choice forever, they could gain benefits from Calcio atmosphere which boost much of the Albanian footballer into the better level. Therefore, Calcio impact to the Albanian football could be very important, today and in the future.
(Writer: Haris Chaebar)
Additional sources: The Guardian, DW Sports, and thelaziali.com.
Photo sources: Tirana times, CNN, teamtalk.com, and fluruda.blogspot.com.