The President of the Albanian Football Association, Armand Duka, held a conversation with journalists this afternoon, where he answered all questions regarding various issues.

From the premises of the "House of Football", the head of the football government spoke about the progress and achievements of the National Team, the future of coach Silvinjo and discussions with him, as well as the names that could succeed him if there is no agreement.

President Duka also spoke about the sponsorship law, the clubs of the Abissnet Superiores, the level of football, the fans, the work for the Euro U-21 championship finals, infrastructure, relations with the Albanian Football Association and refereeing.

 

– How do you see the year 2025 for the national team? What will happen to the national team coach?

 

– We definitely expected more and, in my opinion, we deserved more. With what we gave on the field in Poland, the competition was generally good, in total. The qualifiers in the group, undoubtedly, had matches in which they did not meet our expectations. During the qualifiers, there were very good performances against the direct opponent, as our objective was to be second in the group, while we suffered with Latvia.

With England, many teams in Europe have difficulty having a good performance, but for 70 minutes in “Air Albania” the performance was good. The qualifiers for me were successful. To push it a little further and to connect it with the coach and staff of the national team, they are the best in history. In the European we were first in the group, in the World Cup second, which has never happened before. We definitely wanted and had a dream to go to the World Cup. We could go from that match, at least try that match in Stockholm, but luck did not smile on us.

But, starting from this kind of mini-analysis, I talked to the national team coach immediately after we returned from the torturous friendly with Ukraine, because we were all injured, us more than Ukraine, because they hadn't felt it as much as we did. And I told him the same things, that in my opinion your journey of these years is positive. But a coach feels it himself and should feel it himself. A professional feels it himself if he can lead a team. This is a position that consumes you. Footballers who are not activated or not called up are not very happy and maintaining that balance, having power and even energy, is felt more by the one who is in charge.

I asked him how he feels, whether he will lead this team again or not. I have an obligation to be transparent and I am telling him the conversations as we had with the coach. He asked me: “What do you think?”. In my opinion, I told him that you still have energy. He will take time to think about it and give me an answer. This does not mean that, if he says yes, we will continue, as we will offer him the terms of a new contract after July. But we will decide this before the June matches whether we will continue with the same coach, so it depends on both parties, or whether we will continue with another one.

 

– 6-month contract, your decision or the coach's request?

 

– Maybe the contract at the beginning was supposed to be until March, at the end of the play-off matches, but since we had agreed on this contract and it expired until November and we qualified in November, we could not make a contract until March, because it would be demotivating for the team. The team, if it saw a coach whose contract ends on March 31, we would give them a message that we are not going to the World Cup, while we wanted to convey a message that we will go to the World Cup and the coach's contract is until after the World Cup ends.

The differences are very small and psychological preparation, belief in victory is among the most important things. The first thing is to convince yourself that we can achieve and then convey it to others. We have tried to transmit this spirit to the team and the environment.

Someone might say that we feel disappointed, because you told us that we would go to the World Cup, but without transmitting this kind of energy it is difficult to achieve it. I don't think we did anything wrong, because as we saw on the pitch, we were really close to achieving it. So, the reason the contract was until June was this, to give a message that we will be in the World Cup.

 

– Albanian coach at the helm of the red and black bench?

 

– I have actually offered the position of national team manager at least once to an Albanian coach, who was Besnik Hasi. In the last moments, when we were on the verge of finalizing the contract, Besnik withdrew because he was offered to be Anderlecht's coach. Afterwards, in all cases I have undoubtedly thought about it and I undoubtedly still think about it, but we will see.

But the first thing is that I have offered the current coach to express his opinion if he has the will, the energy and the desire to continue. But then there are the conditions, if the parties are satisfied. This will happen before the friendly matches in June.

 

– Sponsorship law, to what point are the talks with the government?

 

– I am convinced, but this is actually the reality, that without some kind of incentive, some support, football in Albania has financial difficulties and will have financial difficulties. Financial difficulties not only at the professional levels, in the superior categories, but also in grassroots football. It is very difficult for it to develop without some kind of incentive.

We started the discussion, the battle, the fight for the sponsorship law 8 years ago, we are still in the same situation. I am not able to say that it will be done. Promises have been made year after year that it will be done. We have had many meetings, negotiations, discussions, recently also with the Minister of Sports, even after the Assembly, 10-15 days ago, to see the details of the draft. The government has actually made a draft, sent it for public discussion, a kind of public discussion has been held. We have made our remarks, obviously we have many remarks about that draft. I hope that it is in the final phase, I hope that the remarks that we have made will be taken into account.

We ask for a functional law, a law that really helps and supports sports, because ultimately this is a political will, whether we want or do not want to develop sports. While this will has been expressed, the technicians must find the way. The law faces great opposition from the Ministry of Finance.

For me it is an absurd objection, because it is thought about where the money will go. This money will go to our children who will play football. While it does not go directly through the budget, in a way, in the final all the money will come from our taxes and the budget distributes it.

To make direct allocations from the budget for sports, we have a 36-year history that has not happened, so the only mechanism remains the sponsorship law. I hope we are in the finalization of it, but I cannot speak with conviction, because I am its requester and not the decision-maker.

 

– How long will you wait to make a decision on the national team coach?

 

– I will wait very little. The first offer will be made to Silvinho and, if it is not finalized, we will obviously start the same process and it does not mean that I do not have some names in my head.

 

– Do you agree with coach Silvinjo's decisions during the qualifiers?

 

– I actually never agree with the coaches' decisions after the game. I always have my opinions, but I'm not a football specialist who thinks my opinions are right or true. In the end, the decision is made whether the coach is suitable by summarizing the coach's decisions and selections.

We have done this analysis, and while we generally do not agree 100% with everything, whether technical or human, I have told him that he has his flaws, just as I do. Overall, the balance is positive, which is why we have offered him the opportunity to continue.

Then, if I agree, whether it should be Bajrami or Uzun, or otherwise, or whether or not it should be Ajeti who I wish will recover as soon as possible, but it could be Ismajli, these are personal decisions.

 

– There have been some discussions around the world regarding agencies that select and manage players, what do you think?

– Look, these are things that don't happen for the first time with us. These are discussions that happen regularly. We need to look at the decisions, not the prejudices. I have a positive assessment of the coach.

I completely exclude any accusation that could be made. His selections were objective.

I don't think that all of us here, or all of our fans who support us if they make the national team roster, will differ more than 5 percent from each of us. I don't have any such opinion.

 

– Did you have a meeting with Besnik Hasi after he was in Tirana in recent days?

 

– To be honest, I don't know. My workload these days has been really heavy and I don't know. I've met some former footballers these days, but not Besnik. Without closing this thing, we can't start talking to others. Even though he refused, of course he will. This is not marriage, it's professionalism.

 

– Will the scheme change in the Albanian championship, not only in the Superior Division, but also in the First Division?

 

– For the professional championships of the Abyssnet Superiore category, the First and Second Category, we have undoubtedly discussed many times. In each championship, at the end of each championship, looking at all the statistics, an analysis has been made. We also held an activity at the Albanian Football Federation, where the Director of Competitions has given all the statistics of the championship, negative and positive, formula with 10 teams.

It is really a strong championship. This does not mean that I am saying that it is a championship with a very high level, or a very beautiful championship like in the 5 best championships in Europe, but it is strong, competitive, unpredictable where the last place can win with the first place. The characteristics of this championship are the differences in points between the first and last place, they are not very large, like for example in some other countries with the same number of teams.

They often say that we need to add teams, rightly so because there are several large cities with tradition, history, and contribution to Albanian football that are outside. But, in a city or club that is not organized, not invested in, not interested, not with the 10th, do it with the 12th, 14th, or 16th, it will still remain outside. Because that's how the market economy is.

Even in the world there are many teams with tradition that play in the first category, or inferior category, the same here. The reason why we should continue with 10 teams is because this championship is strong and it increases the interest of the teams for points. Almost until the last week, none of the teams has the opportunity to tolerate another team and this is important for us.

In addition, the current finances available for football do not provide the premises for having more teams. In the current conditions, as we are today, having four teams that go to Europe. The championship itself becomes even stronger, because two leave the category, the third goes to the play-offs and four to Europe, there is no gap in the middle that would ruin the championship.

We are witnesses that it has happened before with 12, 14 or 16 teams. This championship does not leave room for compromise and this is important. In these conditions, in this situation, with these finances that we have, without a sponsorship law we will continue with 10 teams in the superior and 12 in the First Category.

 

– What is your comment on the refereeing performance this season?

 

– We have to say how satisfied we all are with the total activity, not from one episode, not from one match, not from one fragment. There are definitely mistakes. I am also unhappy with the Real-Bayern referee, who gave me a red card because I was with Real and not with Bayern (laughs). I am unhappy, but anyway, I don't know how the decision was, fair or unfair.

There are mistakes, but in general the level is not higher than football, but at the same level as football. There are no mistakes that distort the competition, I do not believe that at least in history, but also in the current championship, teams that deserve to be ranked higher, but are ranked lower due to arbitrary mistakes.

In the decision of a team to boycott or of an individual, boycott is the worst thing, especially in the game of football, in our game. Boycott is bad perhaps in all areas of life, but especially in our game. Regardless of whether the boycott comes from an unjust or just decision, boycott is punishable.

The behavior of the FSHF committees with the boycott has not been very correct in some cases and this has caused it to appear in the last championship, in at least 3 cases in my memory. 80% of the clubs have asked us to be stricter with the boycott, this could destroy us more. In the regulations of the next championship, perhaps there should be more attention if there are such cases.

 

– Results of the National Youth Teams, how satisfied are you?

 

– The commitment to the national teams, girls and boys, is maximum. The activities that are carried out to reach the qualifying matches are extremely voluminous, frequent. The “Step by Step” program that follows the development of footballers from a young age. The “Elite Youth Academy” that we have started two years ago.

We are one of the few federations that has an elite academy of the federation. Gatherings, friendly matches, gatherings abroad and the result is not the only thing in the National teams, but what they can produce to send them higher. The chain has really produced, but sometimes we have a short memory. We say that the National team does not have footballers from Albania, the National team does not have footballers from the ages, but almost the majority are from the ages and almost half of them are from Albania and some come from the Albanian championship.

We do not close the door, in fact it is always open for talents who grow up abroad, because we have the right and obligation to offer them the opportunity to contribute to the national team. Results, although not the main objective, are a positive thing to develop, because a footballer with positive results develops even more. I do not think the same as you that they are negative, but they are not the best possible.

In the last U-19 qualifiers, they finished with one win, one loss and one draw, in a very strong group. They should have won the last match against Norway, but they also lost a penalty. In the girls' team, we also have to be realistic about where we came from, where we started, how many chances we have.

Girls' football started in 2008 and today, by moving up the level, playing in League B in the Nations League, or in the elite with the youth, the results are undoubtedly getting even better. We won the last tournament with the young girls in Albania and we have already played against three very strong teams that are actually not at the same level, so the results are actually satisfactory and the production is not bad.

 

– What should we do differently to bring fans back to stadiums for championship matches?

– We need to have a better organization of clubs. Not that the clubs don't want it, but the financial possibilities are limited and we have to accept this. This is related to the law that we discussed, which our competitors have and we don't have. We need an initiative to start and generate income on our own, to develop a football club on our own. For me, this is the first.

The second is related to the change in infrastructure in Albania. Sports infrastructure in Albania has remained a task for the Football Federation, at a time when it is not the duty of the Football Federation. Without a doubt, with its own capabilities it can make investments and has built football fields, but not as many as are needed in Albania. Today we have a football field for 18 thousand inhabitants, when countries similar to ours have a field for 3000 or 4000 inhabitants. We have changed a lot, we have developed a lot, we have improved the infrastructure of playing football a lot, we have it better than the region, but we do not have the necessary number of training fields, where we would have more mass and then more quality. These are the things we need to do well.

Infrastructure needs the attention of the central and local governments. It is not enough for everyone to come to the FSHF and ask for a football field, as the Federation cannot make as many fields as our country needs, as many as our young people and children need to play. To fill the stadiums, the result and the level are important. When a club has a good result, as well as the Albanian National Team, fans come more, but it is not the only factor that affects the number of spectators in the stadium, as we see in Germany, in the fifth category the stadium is full.

I do not believe that in the fifth level in Germany the level is better than in the Superior Category in Albania. First of all, we need better organization, better promotion, better conditions, better accommodation, fewer ultras and more supporters. We must all do these together because it is the duty of the clubs and the federation to better promote the competition that I said we have in football. It is not only the level that brings spectators to the stadium steps.

 

– Which national teams are we in negotiations with for the June friendlies and is there a possibility of playing a friendly match with Kosovo?

 

– We will play two games in June. We have not closed the contracts yet. We have almost agreed to play Luxembourg in Tirana. We are in talks with several other teams for the next game. Most likely the next game will also be played in Tirana. We could play Chile, Denmark or another team. We have not talked with Italy or Kosovo, which was mentioned.

 

– Projects for new stadiums that were planned to be built in several cities in Albania have been withdrawn. How do you see this withdrawal of investments for stadiums more than perhaps the 100 fields project? Are you a partisan of stadiums or new fields?

– The infrastructure for the development of professional activities is not bad. I believe that even if we had 4-5 or 15 more stadiums, it would be even better. The projects launched in Korça, Vlora, Durrës and “Selman Stërmasi” are, to my knowledge, in progress and are continuing. We have completed what was requested of us from a sporting point of view on time and have sent them, so I hope it continues. They have been delayed a bit, but it seems to me that “Selman Stërmasi” will continue to work this year, as we have been interested in having it as an option for training the teams of the European U-21 championship and we have been told that the work will continue.

Am I a 'partisan' of fields or stadiums? Today our country needs fields and it needs fields mainly in more populated centers such as Tirana. More than half of the population lives in Tirana and there is no space here to build football fields. The 100 fields project continues. Those who apply to us are mainly in the suburbs and other cities.

Undoubtedly, football is played everywhere and we have responded to those projects. Our project has no limitations and even if a private person takes it as an initiative, we finance 50% of the value of the project, whether it is a field with natural or artificial grass. In Tirana, there is no space. If they were inside the big ring road, we could finance 100% of the fields.

 

– So much for the judging that did not distort the competition. Will "Final4" be entrusted to Albanian referees or will we have foreign referees?

– In previous years, a foreign referee was hired to eliminate any kind of prejudice or opinion, as there was only one final. But this year it will be a mini-tournament, not a final, and the matches starting from May 16 and ending on May 31 at the “Air Albania” stadium will be judged by the best Albanian referees. The refereeing sector will appoint the referees who will be for the “Final 4”, and they will be chosen to judge on VAR and on the field.

 

– If we have achieved results that we have not seen before with the National team, what does it mean to you that our clubs are not able to reach the groups of European competitions?

– In the last edition of the European Cups, there was a kind of positive change compared to the year before. We have thought about how we can make changes so that Albanian clubs can also participate at least in the Conference League groups, as they deserve it.

Clubs, for financial reasons, are forced to allow any emerging talent to be transferred to other championships. You have seen that the talents of recent years, as soon as they start and grow, go to other championships. We and the public only know a few footballers who play at somewhat high levels, but we have many footballers who emerge from the Albanian championship, who play in Turkey, Romania, Ukraine, Russia, who if they had better finances, would contribute to our clubs and would have better results in Europe.

It is undoubtedly a big concern because in addition to the image and positive examples it creates, participation in the Conference League would also regulate finances. We had this kind of discussion together with the clubs, when we decided to allow an unlimited number of foreign footballers, with the idea that we would have positive results. Last year, it was somewhat better than two years ago. I hope it will be better this season and that we send teams to the Conference League.

 

– The final stage of the European Under-21 Championship is approaching, will Albania finally have a new era in terms of benching?

– We have requested the organization of the U-21 European Championship next year, and it has been approved. We need to prepare the infrastructure, together with the local and central government, which is actually not at the expected level in some municipalities. In Shkodra, we have done almost nothing, we do not have any natural fields.

A minimum of 2 natural fields are needed to be a city where several matches will be played and teams will be accommodated. In the same way, we have started preparations with our team, with friendly matches, with selections, with the same staff, with the same coach to succeed in the 2027 U-21 European Championship.

 

– Have you considered, together with Kosovo, the development of a nationwide supercup between Kosovo and Albania teams, seeing that the level has also reached there?

– To be honest, no. What we started as a project a few years ago, before Covid, was a nationwide Cup, for which we also prepared the financial project, which requires a lot of support. Doing an activity in football today is very formal, it does not arouse interest if you do not have what you are playing for. Financial or sporting benefits.

This type of competition cannot have sporting benefits to participate in the European Cups. So the same thing is that there are financial incentives. In order to have financial incentives, there must be visibility, marketing, etc. The project that we had done, envisaged to financially stimulate every team from the third categories in Kosovo and Albania, to cover travel and accommodation expenses.

The financial bill was around 2 million euros per year, which cannot be afforded by us, the federations alone. We have taken this proposal to both governments, we have not had a response also due to Covid reasons and we have not reactivated it.

I think we should reactivate it, but in this way. Let's do an activity that clubs have interest in, clubs play with the best players. Because in a cup without interest, clubs can send the reserve team and the activity does not achieve the goal.

 

– We saw you in an atypical conversation with businessman Samir Mane. The conversation was different to approach a successful businessman. What impressed me was that you said: You manage well, you never lose. I think that the nerve center of Albanian clubs is poor management, because they buy 10 players and only the invoice. What does the Albanian Football Association do at this point, that we have good coaches and footballers, I believe that the management of the clubs is a problem?

 

– We have offered everything to the clubs, we continue to offer it for the improvement of management, experts in all human resources. We do not train the president, but we train all the other positions that a club has: managerial, sports director, physiotherapist, doctor, PR, marketing, and these have undoubtedly brought about their own development. They have not fulfilled the maximum expectations, but we must admit that the clubs have changed a lot.

If you look back, they have changed, they have developed and they should continue like this. The federation does this, in addition to training them, it gives them training opportunities inside and outside the borders of Albania. To return to Samir, it would be good if you didn't ask me in public what we should tell him that he doesn't make money in football? We need businessmen like Samir, we should tell him 'come on, you are a good manager and you win', and in fact he is.

 

– There is talk of a change in the format of the European qualifiers. There is talk of implementing the Champions League format, are there any new developments in this regard?

– I will speak as the President of the AFF, as I am not here to speak as the Vice-President of UEFA. As the President of the AFF, I am an interested party in the format. The format cannot change without a discussion and consensus of the members of the 55 federations.

A grouping of federations has been organized to discuss a possible change in the format of the qualifiers for 2028 and beyond. The Albanian Football Association is in group 23. There are several schemes, including the current one. They will be discussed with the members and one of them will be decided.

 

– A worrying phenomenon, regarding the lack of trust in the competition. It has also happened in other championships, where teams have been punished and it is becoming continuous. Has any file regarding Albanian teams been received by the federation in recent years and will you be very rigorous on this issue, given that it is losing a little trust in the competition?

– Fortunately, this phenomenon has not existed in Albania for some time, let's say, cheating for betting reasons. Whether there is tolerance in a match for classification reasons or not, I think it continues to exist. Much less than before, there has been for as long as football has existed.

There is no Albanian who thinks about it and says: Look, you don't need it, why don't you leave it to me. Because this is a game and we have to play. If you win, you win. I believe we have this mentality. Apart from changing the mentality, the culture that does not depend on us and is difficult, there are the schemes that we make to have a championship. We return to the "Abissnet Superiore" championship, to leave as little opportunity as possible for it to leave it. Because here, at the moment you don't need the classification, there is no one who doesn't say: "You don't need it, why don't you leave it to me". The phenomenon of betting fraud in Albania has disappeared over time, it does not exist.

 

– Have you overcome the institutional impasse with the National Council of Kosovo?

– We have problems with the Olympic Committee because the NAC did not allow the AFF to be part of the Assembly. It is not that we refused, but it was not allowed. And for this reason, we have pursued it through legal channels.

We have pursued it legally and won the case at CAS Lausanne. But, “Lisa në Botën e Çudirave” says that the decision of CAS Lausanne is not respected, because no Albanian court will. In fact, I had never heard of it, nor had the lawyers we have heard of it, and that is how it was decided.

 

– The Federation, in order to help the clubs, removed the limit on foreign players in the championship, but in fact it seemed to have a negative effect. There are clubs that do not declare the salaries of the players, there is no 100% transparency from the clubs, which means that the budgets of the clubs are usually exceeded. So, there is money but it does not go in a well-calculated way. Is the Federation doing anything in this regard to rigorously control it even when the clubs are licensed? Because there are clubs that delay salaries and this becomes a problem that demotivates the players.

 

– Fortunately, there is no footballer in Albania who plays without a contract. There are no color differences because today things have changed. Systems have changed and they do not accept payments in the black. The licensing system is online. The Albanian Football Association and not only, but also UEFA, to grant a license to a club that participates in the European Cups is online with the fiscal system, with the tax offices in Albania and everything is seen online.

If you have an outstanding obligation, if a footballer has declared or denounced this obligation, then you are not licensed. Licensing is now unified, both for the championship and for the European cups. If a footballer is not paid or is paid late and reaches some kind of consensus with the club to continue and wait for the salary, it is not a condition for being penalized or having the license revoked. The Albanian Football Association has a conflict resolution chamber that deals with contractual relations between clubs and footballers.

The Federation also executes decisions to pay salaries to footballers. A kind of guarantee between the parties for the execution of decisions made by the chamber. DHKZ decisions are uncontestable. In a 10-year history there have been one or two appeals, all the others accepted by the parties.