The new coach of the Albanian National Team, Rolando Maran, has given his first interview to FSHF TV, where he talks about the emotions of taking charge of the Rossoneri, his first contacts with President Armand Duka and his vision for the future of the national team.

The Italian coach recounts how the opportunity to manage Albania arose, reveals his conversations with former coach Xhani De Biazi and appreciates the continuous growth of Albanian football in recent years. Maran expresses his admiration for the identity and strong sense of belonging of the Albanian national team, while emphasizing that he wants to build an aggressive team, with personality and a winning mentality.

In this exclusive interview for FSHF TV, the red and black coach also discusses his knowledge of the Albanian players, the emotions of this new experience in his career, and the special relationship that the Albanians in Italy have created with him after his appointment as head of the national team.

-How did the first contact to take charge of the Albanian National Team come about?

– It was born not long ago. President Duka wanted to meet me and we had a very pleasant meeting, during which I tried to explain what my ideas about football are. In him I found a person who created the right conditions for a constructive discussion. In the next meeting, we decided together to start this beautiful journey and adventure, which I am sure will bring great pleasure. I am convinced of this.

-You have followed Albania over the last 10–12 years, given the strong connection with Italian football. From the time of De Biazi, then with Panucci and Reja, as well as with many Albanian players who are active in Serie A, what was your assessment of the Albanian national team and football?

– Of course, I have started to follow them more and more, starting from the great results achieved by Gianni De Biazi, with whom former members of my staff have also worked, so I have appreciated Albanian football even more. Since those years, the growth has been very good and great. Even the fact that I have had the opportunity to face many Albanian players in Serie A has given me a different recognition and has made me even more interested in this National Team, which is growing more and more, perhaps thanks to a system that has brought a lot of development to Albania.

-Which Albanian players do you know best and how do you evaluate their level?

– The level is certainly good, this is shown by the results: two European Championships achieved and players who are increasingly protagonists in foreign championships, not only in Italian ones. The national team is constantly growing and, in my opinion, these are signals that make you understand how much the football system, the Albanian players and the national team have grown. I think the level is good, it is growing and there are all the premises for this to continue.

-When you learned that you could become the coach of Albania, what was the first thing you did? Did you contact someone who knows Albanian football? Did you watch the national team matches or did you immediately start analyzing the team? What was your first impression?

– I did everything I could, because it was something I loved and that excited me a lot. I tried to understand everything, with phone calls and with the people I have the most relationship with, like De Biasi. I watched all the matches I could and I'm still trying to follow them as much as possible, because only a few days have passed since this story began. So I'm completely involved, I follow everything with great interest, trying to discover as many things as possible, because we have little time and we start immediately. I want to do things to the best of my ability.

-Have you talked to De Biazi, Panuçi or Reja to get information about the team, the environment and everything surrounding the Albanian National Team?

– To be honest, I have spoken with De Biazi, because I have a special relationship with him. Beyond him, I am interested in understanding as many things as possible, but let's say that the person I have contacted most often is him.

– Have you followed Albania's recent matches in recent days? What is your comment on the current team?

– It is a team that has shown that it has an identity. I have seen a sense of belonging, which is what I liked the most. I believe that successes are born when the sense of belonging, the love for the jersey and the nation are strong. This is the first step to becoming ever greater. This is the thing that immediately caught my eye and that excited me while watching the matches, because I believe that everything arises from motivation, from what a player has inside himself and from the way he shows it through pride, dedication, sweat and strength. These details have made me eagerly await the moment to start this adventure here.

-What do you think you should do differently from your predecessor during your first days at the helm of the National Team?

– Each of us brings ideas, characteristics and things that we believe in the most. Of course, I am clear about what I want to do and what I want to bring from myself, beyond what perhaps the previous coach brought. Of course, the good things that have been done constitute a brick that is now the foundation of a house and I will try to bring my bricks to build what will be my house; a house that must excite the nation and our fans.

-For almost 30 years you have only worked with clubs and not with national teams. How challenging is this experience for you, given that in a few days you have to build a team with players who come from different clubs, championships and mentalities?

– It is stimulating. It is undeniable that I have always been a club coach, but there is a first time for everything and many of those who have experienced it have had great success. I think that for De Bias it was also the first time he managed a national team. It is not so important if it is the first time; what is important is how much you manage to get involved in this work and get completely into what you are doing.

For me, these are the right conditions. After all, this is football: matches are prepared, maybe there are fewer training sessions, but more videos are watched and more players are followed. However, it is still football and football is worked on in 360 degrees.

-What identity do you want to give to the Albanian National Team on the field?

– I may be repeating myself, but we must be a team that enters the field because it wants to show that it is stronger than the opponent. If the opponents show that they are more capable than us, we will accept it, but we must have in mind the desire and heart to enter the field to win the game and to show that we are better than our opponents. When we enter the field with this mindset, giving our heart and sweating, we can always leave the field with our heads held high. The result is often determined by many things, but this should never be missing: the desire to prove that we are more capable than others.

-Is this one of the most special experiences of your career, taking charge of a team that has been growing in recent years and in a country where the passion for football is very great?

– This is very stimulating, because when you are followed so much and see how much warmth there is for the team and the jersey, your sense of responsibility and pride increases. It makes you proud to be the coach of this team and I believe it will be a great stimulus to do a good job.

-Many Albanians live in Italy and this community is undoubtedly part of the social and cultural daily life. What was their reaction when they found out that you would lead Albania?

– It makes me laugh, because there have been very beautiful things. I have seen a lot of kindness and I have felt proud, because they are also proud of me. Now I hope that in addition to my Albanian friends in Italy, who are already proud of me, they will become proud of the entire nation, because I am convinced that we will have a beautiful journey together.

– Currently, you are not present on social networks with your own personal profile. Why this choice and have you considered opening a personal account now that you are the coach of the Albanian National Team?

– I have always made the choice not to be present on social networks, as I prefer personal relationships. Maybe one day I will become active on social networks, but so far I have not been. We will see in the future what I can do. Until now I have wanted my world to remain what it has always been.