“Shkëndija”, the nursery of Albanian football talents!

Intro
In the heart of Albania, a football revolution was brewing. Born from the halls of the School of Sports Mastery, a group of talented students came together to form “Shkendija”, a team that would change the face of Albanian football!
With a hunger for success and a passion for the beautiful game, “Shkendija” rose to prominence, supplying top talent to clubs across the country and inspiring a nation with their skill, determination, and ego.

This football phenomenon that emerged in the early 1970s with the baptized name “Shkendija”, a team that was more than just a group of talented players – they were a symbol of hope, ambition, and sporting excellence. With their unique blend of skill, creativity, and competitive drive, Shkendija left an indelible mark on Albanian football, producing generations of top players and captivating fans with their thrilling brand of football.

In a country where football is a way of life, Shkendija stood out as a beacon of excellence. This talented team embodied the spirit of Albanian football – passionate, proud, and fiercely competitive.
As they rose through the ranks, Shkendija became a byword for exciting, attacking football, earning admiration from fans and opponents alike, and cementing their place in the annals of Albanian sporting history.

1
Not just Sport!

It’s the late 60s and early 70s!
In art, in 1962 the first Song Festival (later RTSH) will start, an event almost identical to that of “San Remo”, the Italian song festival that had started in the 50s!

While the world was fascinated by “Rock” music groups like the “Beatles” or the “Rolling Stones”, in two decades (`60-`70), in Albania, the microphone of the song would be ruled by names that would make the history of light / easy listening music such as:
Avni Mula, Anita Take, Vace Zela, Tonin Tershana, Ema Qazimi, the sounds of prominent composers Tish Daia, Mark Kaftalli, Agim Prodani, Agim Krajka and others that would follow in the years to come.

Meanwhile, the Albanian state, which in 1952 had established the Kinostudio “Shqiperia e Re”, the only Albanian film house production, whose magic would conquer cinemas in the districts and television screens in every Albanian home from year to year.

Albanian actors, the names of an innovative generation such as Pjeter Gjoka, Loro Kovaci, Marie Logoreci, Ndreke Luca, Kadri Roshi, Sander Prosi, Tinka Kurti, Violeta Manushi …. will become a national pride and the films of the Kinostudio will be the most watched and followed even after the `90s of the long and endless “democratic” transition ….

 In Football, these are the years of the Partizani and Dinamo clubs that will be interrupted in the `70s by “17 Nentori” and Vllaznia of Shkoder.

 Albanian fans will witness outstanding players such as Pano, Jashari who will be the top scorer of the national championship three times in a row
(1964; 1965; 1966), Zhega, Hyka, and especially the top scorer of the championship Ilir Pernaska, six times in a row in the period 1972-1977!

Albanian clubs will represent themselves in the European Cups since September 1962 in the European Champions Cup, in the Norrkoping – Partizani challenge, where until September 1970, for 8 years in a row, these clubs from a small country like Albania will achieve a positive balance, without a single defeat in their fields against the most famous teams in Europe such as Cologne of the West Germany, in 1964, (0-0 against Partizan); Scotland’s Kilmarnock in 1964 (0-0 against 17 Nentori); 1968, Torino’s defeat (1-0) to Partizan; in 1969, Standard Liege (1-1 against 17 Nentori); Sweden’s Advidaberg defeat in 1970   (2-0) to Partizan as well as 17 Nentori`s 2-2 draw against Ajax in September 1970.

2
The Birth of “Shkendija”

In this review of art and sport of the decade and the closing of the 60s, in January 1968, the School of Sports Mastery “Vojo Kushi” would open in Tirana. Later it will changed to “Loro  Borici” – Sports Mastery School. More meaningful in honor of the most famous Albanian footballer, instead of the name of the Albanian hero, Vojo Kushi!

Based on a selection process, a new generation of talents from all over Albania would enter this school.  These students came from the High School of Sports Mastery to the Higher Institute of Physical Culture!
It was precisely from this school that a football team would be born, completely unknown to the sports-loving public, but that over time, these promising boys of the future would gain sympathy throughout the country, with their contemporary football, the quality and skills that were evident from the start of their activity throughout their existence.

The most prominent names in Albanian football in the field of training and theory gave their contribution to the rise of this team during the period of massification and support of football by the state.

The coaches of this team that turned to a symbol of its history were: Myslym Alla, Loro Boriçi, Skënder Dedja, Zyber Konçi, Sabri Peqini, Shyqyri Rreli,but also other names after them who will sit in the direction of this team.

Of course they would be an undeniable part of the rise, formation and extraction of talents from “Shkendija”, a team whose average age was under 23 years old. It was a very positive effort undertaken by football technicians to increase its quality.

This team was called with the full meaning of the word “Shkendija”, in whose ranks came generations of players who later left their mark not only with the teams of the districts from which they came, but also in Albanian football, becoming a nursery, a school for the production of talents of this extremely popular sport in Albania.

After graduating from school, they played prominently in the First Category teams, and later even managed to wear the colors of the National Team “Kombetarja” or play with “Shpresat”, the under-21 representative team.

The boys of “Shkendija” came like a spring breeze in Albanian football, making their debut in the first category of the national championship in the 1971-1972 season.

They had deservedly won the second category championship title for the 1970-1971 season, and in their ranks there were many names who would later stand out in the national arena with the clubs of the districts from which they had come, above all Vasillaq Zeri (Dinamo) and Astrit Hafizi (Vllaznia), goalkeeper Vladimir Ajazi (Lokomotiva), Musa Fagu (Partizani), Milto Gurma (Naftetari), Ferid Rragami, (Partizani-Vllaznia), Dashnor Bajaziti (Besa) etc.

In the full sense of the word, the newly born team would become like a nursery from which it would prepare excellent footballers, giving a higher level of quality to football.

3
Debut and the path to success for 9 seasons!

“Shkendija” in the 1971-1972 national championship season, which would be won by Vllaznia, at the end would take 7th place, after quality matches with an attacking character and dignified performance, the fighting spirit of the competition and the goal of doing better and better.

“Shkendija”, where V. Zeri, A. Hafizi, Gurma, Gjoni, Bulku stood out, collected 29 points, after 12 wins, 5 draws and 9 losses, with a goal difference of 36-33!
Worth mentioning are Shkendia’s victories against Luftetari (4-0) in Tirana in round 15 / Skenderbeu (1-0) also in Tirana from a penalty in the 89th minute by center back Gjoni / Flamurtari (2-0) in Tirana in round 21 and especially the one against the great Partizan of Pano (2-1), as well as the 1-1 draw against 17 Nëntori in the round 18!

For 9 consecutive seasons in the first category, from 1971-1972 to 1979-1980, the “Shkendija” team will stand out for their competition against the best Albanian teams. They will know how to introduce to the spectators their fast football, with an attacking ability, the hunger for success, developing beautiful, emotional matches and play as equals with every opponent, which gave them positive results, winning the sympathy of all the fans across the country.

In these nine seasons, the numbers and scores will be impressive for this young team with passionate student boys. The best result, “Shkendija” will achieve in the season 1973-1974 by ranking in 6th place, in first division of national championship, always causing a lot of problems, effort and sweat to big teams like Partizani, Dinamo, Vllaznia or 17 Nentori.

Thus in the three seasons of its first championships, 1971-1972 and until
1973-1974, “Shkendija” manages to defeat all of four “big” teams, the only winners of the national champion title until then. A 3-0 victory against Dinamo in the 19th week, on April 21, 1974 in the 1973-1974 season stands out.

“Shkendija” remained in the memory of the entire football audience, for the talents of its players, for the matches with high competitive spirit, as well as for the freshness that this team was bringing to the championship and Albanian football.

In the 1972-1973 season, “Shkendija” will reach the semifinals of the Republic Cup. In the quarterfinals, the “vojokushas” team will eliminate Besa, overturning the 0-2 disadvantage in Kavaja, in the return match in Tirana with a clean sheet 3-0. Meanwhile, in the semifinals, it will only stop against a great Dinamo, (1-1, first match) after the second match (0-2)!

4
Return to the First Category and permanent departure
from the superior categories.

In the 1979-1980 season, “Shkendija” will leave the first category to return to this category again among the best of Albanian football in the 1985-1986 season!

However, this season will not be as successful for “Shkendija” as the 9 seasons of the 70s were!

In the first 10 rounds, the team will achieve 3 draws and 7 losses, naturally ranking last with 3 points and an extremely negative goal difference of 3-18 (-15).

The first and only victory for the first phase will be achieved in the 11th week against Luftetari (3-1) on December 1, 1985!

However, “Shkendija” starts the second phase with a victory (also the only one for the entire of returning phase) against Naftetari (1-0) in Tirana, leaving behind momentary the last place in the standings but still the 13th place where it currently was is still in the relegation zone.

To be noted in this season are the draws (1-1) of Shkendija in Vlora against Flamurtari, the strong team of those years, in the 20th week on April 6, 1986, and also (1-1) against Partizan in the 23rd week on April 27, 1986. The other results are all losses with the exception of a sporadic draws.

Thus, Shkendija ended the season in last place after 26 matches with 10 points (2 wins, 6 draws and 18 losses) with a goal difference of 16-50 (-34). It was 9 points behind Beselidhja in 13th place where both clubs ended up in the second category.

Since this extremely disappointing season, however, Shkendija never managed to climb to the first category of Albanian football!

5
In the international arena!

“Shkendija”, immediately after its foundation (1970), gained some experience in the international arena, starting with some friendly matches which they won against the well-known Romanian team “Universitatea” Cluj (2-1) and ASA Targu Mures (1-0).

After two years, on May 2, 1972, Shkendija will represent Albania in the edition of the Balkan Cup at the club level. This was the 5th trophy in terms of importance after the “European Champions Cup”, the “Cup Winners’ Cup”, the “UEFA`s Cup” and the “Mitropa” Cup (with its last edition in 1992).

https://www.sportsvisionplus.com/shkendia-kavalla-1972-balkan-cup/

Above is the link for the match “Shkendija” – Kavalla 2-1, in Tirana! 

Thus, “Shkendija” began its adventure at the national stadium “Qemal Stafa”, where it defeated the Greek team “Kavalla”, 2-1 (1`Fagu, 71`Bulku / 81`Krisafidis) dominating the opponent and displaying fast football in a well-prepared and tactically prepared match.

“Shkendija” of that season in Balkan Cup, only lacked the luck to advance to the final, which was eliminated only thanks to the goal difference, after the match against Vardar in Tirana….
But to get there, here is how the situation and the results of the matches appeared before the decisive challenge of September 24.

On May 16, they lost in the return match in Greece against Kavalla (2-0).
June 18, Kavalla (Gre.) – Vardar (Yug/Mac) 1-0.
June 25, Vardar – Kavalla 4-1.
June 17, Vardar – Shkendija 1-1!

And here comes the last match, the return match in Tirana against Vardar, the decisive one. For “Shkendija”, only a minimal 1-0 victory was enough and that is exactly what happened, after a goal scored by Vasillaq Zeri which exalted the Albanian fans.

However, as always and in every match of the Albanians, they lose concentration in the last 5 minutes, missing hundreds of valuable chances to win and achieve success.

In this case, Vardar draws 1-1 a match that it should have lost, taking first place in the final standings with 4 points and a goal difference of 6-4.
Kavalla and “Shkendija” have the same number of points, 4, but the Greeks have a goal difference of 5-6 to Shkëndisë 4-5.

6
“Shkendija” the winner and its champions!

In 1969, it had won the Cup of the People’s Youth Union.

In 1972, it was the joint winner with Labinoti of Elbasan in the People’s Press Cup (Kupa e shtypit).

In 1976, it was the winner of the Cup of the Sports Association “17 Nentori” and this same year Shkendija won the Group in the Cup on the occasion for the 35th anniversary the foundation of the Albanian Labor Party (PPSH)!

In the 2016-2017 season, it reached 8th in Series “D”, i.e. in the 3rd category.

While the youth “Shkendija” (Under 19) has been the winner of the National Champion title 10 times in the seasons 1969-70; 1971-72; 1975-76; 1977-78; 1982-83; 1985-86; 1987-88; 1989-90; 2002-2003; and 2012-2013.

In the history of this glorious Albanian football club, the names of many Champions have already been written in large letters:

Arben Arbëri, Dashnor Bajaziti, Ramiz Bisha, Kliton Bozgo, Ilir Bozhiqi, Agim Canaj, Leonidha Çurri, Alfred Dyrmishi, Kristaq Eksarko, Alfred Ferko, Alpin Gallo, Skënder Gega, Josif Gjergji, Petrit Gjoni, Agron Gjyrezi, Milto Gurma, Astrit Hafizi, Arjan Hoxha, Skënder Hodja, Eduard Kaçaçi, Ilir Kepa, Agustin Kola, Hasan Lika, Ilir Luarasi, Saimir Malko, Sulejman Mema, Halim Mersini, Kristaq Mile, Pjerin Noga, Bedri Omuri, Artan Pali, Ledio Pano, Besnik Prenga, Sokol Prenga, Astrit Ramadani, Ferid Rragami, Ilir Shulku, Mehmet Spahiu, Sulejman Starova, Agron Sulo, Rudi Vata, Arben Vila, Agron Xhafa, Amarildo Zela, Vasillaq Zëri.

And among them there are many others, a long and endless list of contributions to the talents of futboll through the years, whose names it is impossible to mention them all without exception, but who are undoubtedly all of them included in those letters, in that meaningful name, “SHKENDIJA”

© Copyright

By Pjerin Bj

New York: January 8, 2025

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Sports Vision + / The Champions Hour in activity since 2013

All photos are Google credit!