Jani Kaçi, One of the Best Albanian Goalkeeper!

Jani Kaçi Considered one of the best Albanian goalkeepers.

The legendary goalkeeper of v. `70-`80, was born in Korça on August 17, 1952 to parents – a Greek father and an Albanian mother. Jani, who is originally from Saranda, started to be active as a goalkeeper with the team of Skënderbeu at the age of 13 because of his height.

Activated with the U-19 team in 1967 at the age of 15 and made his debut with the first team just two years later in a match of the Albanian Cup against Besëlidhja of Lezhe.

In 1972, he interrupted his studies at the Higher Agricultural Institute of Korça to complete his mandatory military service. He was sent to an artillery unit in Elbasan where he would join the “Labinoti” team, at the time when Partizan was on a tour in China. Then, as the goalkeeper of “Labinoti”, he caught the eye of Petrit Dumas during a match against Partizan, which “Labinoti” won 3-0.

Petrit Dume then insisted to the coach of Partizan, Loro Boriçi, to bring him back to the club, which he then joined in January 1973. Jani Kaçi returned to “Skënderbeu” in January 1976 and retired from football prematurely in 1985, at the age of 32, after the communist leaders in Korça harassed him because of his father’s Greek origin!

Also, he was accused of tearing a photo of communist leader Enver Hoxha while playing for Partizan. Jani Kaçi, after a period of time at Partizani, started to wear the shirt as a goalkeeper with the number 22, which was rare at that time in Albania. With the National Team, he made his debut for Albania in a friendly match in November 1976 against Algeria, being in the lineup in a total of 6 matches. The last match with the National Team would be a World Cup qualifier in April 1981 against West Germany.

Career as a trainer.

He also coached Skenderbeu of Korça where they won the National Championship in the 2006-07 season. In February 2010 he was appointed as an assistant coach under Mirel Josa at Skënderbeu, a position he filled until his departure at the end of the 2009-10 season. He then came back as coach of the goalkeepers of Skanderbeg.

In recent years, he has also coached the goalkeepers of the Albanian U-21 national team.

FILE

Career with youth 1965-1969…… Skenderbeu

With adults 1969–1972…..Skenderbeu
1972…………..Labinoti
1973–1975…. .Partizani
1976–1985…..Skënderbeu

Representatives
1972–1976….Albania U-21
1976–1981….Albania

Coach:
1985–1987….Skënderbeu (youth)
1987–1995.. ..Skenderbeu
1996………….Skenderbeu
1997–1999….Pindos
2000–2001….Gramozi

2001………….Skenderbeu
2006–2007….Skenderbeu
2008–2009….Skenderbeu (goalkeepers coach)
2014–……….. Skenderbeu (U-19)

January 2021

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