Interviewed for “Albanian Free Press” by Aranit Muraçi
What do you think the Albanian basketball team is lacking to be more competitive in the international arena?
Unfortunately, for many reasons, Albanian national team was inactive for some years and this was actually one of the biggest problems I found last summer when I became the head coach of national team. Actually we were out of the European basketball map for years. Now after a new beginning which was made last summer and a very optimistic one for that matter, we still need time in order to create once again a very strong national team to make it once again part of high profile competitions. We have to create a young and strong team which can be ready and have success in the highest European levels. Of course, this is not easy, time is needed and hard work from everybody, but we can make it. Many years ago, Albania had a tradition and history in basketball and we must bring back the Albanian basketball to the level which it deserves to be. We’re happy with the federation and its president, Mr. Avni Ponari. Whatever I ask him in order to improve the conditions of the national team, he offers to help. Don’t forget, the most important thing in sports if we want a team to have success, are the good conditions for the players and for the coaches. Our main objective is for all Albanian national teams to play on a professional level.
How would you define the current situation with basketball in Albania?
In the last 5-6 years it has not been good in terms of the organization of the clubs and the teams of every age and of course, the level of basketball. Somebody who knows basketball, can easily see this if he follows games in Albania. In the past two years, everybody is trying to improve Albanian basketball again, from the clubs to the Federation. Day by day we are one step forward. All the national teams now are active, the level of the domestic championship is year by year higher and higher, national players who used to play in Kosovo before, have started to come back in Albania to play again and last year we saw the participation of Albania’s champions, Tirana, in the Balkan league. For the next season, I have suggested to the Federation one of our teams from the domestic league to participate in FIBA EUROPE CUP competition. It will be an amazing experience about the basketball level and it will also help to improve promote Albanian basketball. All these things show we are in the right path and we’re improving day by day. Finally, the most positive thing and what really makes me happy is the number of kids interested for basketball.
What were your expectations when you became the coach of the Albanian national team and how happy are you now, with this new experience?
I have raised the bar in terms of my objectives as a coach. I don’t believe you can reach the top, if you don’t aim for the top. I have worked as a coach for clubs in Cyprus, Romania, Kosovo and Greece and there I have won championships and created champions. This is my job. This is my objective for the National team of Albania. For us the biggest goal will be to participate in EUROBASKET on 2021. Is not easy of course, but if we will continue to work hard and with planning and good organization, we will have chance to make it. It will be amazing if we make it. Also my second objective is to train in the youth national teams of Albania as many kids as possible who have quality skills in basketball.
What is the objective in the future with the Albanian basketball team?
The objectives are the 2 things which I explained in the question before. To qualify in EUROBASKET of 2021 and to create young players in the youth national team. The next generation of players in the national teams of Albania, will be the strong future for Albania basketball for many years.
Do you think it is necessary to make other changes in the national basketball team, as some Albanian basketball players play here and some in foreign clubs?
One of the biggest problems which I have seen in all these years with the national team is the fact that all the best players never come and play together during one summer for the national team. This has never happened in the past for many reasons. Of course, I’m not interested on what has happened in the past. As a coach, I never look back, but only forward. Last summer and this summer too, I tried to invite and have with me the best Albanian players who are playing abroad and here in Albania. Unfortunately, last year it was difficult for this to happen. This summer we will have more quality roster with some different players who didn’t come last summer. Of course we can’t push somebody to come and play in the national team of this country if he doesn’t want to come. I want players in my team to love the national team of their country and to be ready at any moment to give the best for it. Actually, me and my assistants are scouting for Albanian players who play in foreign professional leagues. For example, my first assistant coach, Afrim Bilali, is responsible of scouting the players who play in Albania and in domestic league. My second assistant, Endri Rumani, is responsible of the Albanian players who play in Greece, while am responsible to discover and to scout for Albania players in Italy, Germany, England and USA. We try as a coaching staff to work as much professionally as we can.
Your life between Cyprus and Albania, how has it changed?
I am really enjoying and I feel very proud that I am the head coach of Albania’s national team. This will provide me all the knowledge, all the experience gained while working all these years, to help the Albania basketball to be once again in the elite of European basketball. But this cannot happen overnight. Hard work and time are needed. I think the best example for me and my players is Albania’s national football team. They have done a very good job throughout the years and they managed to quality in the European Cup.
In the end, a message for basketball players in Albania, especially for youngsters and for the fans of this sport...
For the young players I have only one advice… hard work... hard work… hard work. Life is not easy and basketball is like life. If you want to have success you have to work day by day, harder and harder. And we need the fans to support us in every occasion. With them, we can make many things possible and from what I have seen, Albanian people love basketball.
