Borders disappear when Albanians play

[Truth Bearer]

Borders disappear when Albanians play

http://www.theage.com.au/news/sport/...857638772.html



Rod Curtis
September 11, 2008
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SILLY me. As I walked to the Albania v Sweden World Cup qualifier in Albania's capital, Tirana, on Saturday night, I thought a national team was made up of people from, well, one country.

But in the Balkans, it seems, the waters are a bit muddier than that. Here, a national team is made up of people from one nation, regardless of where they call home.

And so I discovered that the Albanian national soccer team has five ethnic Albanian blokes from Kosovo playing in it. Despite the fact that in February, Kosovo was declared independent, inasmuch as a country recognised by 46 countries — including the US and Australia — but not recognised by another 36 countries — including Russia and China — is independent.

Which, let's be honest, isn't the sort of independence that looks likely to field its own soccer team anytime soon. So what do Kosovo's five internationals do? Not play at all? Play for Serbia? Fat chance. Or do they play for Albania, because they're Albanians, after all, just like New Zealanders are Australians. Ermm.

Then what happens if Kosovo does get its own team? Defender Debatik Curri, for one, has declared he will stay in the red and black for reasons of honour: One strong national team is better than two weak ones. Ermm II.

This issue was brought into focus somewhat when my ticket had me seated three rows from the front, on the wing, in the middle of the travelling Kosovar ultras.

They clapped politely when the Swedish national anthem was played — there wasn't a boo in the house — they proudly waved their new blue-and-gold flag, they sat munching on black sunflower seeds until the floor was a carpet of shells like thousands of discarded flies wings, and they showered abuse on the traitorous Bosnian Zlatan Ibrahimovic, playing for Sweden — who was born and raised in Malmo, Sweden. Now call me radical, but I reckon that makes him a bit more Swedish than a bloke who's spent his whole life in Kosovo is Albanian.

When the Kosovars, seated together in a block, started mocking the Albanian Albanians for being lesser supporters, I was truly confused. Then the Macedonian-Albanian mob, seated on the left, started chanting at all the other Albanians: "We're sleeping with your sisters". Which, given they all holiday at the same beaches, may occasionally be true.

Everyone wore the red and black of the Albanian flag, but you could pick the Albanians actually from Albania — they were the ones not spending the entire match telling everyone else how Albanian they were. And there might be a lesson in that.

The match itself was an entertaining nil-all draw. Twin Swedish threats Henrik Larsson and Ibrahimovic failed to make an impact, while Albania, under new Dutch coach Arie Haan, was well organised, worked hard and created many chances.

It also unveiled a new hero, a lightning-fast Lionel Messi lookalike, 20-year-old Jahmir Hyka (Hooh-kah), who regularly beat his man to put in dangerous crosses down the left and had a laser-like shot at goal tipped over the bar.

At the final whistle, the Swedes weren't happy, the keeper kicking the ball away in disgust. Which serves them right for stacking the defence all night and presuming they'd do the business on the counter.

For the Albanians — Albanian, Kosovar, Macedonian and Montenegrin — the draw was a car horn-honking victory to be celebrated.

In the first match of the qualifying campaign, they'd earned one point, but missed another.

[Makedonia25]

Very interesting read..

[TirAlb]

As we say in Albania "one Nation one National team",hopefully we will not end like you and Cyprus.Without our players from Kosova and the Kosovar supporters we will lose half of our strength,at least.

[Makedonia25]

Originally Posted by TirAlb

As we say in Albania "one Nation one National team",hopefully we will not end like you and Cyprus.Without our players from Kosova and the Kosovar supporters we will lose half of our strength,at least.

Why though TirAlb? What's wrong with ending up like Greece and Cyprus? Isn't that what the Kosovo independance thing was all about??

[TirAlb]

Why though TirAlb? What's wrong with ending up like Greece and Cyprus?

The same people playing for two different countries in my opinion is wrong.
Germans are 80mil Italians 50m and they have both great teams, we instead more or less 6mil,very few compared to them, and we should split our forces even more?The problem is that Albania without Kosova will be forever weak,and Kosova without Albania will cease to exist.

Isn't that what the Kosovo independance thing was all about??

No it was about survival.

[Truth Bearer]

Yes but TirAlb the Albanians don't have a natioanl unity consciousness(except for you)

[Truth Bearer]

All the Albanians care about is $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ provide the cash and the Albo's provide the hash!

[TirAlb]

We use euros here TB.

[Orphic_Hymn]

Originally Posted by TirAlb

We use euros here TB.

You mean you use lek but you also accept euros.

[Truth Bearer]

TirAlb how are you mate??I thought I'd take the pis out of ya.......