Ermal Kuka

Writing about sport in Albania. Tweeting about topkëmbë, football, soccer and calcio altogether.

[Ermal Kuka @Ermal_Kuka]

Albania is not for sale

[Ermal Kuka @Ermal_Kuka]

For two weeks now, Albania is living the biggest peaceful protest there ever was here. Thousands have taken the streets, social media is full of posts from people asking for a better life and governance. You know who kept quiet? ALL the players of the Albanian National Team.

[Ermal Kuka @Ermal_Kuka]

Anis Mehmeti starts for Albania in the first match in charge for Rolando Maran. A long time coming for this one, let's see what he can do with the proper backup.

[Ermal Kuka @Ermal_Kuka]

Strakosha, Dajsinani, Manaj, Gripshi and Muçi are missing through injuries. Balliu is considering retirement from the NT. Maran confirmed he picked the names from the Sylvinho era 'long list'

[Ermal Kuka @Ermal_Kuka]

The first list of Rolando Maran as Albania NT manager raises many questions. Players like Muçi and Balliu missing, the other Shpendi too. And why is there Hadroj in the list after a season playing in a B team in Ukraine? Looks like Maran is continuing Sylvinho's footsteps

[Ermal Kuka @Ermal_Kuka]

Italian Rolando Maran has been presented today as the new manager of the Albanian NT, following the departure of Sylvinho after a 3.5 years spell. He has signed up to Euro 2028, with the short term task to win the group in the League C of Nations League this autumn.

[Ermal Kuka @Ermal_Kuka]

The Albanian top league might experience one of the weird -but not rare - weeks, where a few surprises might spring if pre match betting is an indication. Relegation teams beating leaders of Final 4 hopefuls is so weird. And no trace of the important Egnatia-Dinamo on markets

[Ermal Kuka @Ermal_Kuka]

The Albanian FA just confirmed that the first June friendly will be played against Israel. Looks more like a political choice than a sporting one. Obviously being played in Tirana which means fans will hate the supersecurity involved with it

[Ermal Kuka @Ermal_Kuka]

Albania's group is on the 23rd. There are several formats, 4 to be exact, including the current one. There are 3 new proposals. They will be discussed with the members and one of them will be selected", he said during today's meeting with several reporters in Tirana.

[Ermal Kuka @Ermal_Kuka]

UEFA vice-president, Armand Duka, confirmed talks being held with FA-s for the change of the European Qualifiers for NT-s. "An organisation into groups of Federations has been made in order to discuss a possibility of changing the format of the qualifiers for 2028 and beyond. 👇

[Kuba Cimoszko @kubacimoszko]

Albania ma pewne problemy kadrowe przed meczem z Polską, ale i tak widzi dla siebie wyjątkową szansę. Już w eliminacjach potrafili zaskoczyć wszystkich, a @Ermal_Kuka liczy na powtórkę w barażach o czym opowiedział na @WPSportoweFakty😉
https://t.co/kzD7EhqcAh

[Ermal Kuka @Ermal_Kuka]

Albania NT list for the World Cup play off matches. Yes, common sense prevailed and the Muçi-Mehmeti duo is in. Manaj and Daku are out injured, two new names in defense, Pilos and Pllana. Hysaj, Bajrami and Asani called without having many minutes this year

[Ermal Kuka @Ermal_Kuka]

My votes are here too, somewhere between Romario, Dunga, Juninho, Hamman, Lahm, Arda Turan... Thank you as always Markus for making me part of this.
https://t.co/NP6FZFuzwD

[Ermal Kuka @Ermal_Kuka]

My thoughts in the Polish media regarding the upcoming Worl Cup playoff match of Albania against Lewa & Co. https://t.co/XHBuLonVK5

[Ermal Kuka @Ermal_Kuka]

Streets of Tirana before the friendly World Cup qualifier Albania-England

[Ermal Kuka @Ermal_Kuka]

@user19988647 Yes, as I said, provided we stay above them. The difference is small though, if Albania manages to get smth out of the England match it could change things

[Ermal Kuka @Ermal_Kuka]

Albania 🇦🇱will be in the second pot of the FIFA playoff if at least 4/5 are fulfilled: Kosovo, Iceland, Ireland Northern Macedonia and Bosnia stay in second position in their groups. And we stay ahead of them in the FIFA rankings. So a positive result against England will help.

[Ermal Kuka @Ermal_Kuka]

“You should be crazy to become a manager”, Sylvinho tells Berat Gjimshiti before the press conference. “The level of stress is brutal. It is beautiful, but you must have an important level of pasion for it”. Let’s say that he is feeling a bit of pressure right now...

[Ermal Kuka @Ermal_Kuka]

The Albanian NT list for matches against Andorra and England has no major changes compared to last time. Indrit Tuci is in after a good spell in Turkey with Kayserispor. The usual Muçi, Mehmeti and Shpendi brothers are out. Bajrami in, although inactive with Rangers this month

[Ermal Kuka @Ermal_Kuka]

Free kick trick shot at its best in the Albanian Championship! Albano Aleksi and Guillem Jaime produced this beauty for Egnatia vs Vllaznia