FLASH
Shkruar nga Jon Lumani
The news that Adrian Bajrami has decided to leave the Albanian National Team to represent Switzerland has caused great disappointment among red and black fans.
Some have immediately seen it as an act of betrayal, accusing the defender of turning his back on his country of origin. But the question that needs to be asked is: is Bajrami truly a “traitor”, or has he been “betrayed” by the way our national team is managed?
Actually, this is not an isolated case. We have seen this movie before, with different actors.
We have seen in the past when a defender like Mërgim Mavraj, who also became the captain of Albania, was neglected, and even asked to return the ball. He had received an invitation from the German youth team, but chose Albania. The Albanian Football Association neglected him to the point that we almost lost him, but luckily it was De Biazi who made the difference and convinced him to play for Albania.
When a player feels left out, it's natural for them to choose another path.
Adrian Bajrami was called up several times by Sylvinho, but he was never activated in an official match. Instead of feeling part of the project, he remained on the bench as a "tourist". When a young player sees that he is not given the opportunity to show himself, while another federation offers him minutes and a long-term project, the choice becomes simple. This is not betrayal, this is the consequence of a wrong policy.
Of course, Sylvinho has a lot of credit for Albania's historic success at Euro 2024. Under his leadership, the Rossoneri came out on top in their group, ahead of Poland and the Czech Republic, and returned to the big stage of European football. This is a success that should not be forgotten and that has his stamp.
But since then, it seems like the Brazilian has changed his approach. Instead of using Euro 2024 as a springboard to renew the team and integrate new players, he has preferred to rely on the same block of players, avoiding any risk. In recent training sessions, the list has been almost identical to that of previous months, although the results have not been convincing at all. The draw in Tirana with Serbia and the one in the away match against Latvia have significantly reduced our hopes of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. This "fear" of change is costing us dearly.
The Bajrami case is just the tip of the iceberg. Anis Mehmeti is shining in the Championship with Bristol City, but he still hasn't received an invitation for 2 years now. History has shown us that we shouldn't play with fire, an entire generation can slip through our fingers if we don't manage it properly.
If we look in retrospect, it is not the players who betray Albania. It is the system that forces them to choose elsewhere. The federation and the technical staff must understand that the modern footballer has alternatives. If he does not feel valued and included, he will not wait indefinitely.
Adrian Bajrami is not an “enemy”. He is an alarm signal. A warning that our national team needs a bolder strategy, more trust in young people and less fear of change. Sylvinho has shown that he can do great things, but if he remains a hostage to conservatism, then he will only be remembered for the success of Euro 2024 and not for building a team that takes Albania to another level. And then, before we blame the players as “traitors”, we must ask ourselves: are we the ones who betrayed them first?
Lini një Përgjigje