With less than a month remaining until the 2024 European Championship in Germany, the "Opinion" show on TV Klan, hosted by Blendi Fevziu, has dedicated a special segment to the Albanian Football Federation, particularly focusing on President Armand Duka.
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| Armand Duka in an official speech (archive) |
Titled "Armand Duka, Albania in the European Championship!", the show delves into various topics, with Blendi Fevziu accompanied by the President of the Albanian Football Federation, Armand Duka, who is intimately familiar with the significant investment made by the federation: a modern sports complex providing all necessary facilities for the national teams and beyond. During the interview, President Duka discussed various topics, including the challenges faced in leading the federation and the transformation undergone by football institutions in the country.
"The offices were inaugurated in 2022, but we began work during the Covid-19 pandemic, nevertheless, the inauguration took place in 2022. The FSHF office used to be at the old 'Qemal Stafa' stadium, a space under 100 square meters. Today, we have a four-story building with an underground floor and all necessary facilities. The federation is quite complex; it seems like just a game, but it involves football management. It has all the departments. Without training facilities, you lack administration, organization, and everything needed for success. The entire complex is FSHF property. It has been invested in and developed by FSHF, comprising office spaces, a field with artificial turf, and two natural grass fields. Here, all national teams, including the senior team, train. The A National Team trains only on the natural grass fields. All training sessions take place here; the fields also have two stands with a capacity of 500 seats each. National teams train here, and numerous international youth tournaments are organized. Just last year, we hosted around 11 tournaments. We also have the National Veterans Team, youth national teams participating in international competitions, U-15, U-17, U-19, U-21, and the A team. The same goes for the women's teams, but we don't have just the U-21 women's national team since there's no activity. All national teams compete internationally, in qualifiers for the European and World Cups. The 2025 UEFA European Under-17 Championship will be held in Albania. The organizing team qualifies directly, and we will participate in the finals. There are two mini-stadiums that meet all criteria for hosting an international match.
The National Team will begin gathering at the 'House of Football' from May 22 to May 31, then travel to Austria where they will stay for about a week. We will also play two friendly matches there, on June 3 against Liechtenstein and on June 7 against Azerbaijan. The team will train at a very good sports complex; we were there in 2016 before the European Championship. The friendly matches will be held in Hungary but very close to our hotel, at a stadium called 'Haladás Sportkomplexum,' with around 8,000 seats, new, and very good.
National Team training sessions are generally closed; the first 15 minutes are open to the media. There are occasions when open training sessions are held, and in that case, announcements are made, and spectators and media can attend. In Kaiserau, there is a sports center where the National Team will be accommodated during the European Championship.
The FSHF budget depends on results because if you qualify for the European Championship, you have more revenue. With all the revenues from the European Championship, because only revenues from the Euros amount to 9 million and 250 thousand euros, so the budget goes around 25 million euros. When I took over the Federation, the budget was approximately 200 thousand euros. When I started as President, the state controlled the Federation, paying a payroll with 12 people, with the highest salary being that of the Secretary-General with 200 thousand old lek. An arbiter received 2 thousand old lek. Since then, we have started self-financing management and have nothing from the state."
Additionally, President Duka spoke about the "Air Albania" stadium managed by the FSHF.
"The stadium is administered by us, the sports part. Managing the stadium costs, and the thing that costs the most is electricity in the stadium. We will install solar panels now. It hasn't been easy due to Albanian legislation, but now is the appropriate time to install them, and this year I believe we will.
The machine with lights for grass growth and a fan for ventilation, the grass has really cost a lot, but the biggest cost is the electricity expenditure for it because being an enclosed stadium, especially this southern part doesn’t get sunlight, and to maintain the grass with artificial light, it costs us. We have been spending around 40 thousand euros a month on electricity."
Regarding the future of coach Silvinjo? President Duka stated that the Brazilian coach has been offered a contract renewal for another two years.
"We are pleased with what Coach Silvinjo has done, and we have offered him a contract renewal for another two years, with the main aim being World Cup qualification."