With memories of the golden years (80's) of the albanian football still fresh on her mind, Albania is now attempting to recreate its strong football legacy. As young players start making their names abroad, the future is looking bright for Albanian football!
Pjetër wrote:tbh The people trying too hard are the ones who have turned a game of football into something more important than it really is.
The rivalries that exist in soccer have no equals in the American sports scene, so I don't blame you if you don't understand the importance of what football represent to most Europeans and South Americans. You are used to the American sports rivalries that are tame considered to those in Europe and South America.
If you know anything about the history of football, especially in Europe and South America, you'd know that certain games are definitely more than just a football game. Celtic-Rangers for example represent a clash between different religious groups (Celtic supported by Catholics and Rangers by Protestants), Boca-River represent a clash of two different classes in the emerging Buenos Aires, and matchups like Real-Barca represent the clash between Spanish nationalism (Real) and Catalan nationalism (Barca). Even in Albania the derby between Tirana and Partizani si imbued with political undertones as Tirana is the team supported by the natives and sees itself as a symbol of the resistance to the Communist takeover after WWII whereas Partizani was supported by the people who mainly came to Tirana post-WWII from the South and were mainly supporters of the Communist regime in Albania. I can go on and on but due to the nature of the divisions along political, religious and ethnic lines in Europe you have rivalries that take a life of their own in the football field.
Serbia was still oppressing and killing Albanians in the late 1990's so of course the game against them is going to be more than just a "football game" for most Albanians. This is not Michigan-Ohio State dude.
Pjetër wrote:tbh The people trying too hard are the ones who have turned a game of football into something more important than it really is.
The rivalries that exist in soccer have no equals in the American sports scene, so I don't blame you if you don't understand the importance of what football represent to most Europeans and South Americans. You are used to the American sports rivalries that are tame considered to those in Europe and South America.
If you know anything about the history of football, especially in Europe and South America, you'd know that certain games are definitely more than just a football game. Celtic-Rangers for example represent a clash between different religious groups (Celtic supported by Catholics and Rangers by Protestants), Boca-River represent a clash of two different classes in the emerging Buenos Aires, and matchups like Real-Barca represent the clash between Spanish nationalism (Real) and Catalan nationalism (Barca). Even in Albania the derby between Tirana and Partizani si imbued with political undertones as Tirana is the team supported by the natives and sees itself as a symbol of the resistance to the Communist takeover after WWII whereas Partizani was supported by the people who mainly came to Tirana post-WWII from the South and were mainly supporters of the Communist regime in Albania. I can go on and on but due to the nature of the divisions along political, religious and ethnic lines in Europe you have rivalries that take a life of their own in the football field.
Serbia was still oppressing and killing Albanians in the late 1990's so of course the game against them is going to be more than just a "football game" for most Albanians. This is not Michigan-Ohio State dude.
Pjetër wrote:tbh The people trying too hard are the ones who have turned a game of football into something more important than it really is.
Serbia was still oppressing and killing Albanians in the late 1990's so of course the game against them is going to be more than just a "football game" for most Albanians. This is not Michigan-Ohio State dude.
Are these the same Albanians who cheer for Germany and Italy 99% of the time when it comes to international football? Get a grip dude. You make it sound like it's a bad thing that I don't get into a nationalistic frenzy over a game.
Pjetër wrote:Are these the same Albanians who cheer for Germany and Italy 99% of the time when it comes to international football? Get a grip dude. You make it sound like it's a bad thing that I don't get into a nationalistic frenzy over a game.
Not at all. All I'm saying is that for someone who grew up in the States it's hard to understand what these games mean for the fans. Sport is just entertainment in the US. In Europe it's much more than that.
I take it Andi Bushati grew up in the states as well? Since he pretty much hits the nail on the head with how ridiculous the whole situation is around a football game.
Plako wrote:
Serbia was still oppressing and killing Albanians in the late 1990's so of course the game against them is going to be more than just a "football game" for most Albanians. This is not Michigan-Ohio State dude.
Markovic and Matic were killing Albanians? Come on man. This type of mentality is exactly what caused the shitstorm in Yugoslavia during the 90s, and you still perpetuate it because of some idiots. If you think you're better than those people, then stop behaving like them. And America kicks ass at any sport they like. Maybe these other countries should treat sporting games like Michigan-Ohio if they want their teams to excel.
Pjetër wrote:I take it Andi Bushati grew up in the states as well? Since he pretty much hits the nail on the head with how ridiculous the whole situation is around a football game.
It's really not fair to compare Albania/Serbia to Ohio St./Michigan. One is a rivalry that dates back over a hundred years between two historically great teams that play each other every year and has featured some of the greatest athletes ever playing for championships while the other is Albania/Serbia.
btw for your info growing up I rooted for the Spartans.
If you are Albanian and you try to belittle this game "so what who cares" "stop making it political" Then you my friend are a fucking
moron. Please stfu and go elsewhere and stop being a Fuckin wannabe hipster. This game means everything. 16 years ago people were getting slaughtered for no reason just for being Albanian. Don't be a douchebag
It's much more then just a Game. Even Shkendija Tetove vs Teteks Tetovo(Shkije from Tetovo) is more then a game like Plako mentioned. And there are Macedonians that plays for Shkendija and albanians that plays for Teteks. It's not like we have something against the Footballer like Matic, Ivanovic or Ljajic. Some of their Players showed some Class in Belgrad. But they Play for Serbia and Serbia is the Ultimate Evil and we as Albanians(The Good Ones) have to fight them. Some of our Footballers lost some Friends and Family Members during the War. Not talking about the Fans...
Get a grip dude. You make it sound like it's a bad thing that I don't get into a nationalistic frenzy over a game.
