Perfection isn't a destination but a journey.

[B.W.G]

December 2023

Fixtures

Table

What a month that was as we won all five games and opened up a ten point lead at the top of the table.No issues in the first three wins of the month as we were solid in attack and defence,if it wasn't for the first half against Korabi then it is likely we would have dropped points as they were the better side in the second half.The win against Terbuni saw us come from 2-1 down to win the game so I am proud of the team to turn things around,it's just a shame they took their foot off the gas halfway through the second half.

Five games in January,three in the league and two in the cup.In the league we will be facing Burreli,Egnatia and Erzeni,we are going to be top going into the split no matter what happens in these games but ideally I want to go unbeaten as we are still on course for an unbeaten season.In the cup we have a two legged affair against Egnatia,I think we should have enough quality in us to beat them but we will need a better performance than what we put in against Kamza in the previous round,we've already met the board's expectations in this competition so even if we did lose we would keep the board off our back.

[Sonic Youth]

Lots of green 

And fullbacks maybe 

How is your old team fairing?

[B.W.G]

5 hours ago, Sonic Youth said:

Lots of green 

And fullbacks maybe 

How is your old team fairing?

We cannot be stopped so far this season  

I'm hoping we can attract fullbacks from abroad when I get promoted as there isn't any good ones in Albania.

Internacional are doing very badly,they are bottom of Group B with 7 points.I will be going for a few players who I know have high potential as I think they could develop better here and stand more chance of reaching their potential here due to better facilities.

[B.W.G]

January 2024

Fixtures

Table

There isn't any stopping us in the league as we won all three matches and we are going into the split with a thirteen point lead and only six games to play so we are nearly guaranteed promotion which is fantastic.We had no problems in any of the league games and I am very happy with how we have played.As for the cup,we beat Egnatia 8-3 on aggregate but I am finding it infuriating that my defence just decides to go to sleep in the cup games as we conceded another three goals which means we have conceded seven goals in four games inn the cup!

Three games in February,two in the league and one in the cup.In the league we will be playing Burreli and Terbuni,all games will now be tricky but the scenario is simple,if we win both games in February then we will be promoted as champions.As for the cup,we get our first taste of top flight opposition as we are facing Skënderbeu Korçë in the first leg of the quarter final,they are a mid-table side in top flight who aren't in danger of getting relegated at the moment but they are not exactly challenging for the title either so it will be interesting to see how we will don.Surprisingly there are four second tier teams in the quarter finals of the cup!

[B.W.G]

February 2024

Fixtures

Table

It wasn't a great month as we lost two of the three fixtures we played.In the league we picked up three points which has secured us a playoff spot but we have lost our unbeaten run which is annoying.The game against Burreli was a poor match all around and it was settled by one moment of magic but unfortunately it wasn't us with the magic,the Terbuni match saw us bounce back with a win but again we weren't great and things would of been different if we didn't improve defensively in the second half as it was 3-2 at half time!The match against Skënderbeu Korçë in the cup was annoying as we lost despite being the better side so we have it all to do in the second leg.

Three more games in Match,two in the league and one in the cup.In the league we will be facing Korabi and Terbuni,all we need to do is win one of our last four matches and we will be Champions but we need to pick up our performance as our last two matches have been poor by the standards we set pre-split.The cup match sees us face Skënderbeu Korçë in the second leg,we have it all to do if we are to turn around a 1-0 deficit,I know we can do it as we were the better side in the first leg but we need everyone to turn up if we are to progress.

[B.W.G]

Youth Intake 2024

Taulant Gurini

Bruno Memishi

I was told not to expect anything from the intake so my expectations were near enough rock bottom so I have been pleasantly surprised as we have had to stand out players coming through in this intake.Gurini isn't as surprising as we had a "number" of fullbacks coming through so I had some hope we would get one through,Memishi on the other hand is a definite surprise and I will look after him as he could be a future first choice keeper at the club so I am excited to see how both talents develop.

[B.W.G]

March 2024

Fixtures

Table

The league part went great as we won both game and won the title which means it's another one crossed off the list for Albania,both matches were solid even though we did need a late winner from Ibrahimi in the 2-1 win over Korabi while we could of scored even more against Terbuni after that flying start.The Skënderbeu Korçë was a case of same **** different day as we once again were the better of the two sides and once again the attack failed to turn up and once again we lost 1-0 as we crashed out of the competition 2-0 on aggregate.

Just the one game in April and we will be playing Burreli,I have nothing left to play for this season so the result doesn't really matter as we are the Champions.

[B.W.G]

April 2024

Fixture

Table

Just the one game and it was a 1-1 draw against Burreli and all I can say is that it wasn't a fair result as we were a much better team,although if you look at the other results then you can see that no one actually won!

May is the final month of the season and we will be playing one last time and we will be facing Korabi in our last match of the season.Again the result won't matter but I would love to sign off the season with a win.

[B.W.G]

May 2024

Fixtures

Table

We finished the league season off with a convincing 4-2 win over Korabi,we were comfortably 4-1 up at half time but again we conceded a sloppy goal but the game was already over by that point.We also had a Champions Playoff final to play as we faced Flamurtari Vlore who won Group B,it was a hard fought contest but we came out on top in contest which made me sweat as it could of gone either way.

End of Season update to follow then onto to life in the top flight!

[B.W.G]

KS Kastrioti Krujë - Albanian First Category (Group A) - End of Season - 2023/24

Season Review

Transfers - Released

Seven players left the club on loan for developmental reasons as I am looking to develop to potentially sell in the future.Two players left the club for a combined fee of £51k with the £33.5k for Spahija being a new club record for money received from a transfer.In the incoming side we bought in ten players permanently for a combined fee of £9.25k,the majority of these were for the first team with the exception being Bohm who is for the future as he isn't quite up to the level of the first team here but he will get there in time.We also bought in four players on loan to help fill in the gaps that I couldn't fill with a permanent option although Mehmeti didn't last long as his loan was terminated after receiving a four month injury.

Fixtures 1 - 2

Competitions

Albanian First Category (Group A) - Winners

We were favourites for the title and we showed our quality that we possessed as we walked the league and won it by fourteen points from our nearest challengers.We only dropped seven points all season so the title was definitely deserved and it was great to see Zacj net the top scorer award with 21 goals.

Champions Playoff - Winners

We faced the winners of Group B in this competition to find out the overall winner of the second tier.We beat Flamurtari Vlore 2-0 but it was a hard fought victory but we got there in the end and we will be seeing much more of them from next season when we face them in the top flight.

Kupa e Shqipërisë - Quarter Finals

Overall it was a good run for the club in the competition as we surpassed the boards expectations of reaching the  2nd round.We beat Kamza and divisional rivals Egnatia to reach the quarters,for the matches against Skënderbeu Korçë,I was disappointed in both games as both times we were the better team but the attackers let us down as we lost by a single goal in each leg to make it a 2-0 aggregate loss.I will be expecting better performances in this competition in the upcoming seasons!

Players,Stats and Awards

Overall Best XI

Accolades 1 - 2 - Best XI

Abaz Karakaci

Erazem Zajc

Sokol Ibrahimi

Ricardo Gaynor

Aboubacar Barro

Manager's Thoughts

The primary objective that was set for me when I tookover was completed this season as we won promotion by winning the league title so I am over the moon with what we achieved and with the way we did it as we only dropped seven points all the season.I should be happy with my performance in the cup but I am actually disappointed with how we played as we were the better side against a top flight opposition but that will change in the future as I strengthen the team.Financially we are in a solid position as we have £112k in the bank so that will actually be one of the higher figures in the second tier and my expectations is that the income from next season will be higher as we will be in the top tier.I genereally believe that this team would of survived the top flight this season with the current squad so I am optimistic for the future.

As for next season,I am going to be having a busy pre-season as I looked to build for the new season as well as the future.I've already bought Bohm in from my old club as a future prospect and I have two more joining from my old club as future prospects and the positions these players play in are AMC and ST,I am also after a DC from their due to him also being a future prospect,after these four then every other player will be for the first team,I am hoping getting to top flight will give us a bit of a reputation boost so I can get foreign players in easier.The main roles I need to look at strengthening are both full back roles and the AML position,if we can strengthen these then I will look at other positions such as MC and DC as I don't need many additional players for these areas but I will look to use the loan market if I have to.Time to begin our busy pre-season!

Career Stats

Link - (For entire career)

 

[Sonic Youth]

Congrats on promotion 

A fullback and GK in the youth intake. Is the fullback good enough for backing up the first team?

The Cup run was so at odds with the league form.

Bring on next season!

[B.W.G]

10 hours ago, Sonic Youth said:

Congrats on promotion 

A fullback and GK in the youth intake. Is the fullback good enough for backing up the first team?

The Cup run was so at odds with the league form.

Bring on next season!

Thanks  

Not anymore,he would of been if we stayed in the second tier but things have changed massively with promotion.

The only thing I can think of would be down to the hidden attribute match importance as maybe the players didn't find the cup as important as the league.It was very bizarre to see both competitions have two performances despite using pretty much the same players.

Definitely roll on next season,I would of done my pre-season update yesterday but after seeing the odds in the league I had no choice but to focus on trying to build a team to survive so it took longer than expected  

[B.W.G]

KS Kastrioti Krujë - Kategoria Superiore - Pre-Season - 2024/25

Season Preview - Expectations

Transfers - Released

Five players were released as they had no future at the club so off they went as I didn't want to keep them here if they were not going to play.Five players left on loan,four of these are for developmental reasons while Sasraku is a player I wanted to sell but no one wanted to pay his value so he went out on loan.Twelve players joined us permanently and one joined on loan,the first three from my old club are all for the future as they have a very high potential rating so we may seem them in the first team in the future while the other nine players will all be around the first team as they are able to give something to the team now.Marku joins us on loan for a second season as a squad player for the DL role which is still quite a problem.

Pre-Season Fixtures

Nothing too difficult for pre-season as this was just for match fitness purposes as I wanted the sharpness as high as possible before the league campaign starts.It was great to see some of my new players get their name on the scoresheet as well!

The Team

Cléusio Félix

Jelson Dias

Daouda Toukam

A.Uisui-Sirichanthopas

Ismaël Belhamri

Manager's Thoughts

That was a much busier pre-season than I expected as I didn't think there would be that much difference in quality as we easily won the second tier,turns our we began pre-season with odds of 300-1 for the title and we were second favourites to go straight down.This begun a busy transfer window as I looked to get players in to help improve the team,I like to think I have succeeded in that as also had to follow the vision of sign players under the age 23 as well so we have a very young squad now but it is a squad which has a lot of room to develop and that could be great for us in a couple of seasons,if we can survive this season then there isn't any reason why this team can't flourish in the future with one or two more additions to the team.The finances have taken a hit but we are still in the black so we're not quite in debt yet but I think the financial situation will change if we can maintain a spot in top flight.

As for this season,we are predicted near the bottom and the expectations are to fight bravely against relegation,this gives me a bit of leeway as if I give it everything then I may not get sacked but I am in the belief we can actually survive and I mean that by finishing seventh so I wouldn't even have to do the relegation playoff.The Cup's expectation is the quarter final and that is achievable depending on the draw,if we get a team like KF Tirana then it would be highly unlikely that we will progress other than them,I think we could give any other team a run for their money.It's now tIme to see what we are made of and go all out in out quest to survive.

[B.W.G]

August 2024

Fixtures

Table

Not a bad start as we didn't lose either match as we picked up two points from two games,I think we were a bit unlucky as I feel we edged both games but for now we are out of the relegation and relegation playoff zones!Dias had a cracking debut against Partizani Tirana and we also unlucky as he scored twice and had two others disallowed!The second match of the month I will consider progress as we lost to them twice in the cup last season so a draw is a positive result.

We have four games in September as  will be facing Flamurtari Vlore,Vllaznia Shkoder,Lushnja and Teutra Durres.It's still too early to make predictions to how and what we should be doing but I feel we need to get results against Flamurtari Vlore and Lushjna as they are the two sides below us in the season pre-view so if we can win both of these games then that will relieve a bit of pressure off us.

[B.W.G]

September 2024

Fixtures

Table

That was a fantastic month as we picked up nine points from twelve.The game we lost we gave it a good fight but we fell just short against one of the biggest teams in the league so I feel we we can leave that match with our heads held high.We got the victories I wanted against Flamurtari Vlore and Lushnja so that will relieve a bit of pressure on me as they are two of our relegation fighting rivals.The win against Teuta Durres was a surprise as we beat them 6-3 but I did want to throttle my defenders as we were 6-0 up at one point!

Three games in October,two in the league and one in the cup.We kick the month off  with a cup fixture against second tier side Apolonia Fier,we should be too strong for them so I am expecting a win as we are much stronger now than we were against other second tier sides last season.In the league we will be facing Kukesi and Laci,as long as I don't get drawn back into the relegation fight then I will be happy.It's hard to predict at how we will do against these teams as Laci are higher placed than Kukesi but they have also conceded more goals than them so we will have to take it one game at a time.

[B.W.G]

October 2024

Fixtures

Table

Two more draws in the league and we stayed in fourth place and we even have a game in hand on the teams around us although that game in hand is against the favourites for the league!Kukesi and their defence were infuriating to deal with and we could crack them while their attack was useless.The KF Laci match saw us came back from 2-0 down to gain a point thanks to Dias's brace,we are now sitting five points ahead of the relegation playoff spot so it's a case of so far so good.As for the cup,we recorded a brilliant 3-0 over Apolonia Fier and that result should see us pretty much through as we were away from home for the first leg.

November brings us four more games,three in the league and one in the cup.In the league we are facing KF Tirana,Partizani Tirana and Skenderbeu Korce.I don't think we stand a chance against KF Tirana even if they are currently underachieving.The other two matches are up in the air but I am in general belief we could get results against them as we have drawn against both teams so far this season,if we can open a bigger gap from the relegation playoff then that is even better for us.We will also be playing Apolonia Fier which is in the cup,we have a 3-0 lead over them going into the second leg and I expect to finish them off and progress.

[B.W.G]

November 2024

Fixtures

Table

It was a pretty solid month as we picked up six points from nine in the league,I am really pleased with the two wins at the end of the month although the match against Skenderbeu Korce was bit of a bloodbath as it finished 10 vs 10 with Jelson Dias receiving the red card for us.Even though we lost to KF Tirana,we gave it a good go and we were even 2-1 up against them but a red card changed the game and we couldn't hang on as we ended up losing 3-2.No problems in the cup as we beat Apolonia Fier 2-1 in the second leg to give us a 5-1 aggregate win as we moved onto the second round.

Five games in December and all of them are in the league.We will be facing off against KF TIrana,Flaumurtari Vlore,Lushnja,Vllaznia Shkoder and Teutra Durress,not often you face off against two of the biggest and the three worst in the league so I actually think it favours us more than anything.I'm not expecting anything from the KF Tirana and Vllaznia games as they are the two teams to beat us this season but I think we could get something against the other three teams.If we can get a gap of fifteen points away from the relegation playoff zone then that will be a very successful month for us.

[B.W.G]

A new signing!

He is absolutely fantastic for this level and all it cost me is £875 p/w as it was a free transfer.He is that good he has immediately gone into the media dream XI on the right wing!

[B.W.G]

Youth Intake Preview

A rather confusing intake preview,there is quite a lot of green but it comes with the line don't expect much from this youth intake!

[B.W.G]

December 2024

Fixtures

Table

What a bizarre month that was as out of all the teams we lose to,we lose heavily to the one in the relegation playoff zone!Two set pieces netted us the win against KF Tirana and we smasjed Lushnja and Vllaznia Shkoder,for the last game we had a hard fought match against Teuta Durres but we ran out 3-1 winners.I think we have to give a massive thanks to Dias who netted five times in the last three games of the month as we finshed the month sitting in second place and we're only one point behind the leaders KF Laci!

We're into the new year and we will be playing six times,four in the league and twice in the cup.In the league we will be facing KF Laci,KF Kukesi,Partizani Tirana and KF Tirana,my only aim is to keep our run going and hopefully be in the top three come the end of the month as that means we will be fighting for a spot in Europe!We do have two very difficult games coming up so I am expecting a slight drop off from the leaders but I think we are a good shout for an European spot.In the cup we will be playing both legs of the second round against Lushnja,I believe we have enough quality to beat them and move onto the quarter finals which means we will meet the board's epectations for the cup.

[B.W.G]

January 2025

Fixtures

Table

A brilliant month all around as we picked up nine points from twelve,surprisingly the game we lost was against Partizani Tirana and it was a match we really should of won.Of the three wins,KF LAci can feel hard done by as it was an even game but we used our counter attacks better as that is how both goals came.The win against KF Tirana looks amazing on paper but they were actually reduced to ten men in the first half so it does take away a bit from the victory but we are at the top and have a four point gap over our nearest challengers,not bad for a team who is supposed to be fighting against relegation!The cup went according to plan as we beat Lushnja 5-3 on aggregate,I did rotate the team as I was confident we could get past them and it went according to plan as we progressed to the quarter-finals.

February brings us another five games,four are in the league while the other is in the cup.In the league we will be facing Skenderbeu Korce,Flamurtari Vlore,Lushnja and Teuta Durres,these four fixtures will actually finish our third round of fixtures off so are nearly at the final stretch.With the games we have,I don't see why we won't be top come the end of the month as we are facing the three weakest teams in the league but I did lose heavily to Flamurtari Vlore recently and I want revenge against them so I still need to be careful.In the cup we are facing SK in the first leg of the quarter-final in the cup,they actually knocked us out at this stage last season so hopefully we can do a bit better and not lose both games to them this time!

[Sonic Youth]

Top of the league? That’s some good pre-season work coming to fruition here 

[B.W.G]

11 hours ago, Sonic Youth said:

Top of the league? That’s some good pre-season work coming to fruition here 

We're still top of the league come by the end of February as well!

Everything is coming together slowly but I think we have been helped by KF Tirana underachieving.If you look at the odds,KF Tirana are 8-15 to win the title,KF Laci are 6-1 to win the title and we are 15-1 to win the title.The squad building and development has helped massively to get us where we are but I think we have been fortunate that the strongest team haven't been living up to expectations.

[B.W.G]

February 2025

Fixtures

Table

it was a pretty solid month in the league as we picked up eight points from twelve.The only league match I was disappointed in was the game against Lushnja as I feel we did enough to win that but we just failed to do our job up front,the other match to note was the 7-0 win over Teuta Durres which set a new record win for the club.We currently have a two point lead at the top and I am amazed we are still top but we will keep going as we are only 12 games away from a possible title!The cup finally saw us gain a victory over Skenderbeu Korce and what a victory it was as we were 1-0 down at half time so to win the game 5-2 is fantastic for us going into the second leg.

Five more games in March with four being league games while the other is in the cup.In the league we will be facing Vllanzia Skoder,KF Kukesi,KF Laci and Partizani Tirana.I don't have to mention at how big the game against KF Laci is as that is a battle between the top two but we do have a much better attack with our defence's being around a similar level,I;m not expecting to stay at the top but I would love us to be in the top three come the end of the month and if we are still right in the title fight then that is even better.In the cup we play our quarter-final second leg against Skenderbeu Korce,despite leading 5-2 from the first leg,we will need to be at our absolute best to make sure we go through as this is a really good opportunity to progress.

[B.W.G]

Youth Intake 2025

Romario Hyka

Mario Stojanovic

Bajram Gashi

I can see why this intake came with the tag don't expect much as it is pretty terrible.The only ones who will be kept on are the top six who are rated at 2* and above.Gashi has the potential to be a squad player while Romario and Mario could become first team players if they can get close to their potential.At least with the top three players from this intake that they all play in different positions unlike previous ones.

[B.W.G]

March 2025

Fixtures

Table

The league portion of the month started off great and ended in frustration as we picked up eight points from twelve when it should of been more and due to the points dropped,the lead is now only two points from our nearest challengers.In the game against KF Laci we conceded in the 90th minute while we conceded the equalizer in the 79th minute against Partizani Tirana so you can see why I am frustrated as we threw away points.The cup saw us gain a gutsy 1-1 draw which meant we beat Skenderbeu Korce 6-3 on aggregate,I am actually pleased with this result as the referee was bias towards the hosts and it even mentioned that in the match report!

Six games in April,four are in the league while the other two are in the cup.In the league we will be against Skenderbeu Korce,KF Tirana,Flamurtari Viore and Vllanznia Shkoder,this is a very tough set of fixtures for us as we are playing off against three of the top five and it is these games that could make or break our title race,if we can come out of this still at the top then the title is definitely a reality,if we mess up then we will have to rely on having a easier run in then the other teams in May!As for the cup,the semi-final has given us a tough test as we face KF Laci over two legs,I am really happy that we have surpassed the board's expectations in this competition so no matter what then both myself and the board will be happy with our performances in the cup.

[Sonic Youth]

Still ticking along at the top of the table.

The top few, and players shown look interesting prospects for the future if the develop.

It’s all to play for now in the league in the last part of the league run-in. Fingers are crossed for a repeat in the league also playing out in the cup!

[B.W.G]

Just now, Sonic Youth said:

Still ticking along at the top of the table.

The top few, and players shown look interesting prospects for the future if the develop.

It’s all to play for now in the league in the last part of the league run-in. Fingers are crossed for a repeat in the league also playing out in the cup!

It's squeaky bum time here in Albania.

We lost the first game of April but we did beat KF Laci in the first leg of the cup,this is going to be a very high pressure end to the season if April so far is anything to go by  

[B.W.G]

April 2025

Fixtures

Table

We have been beaten and bruised during April and we have still come out on top despite being pretty inconsistent during April.We picked up seven points from twelve which was not only enough to keep us at the top but also open up a four point lead at the top,things got that bad regarding injuries towards the end of April that I had to call up Sheji and Didot with neither player being quite ready for first team action.I can't complain about the loss as the better team won while the draw against Vllaznia is something I was fine with as we had a makeshift attack so I wasn't really expecting much from that game.The big news for me during April is that we dumped KF Laci out of the cup and we have now progressed to the final thanks to a fantastic effort in the first leg!

We're into the final month of the season and we have five games left to play,four are in the league while we also have the small matter of a cup final to deal with.In the league we will be finishing our campaign off against Lushnja,Teuta Durres,KF Kukesi and KF Laci,the destiny of the title is now in our hands as we are playing against three of the bottom four so we win those three and we are the champions.In the cup final we will be facing KF Tirana in what will be an interesting affair,I say it will be interesting as if KF Tirana lose then I can see their manager getting sacked as the are pretty much out of the title race,if we win then we will be guaranteed a spot in Europe which is sensational for where we were last season!

[B.W.G]

May 2025

Fixtures

League Table

Thank the lord we won the three games we needed to as we won the title with a game left to spare,we beat and kept three clean sheets against three of the bottom four and then we got absolutely destroyed by KF Laci in the last game of the season!It's not even like I put a weak team out either as we were only missing two players from my strongest XI so I am really annoyed by that performance.We also made it a double for the season as we beat KF Tirana on penalties in the final,it was an even game but we had to come from behind so I was over the moon when DIas scored the equalizer,fortunately nothing happened after that and it ended up going to penalties where we won 5-4 much to my relief.

End of season update to follow then onto the quest for the final trophy in Albania!

[Sonic Youth]

Congrats on a league and cup double 

Good thing the league was wrapped up before that last game against KC laci!

I bet ut sucks to be 3rd placed Skenderbeu Korce who somehow missed out on European football 

[B.W.G]

11 minutes ago, Sonic Youth said:

Congrats on a league and cup double 

Good thing the league was wrapped up before that last game against KC laci!

I bet ut sucks to be 3rd placed Skenderbeu Korce who somehow missed out on European football 

Thanks  

We will never talk about this KF Laci defeat ever again  

I think it could be their own doing as they are more in debt than we are so it's possible that they could have failed ffp.

[B.W.G]

KS Kastrioti Krujë - Kategoria Superiore - End of Season - 2024/25

Season Review

Transfers - Released

Five players were released in which they had no future at the club and I didn't see the point in keeping them.The only other players who left the club were all on loan with the majority of them being for developmental reasons,the only two exceptions were Sasraku and Vogli who would come under "loan to sell" as I don't want either at the club but there were no takers.The incoming saw me completely change my strategy after seeing the pre-season review,the odds were more in favour of us getting relegated so I had to go all out and find players who could make a massive impact for the club right away.Again there was exceptions to this as the three players from Internaional were bought in for developmental reasons as I am the one who signed them for Internacional so I knew all about them!

Fixtures 1 - 2 - 3

Competitions

Kategoria Superiore - Winners

I am surprised and over the moon that we managed to win the title at the first time of asking although it was ridiculously close as we won the league by three points although it seemed closer than it actually was as we lost to KF Laci on the last day of the season.This has been one of the toughest leagues I have ever won on any save so it ranks up there has one of my most successful campaigns.We scratched and clawed for everything we got in the league and it shows when you have a centre back and a goalkeeper in the top five players this season!

Kupa e Shqipërisë - Winners

We beat Apolona Fier (5-1 on aggregate),Lushnja (5-3 on aggregate),Skenderbeu Koce (6-3 on aggregate) and KF Laci (3-2 on aggregate) to reach the final.As for the final itself,it was a very even game in which we had to come from behind just to take it the distance.It did eventually get to penalties and we won that part 5-4 so it was great to see luck on our side at the end!

Players,Stats and Awards

Overall Best XI

Accolades 1 - 2 - Best XI

Amidou Zaha

Daouda Toukam

Jelson Dias

K.Dramolli

Uendi Vecaj

Manager's Thoughts

What a season that was as we came out with a double in our first season in top flight which means we only have one more trophy to win in Albania and that is the Super Cup which will be played at the start of next season.It did take a bit of time to get things going but when it did we looked fantastic and with it being a young squad there is still a lot of time for the players to develop so the club is in a very good position for the future and with the Champions League money that will come in then everything can improve quite significantly if the club can get into the Champions League regularly.The finances aren't great but things will improve in the future so I am not too bothered about the current financial situation,I wouldn't be able to improve the minor thing such as Junior Coaching and Youth Recruitment as of yet but give it a year then that should be able to be improved.

For next season my aim is to win the super cup which will be in August,I could do it with the current squad at my disposal but I want to leave with an impression on the team so I will be going out and signing new players to carry on my work after I leave.The main positions I need to work on are the DL and AML positions as they are the two weakest but I will also look for signings in the DC,MC and AMC roles,if I can get at least one player for each position then the strength of the first team will increase along with increasing the strength in depth and if we are lucky then we maybe able to get past at least one of the qualifying rounds in the Champions League.With this in mind then I may have to look at getting signings in sooner rather than later as there won't be much time between the transfer window opening and the CL beginning.No rest for the wicked so it's time to get the pre-season underway!

Career Stats

Link - (For entire career)

[B.W.G]

Champions League 1st Qualifying Round Draw

Quite a tough tie for the first qualifying round and it looks like it will be a pretty close match as both teams have talented players.Whoever wins this will face Buducnost Podgorica or Hibernians in the second qualifying round,so whoever wins my match will more than likely face the team from Montenegro as I don't see Hibernians winning it.

[B.W.G]

Champions League Round-Up

We're in the money....we're in the money!

What a performance it has been in the CL so far as we have gotten through three qualifying rounds and now we are two games away from the actual group stage.Of the three teams we faced,I will say that Azerbaijani side Qarabag were actually the most difficult to face and could be considered unlucky as both games were even.As for the other two,we easily smashed both teams although our attackers let us down in the second leg against Hungarian side Ferencvarosi.

Our reward for doing so well...

For the path we are on,I think this is the second hardest tie we could of got with only FC København being a harder possible tie.Of course I will try my best but I think we will fall just short in the end.

[deltablue]

Ah yes Dinamo, the nemesis of 'small nation' managers everywhere (along with Copenhagen)

[B.W.G]

3 hours ago, deltablue said:

Ah yes Dinamo, the nemesis of 'small nation' managers everywhere (along with Copenhagen)

Well if I'm going out then I will go down fighting and try to take out a couple of their players as well 

 

[B.W.G]

KS Kastrioti Krujë - Kategoria Superiore - Pre-Season - 2025/26

Season Preview - Expectations

Transfers - Released

There was a few players released but that the day to release them wasn't the same as for the pre-season for the new season.On the released side,two players retired and six players were released,no great loss on any of them as they were just taking up room and wages.On the outgoing side,six players left to join other clubs on frees as I couldn't find anyone to buy them while one has left on loan for more development,the outgoings will probably increase as two teams have met Daouda Toukam's release clause so I am expecting him to leave very soon.In total seven players joined the club on a free transfer as I looked to strengthen the team to give them a better chance of retaining the title although Adam has been bought in as a replacement but he will still be able to slot straight into the first team.

Pre-Season Fixtures

Considering we had Champions League qualifiers in between these games,it was still a solid pre-season despite all the rotation.I am really happy with what I have seen and we will be going into the season using the 4-2-3-1,if it's not broke then don't fix it!

The Team

Amidou Zaha

Albert Mbom

Isaac Adukor

Aboubakar Traore

Kittithat Komslip

Manager's Thoughts

Pre-Season was a bit busier than usual due to the Champions League qualifying rounds in which we are now two games away from the group stage with Dinamo Zagreb being the team stood in our way.I was also busy in the transfer window as we might have won the league last season but it was ridiculously close between ourselves and second place so the new signings have been done with the intent of strengthening the first team although one new player is a replacement for someone who hasn't left just yet but he will be in the future.We have strengthened enough that we are now the second favourites in the league to win the title behind KF Tirana.The finances don't look great at the moment as we are £31k in debt but we haven't received our share of the Champions League money so that will change no matter what in a couple of games time.

As for this season,my aim is to win the Super cup as that means Albania will be complete and then we will be looking for jobs in Algeria.This doesn't mean that I will be resigning straight off as I will be waiting for a job to become available before I resign,I will still be going all out as I want to leave the club in the best position possible and with the incoming money,I am hoping I can get some upgrades approved to help the club out in the long term.

[B.W.G]

Champions League Group Stage Draw

We actually beat DInamo 4-2 on aggregate which was a shocker of result as I wasn't expecting to win.We've made it to the group stage in which we have no chance of getting a point and we are financially set for a while as we got nearly £14 million for getting to this stage!

[B.W.G]

August 2025

Fixtures

Table

Albania is now complete and I am free to move on as we won the Superkupa,the result may seem close but the reality is they scored two goals from four shots on target and we had over twenty shots so we were in complete control of the match,all you have to do is see what we did to them in the league to show that I am better than them.I've mentioned the Champions League briefly but the two games against Dinamo Zagreb were both even matches although we were more than fortunate to win the second leg as we were reduced to ten men.Some of the money has been spent as the board agreed to upgrade the training and youth facilities which is a step up for the club as that means the team could get better players through and that players will also develop better.

Six games in September,four in the league and two in the Champions League.In the league we will be facing Partizani Tirana,KF Tirana,Skenderbeu Korce and Korabi,these games no longer matter for me in the grand scheme of things as I have previously won the title but I will still be going all out so I want to be at least top two come the end of the month,if we can beat the two teams above us then that will be even better as that means we could open a gap over them.In the Champions League we will be facing Dortmund and Napoli,I have no expectations of getting anything from these games so as long as we keep it competitive and not get too battered then that will be fine.

[B.W.G]

September 2025

Fixtures

Table

It wasn't too bad of a month in the league as we picked up eight points from twelve,I would of preferred to be in the top two but we do have two games in hand on both teams so we could easily take that top spot if we won,I am also thankful for Mbom as he is the reason why we have picked up so many points during September as my other attackers seem to have disappeared.The Champions League went as expected as we lost both games but we did manage to keep the scorelines down and we even scored a goal against Napoli!

Five more games in October,three in the league,one in the Champions League and one in the cup.In the league we will be facing Vllaznia Shkoder,Bylis and Korabi,we really need to step up our performances as despite the result,we have been below par when it came to performances in each game.In the Champions League we will be facing Benfica,it will be the same as the other two games,just try to be competitive and keep it respectable.In the cup we are facing KF Kukesi,I would like to win that match just to give us an advantage going into the second leg,we are at home in the first leg so taking a lead into the away leg will turn the pressure up on KF Kukesi.

[B.W.G]

October 2025

Fixtures

Table

What a month that was as we went through it unbeaten.In the league we won all three games and we did so without conceding so that was the perfect month for us,we have taken top spot abd we currently have a two point lead at the top but the good news doesn't stop there as we also have a game in hand as well so everything is coming up Kastrioti!The big result for me was in the Champions League as we drew 3-3 with Benfica away from home and we were 3-1 down,what a peformance that was!We beat KF Kukesi 2-1 in the cup,it wasn't as big of a win I would of liked but I took the risk of playing without my best players due to internationals and it paid off to my relief.

November is a busy month with seven games,four in the league,two in the Champions League and one in the cup.In the league we will be facing Bylis (twice),Vllaznia Shkoder and KF Laci,if we can carry on our current form then I don't see why we couldn't still be top come the end of the month although I am expecting to drop points due to our participation in the Champions League.In the Champions League we are facing Benfica and Dortmund,once again I am expecting nothing but for my team to fight till the end.We will be facing KF Kukesi in the cup,we have a 2-1 lead but we need to treat this match as a 0-0 as I don't want the team to get complacent,I also need the win due to the board wanting us to progress much further.

[B.W.G]

November 2025

Fixtures

Table

The league saw us pick up eight points from twelve which has seen us stay at the top of the table but we have been having trouble in front of the goal as we're squandering stupid chances but at least I can say the defence has been brilliant as we have only conceded three times in twelve games.For the Champions League we actually drew with Benfica again but we lost to Dortmund which means we are out of the competition but at least we have picked up about £1.6 million thanks to the draws.We had a lucky escape in the cup,we lost on the night but we won the tie on penalties much to my relief,the performance was completely unacceptable.

Six more games in December,four in the league,one in the Champions League and one in the cup.In the league we will be facing Parizani Tirana,KF Tirana,Skenderbeu Korce and KF Kukesi.It;s a very tough month as we are facing the four teams directly below us so I really could not have gotten a harder run of fixtures,if we come out at the top then I will be surprised as I am expecting to drop points.In the Champions League we have a home game against Napoli,if we somehow win and Benfica lose then we will be in the Europa League as we have two points while the Portugese side have three so I will be going all out in that game!In the cup we will be facing Dinamo Tirana,again I will be putting a strong tie out as I want to see if I can retain the trophy I won last season.

I am also expecting to see some managerial sackings in Algeria so there is the outside chance that there may be movement on the managerial front.

[B.W.G]

World Map of completed countries

(I may have forgot to do it back in August when we won the Supercup!)

[B.W.G]

In Game Changes

League Changes

Three jobs have come up in Algeria so the time is right to leave Albania.With Albania now done and gone,we have bought in another North American nation in Antigua and Barbuda and it's a two tier country so that is pretty interesting.

[B.W.G]

Olympique Cheurfa Azazga - Ligue Nationale-Centre - New Club - 2025/26

Offer

Club Background

Takeover Position

The Team

Manager's Thoughts

The most important thing is that we are not in the relegation zone so that is a massive plus as the board only want us to avoid relegation this season and then I can start working on the team so I can try and move them up towards the top end of the table from next season.I am actually really happy with the number of players I have in the team as it is massive,the only downside is that I can only register 25 players so Algeria has some limitations unlike Albania.The only thing I really need to do is get some backroom staff in as there is me,the Chief Scout and the Head Physio,in total I need to bring in six members of staff to reach the limit so that is what I will be focusing on in the next fifteen days which is when I have my first game at O.C.A.

[B.W.G]

January 2026

Fixtures

Table

Normally I would be over the moon with how we started but I have been left more confused then anything.As you know I took over when the club was in 12th place and battling against relegation but I had to do some more looking into why we were so low after destroying JSM Cheraga and WA Boufarik in my first two games in charge of the club.Turns out that OC Azazga had sacked their previous manager due to massively underachieving,the club was predicted as the third favourite for the title so they a bit off where they should be!

We have five games in February and we will be playing IB Khemis-El-Khechna,WR Bentalha,NARB Refhaia,USBB Arreridj and E.Sour El-Ghozlane.This is actually a pretty favourable fixture list for us as we play two teams below us and one just above us so we could push further up the table if we can win these games.We do also play the top two sides so it's a case of wait and see how I will do against them as I'm not expected to get out of this league so there isn't any pressure on me to get results.We are only 12 points behind the leaders and with eleven games left to play,we are still actually in the title race.

[B.W.G]

February 2026

Fixtures

Table

It was a great month overall as we picked up twelve points from fifteen as we temporarily moved up to sixth place as we now sit just five points behind the leaders.Can't really complain about the loss to IB Khemis-El-Khechna as the better team won but we responded brilliantly and we won the net four games which included a fantastic 2-1 win over E.Sour El-Ghozlane and that saw a very late winner to clinch the points.

Just the two games in March and we will be facing CRB Dar El Beida and ES Berrouaghia,I would love it if we can carry on our fantastic form but I will also be happy if we can stay in the top half as that could keep us in the title hunt for now due to it being so close in the league.We still have three of the top five to face so we could have a massive say in the rest of the season.

[B.W.G]

March 2026

Fixtures

Table

Two games and two draws and that has seen us keep sixth place although we are now six points behind the leaders but we are safe.The draw against CRB Dar El Beida was a fair result as both teams squandered a lot of chances.I think we were just unlucky against ES Berrouaghia as we were the better side throughout the match and we even had two goals disallowed,on another day we would of beat them but it is what it is.

April brings us two more games,during the month we will be facing WA Rouiba and OMR El Annasser,I think the match against WA Rouiba will be high scoring as they are both good in attack and terrible in defence so it could be a spectacle for the neutrals.The match against OMR El Annasser is the biggest match to date as manager,we could really throw the cat amongst the pigeons as if we beat them then we will be three points behind them but with so many teams still in the title hunt,things could get a bit crazy in the rest of the season.April will also see the club get their first youth intake in my management,it's apparently a golden generation but I have no idea what that is in terms of Algerian football.

Edited August 5, 2021 by B.W.G

[B.W.G]

Youth Intake 2026

Hassan Meddah

It's a bit hard to distinguish who are the stand out stars of the intake based off potential as we have a lot of players who seem to be highly rated.The best of the bunch in my eyes is Hassan Meddah,he is already rated at 2.5* CA so he will be registered and in the first team next season as it would be pretty dumb of me not to register him and help him develop considering he is this good now.