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| Logo | |||
| Full name | KF Tirana | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Tirona | ||
| Founded | 1920 | ||
| Ground | Selman Stërmasi stadium in Tirana Albania | ||
| Capacity | 12,500 | ||
| Chairman |  Refik Halili | ||
| Manager |  Ilija Lončarević | ||
| League | Albanian Superliga | ||
| 2008-09 | 1st (champions) | ||
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 Current season | |||
Klubi i Futbollit/KF Tirana is the most successful Albanian football club. It is also the most popular football club in the country with an enormous number of supporters. KF Tirana team plays its home games in the capital of Albania, Tirana, at the Selman Stërmasi stadium or, occasionally (for derbies or important matches) at Qemal Stafa stadium. The club was founded on August 16, 1920 under the name of "Agimi Sports Association". In 1927 the club was renamed to "Sportklub Tirana" (SK Tirana), in 1947, to "17 Nëntori Tirana", from 1952 to 1956 to "Puna Tirana", and in 1991 the club returned to its original name, KF Tirana. Tirana won its first title of Albanian champions in the first Albanian Football Championship. The club first participated in a European cup competition in 1965-66.
History
The '20s
In august 16, 1920, Albanian patriot P. Nika altogether with gentlemen A. Erebara, P. Jakova, A. Hoxha, A. Koja, P. Berisha, A. Zajmi, H. Fortuzi, B. Pazari, L. Berisha, S. Frasheri, H. Alizoti, A. Gjitomi and V. Fekeci founded the "Agimi Sports Association". The association's favourite sport was football and therefore in October of that same year its team played the first match against "Juventus" Shkodra. In 1925 the association's governing council was elected and its members were A. Zajmi, S. Stermasi, B. Toptani, I. Gjinali and A. Koja. The team also played its first international match against the Montenegrin team "Crnagorec" Cetinje the same year. In 1927 on the initiative of Mr S. Stermasi, Mr A. Erebara, Mr A. Zajmi and Mr A. Koja, "Agimi" changed its name to Sportklub Tirana SK Tirana. During the period 1927-1930 SK Tirana played many friendly matches against other Albanian teams.
The '30s and WW2
The onset of the Albanian national football championship was on April 6, 1930. At the end of the first championship the white-and-blue team finished at the leading position, thus becoming the first Albanian champions. Later on they won the championship six times out of seven during the pre-WW2 period, convincingly dominating the Albanian football scene. SK Tirana were the first Albanian football team to have introduced the permanent role of a regular coach and also the first to have secured the services of a foreign coach, the Hungarian Samo Singer, in 1934. From 1930 to 1944 Tirana won eight national championships (out of 11 organized by the FSHF during that period), however two of them, the "two war championships", are still not recognized by the FSHF. To this date there has never been an official position from FSHF as to why these two championships are not recognized by its own organizer.
1944-1957
After the war, SK Tirana made a good start reaching the second spot in 1945, after losing to Vllaznia Shkoder in the final. But soon the club would become a victim of the reigning communist regime in Albania. At the beginning of march 1946, at the "Nacional" movie theater in Tirana, as a result of instructions coming from the communist politburo, SK Tirana was forced to change its name to "17 Nentori". The club was thus denied its own name. The following decade would unroll in the same suffocating atmosphere, becoming even heavier after the foundation of two system-privileged teams that would follow the experiences of their sisters in the U.S.S.R. and the other eastern European countries: Partizani, the Defense Ministry team and Dinamo, the Internal Affairs Ministry team. Dozens of Tirana’s talented players were "convinced" to play during those years in either Partizani or Dinamo. As a result "17 Nentori" struggled to stay at the top during the years 1947-1957, however the team managed to gain some of the lost groung during the second part of the 50's after replacing in part some of the first choice players of its line up.
1958-1970
From 1958 to 1964 Tirana kept on producing some good football and finishing the championship almost always at the third spot. These years were a prelude to what was about to happen later: Tirana reexperienced its pre-war glory spell under the services of the unforgettable coach Lym (Myslym) Alla. At the end of the 28th national championship Tirana became champions of Albania more than twenty years after their last title. The team repeated the success the year after, but this was an obvious challenge to Partizani's generals and Dinamo's secret service bosses. After having practically won the 1966-1967 title three matches in advance, Tirana was banned from the competition and the title was assigned to Dinamo. Although haveing been a victim of disgusting manipulations and unjustice, Tirana won the championship two years in a row in style, losing only two matches in 1968-1969 and only one during the 1969-1970 season.
The 70's and 80's
During the seventies Tirana struggled hard to stay at the top, the best result being the second place and the worst the thirteenth. Yet the club won the national cup twice. The old players' generation reaching its career sunset, this could only mark the end of a highly successful era. But the unsuccessful spell wouldn't last long this time. Tirana won the championship at the end of the 1981-1982 season, and they went on to win the title three other times during the eighties, in 1984-1985, 1987-1988, and 1988-1989 and the Albanian_Cup in 1983, 1984, and 1986. The club was also successful in the European clubs competitions and many of the team players made up the core of the best Albania national football team the country had ever had.
The '90s till present
During the first half of the nineties FK Tirana (which in August 1991 regained its old name), likewise the whole Albanian society, went through a period of profound changes. Almost all the best Albanian players left the country and went abroad looking for a richer team who could hire them. But it seems that the club simply couldn't stand being too long from the leading spots. Thus at the end of the 1994-1995 season Tirana once again won the championship five matches in advance with 12 points ahead of the second placed team. During the recent years Tirana has dominated the Albanian football by winning 10 out of the last 15 Albania's championships.
Stadium
The home ground of KF Tirana is Qemal Stafa stadium, although the team plays most of the home matches in the Selman Stermasi stadium. Derbies are played in the Qemal_Stafa_stadium. The most famous team to play in this stadium against KF Tirana was A.C. Milan in a friendly match in 2008, won 2–1 by Tirana.
Achievements
KF Tirana are regarded as the Albania's top football team having won:
24 times - 1930, 1931, 1932, 1934, 1936, 1937, 1964-1965, 1965-1966, 1967-1968, 1969-1970, 1981-1982, 1984-1985, 1987-1988, 1988-1989, 1994-1995, 1995-1996, 1996-1997, 1998-1999, 1999-2000, 2002-2003, 2003-2004, 2004-2005, 2006-2007, 2008-2009
13 times - 1938, 1963, 1976, 1977, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1994, 1996, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2006.
8 times - 1994,1996, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007.
KF Tirana in Europe
As of July 15, 2009.
- QR = Qualifying Round
- 1R = 1st Round
- 2R = 2nd Round
Current squad
As of July 2009 Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Former notable players
- See also Category:KF Tirana players.
Coaches
Hungary
- Miklós Temesvári 2000-01
Bosnia-Ercegovina
- Enver Haxhiabdic 2002-03
Italy
- Leonardo Menichini 2004-05
- Mauro Bencivenga 2009
- Croatia
- Blaz Sliskovic 2008-09
- Ilija Loncarevic 2009-10
- Albania
References
External links
- Dedicated to KF Tirana Template:En icon
- Fan Website
- KF Tirana fan website in albanian & English
- TIRONA FANS FORUM Website
- KF Tirana at UEFA.COM
- KF Tirana at EUFO.DE
- KF Tirana at Weltfussball.de
- KF Tirana at Playerhistory.com
- KF Tirana at Transfermarkt.de
- KF Tirana at Football-Lineups.com
- Shqiperia-Futboll
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