2009–10 KF Tirana season

KF Tirana

2009–10 season
Chairman	Refik Halili
Manager	Nevil Dede (until August 1, 2010) Alban Tafaj (caretaker manager)
Kategoria Superiore	4th
Albanian Cup	Round of 16
Albanian Supercup	Winners
UEFA Champions League	1st Qualifying Round
Top goalscorer	League: Gjergji Muzaka (10) All: Gjergji Muzaka (10)
Home colours Away colours Third colours
← 2008–09 2010–11 →

The 2009–10 season is Klubi i Futbollit Tirana's 71st competitive season, 71st consecutive season in the Albanian Superliga and 89th year in existence as a football club. Following the title win the previous season, KF Tirana added to their 22 titles to make it their record 23 title wins. As the club were the league winners they were Albania's only team to play in the Champions League which was against Norwegian side Stabæk IF.

Pre-season friendlies

Ohrid, Macedonia

Tirana's president Refik Halili chose not to reveal where the club would be holding their re-season training camp ahead of the club's appearance in the 2009–10 UEFA Champions League until he named the manager and the players had signed new contracts at the club. The two possibilities were either Ohrid in Macedonia or southern Turkey. After winning the Kategoria superiore 2008-09 the players received a three-week break ahead of the new season.^[1] It was announced that the team would be traveling to Oher, Macedonia instead of Turkey for their pre-season training camp on June 24, 2009, this was announced before Halili had signed a new coach which was not expected.^[2] The club along with new coach Ilija Lončarević traveled to Ohrid in western Macedonia for their pre-season training on June 28, 2009, which was four days after previously expected, the club left Tirana at 16:15 local time. The squad along with the staff planned to stay in Macedonia for nine days and had planned to three friendlies against Macedonian sides during their stay there.^[3] The club planned to stay at the 'Mizo' hotel in Oher for the duration of their trip.^[4] The club's first game was planned in Oher against local side FK Karaorman of Struga, however due to heavy rainfall the match was called off, it was due to be staged at a small stadium close to where Tirana was training, however it was expected for the friendly to be staged the next day depending on the weather.^[5] Tirana played their first game of the pre-season against Albanian-Macedonian side KF Vllaznimi on July 1, 2009, this match gave a chance for new coach Lončarević to try out the squad for the very first time and to see the younger and fringe players of the side as well. The 1st preseason game proved to be a success for the champions of Albania and the coach as Tirana won comfortably 6–0 against the Macedonian side. KS Besa Kavaje bound striker scored 2 goals, the captain Devis Mukaj netted once, as did Jetmir Sefa, Ergys Sorra and new signing Arbër Abilaliaj.^[6] Three days later the club faced their biggest test of the stay in Oher, FK Teteks. The match was played on July 4, 2009 and the scores ended 1–1 with both teams creating chances but neither able to in the end.^[7] Tirana then played local a Struga side who they beat 3–1 with mostly young players and also a Macedonian League selection team on July 6, 2009 who they beat comfortably 6–0, the second time they beat a team with this same scoreline after their first game against KF Vllaznimi. The goals came from doubles from both captain Devis Mukaj and midfielder Gjergji Muzaka and the rest came from Daniel Xhafa and Arbër Abilaliaj.^[8] The team and staff left Macedonia for Tirana on July 7, 2009 after they had finished their last dinner in Macedonia. The club had spent a week and a half in Macedonia and had played 4 friendlies against teams from different levels of football, this gave Lončarević the chance to see his players for the first time since taking on the job at Tirana and to witness some of his younger players. In total Tirana played 4 friendlies in Ohrid, winning 3 of them and drawing just one which was seen as a positive result out of Macedonia ahead of the club's Champions League games and the Albanian Supercup.^[9]

Total Games

Match won

Match drawn

Match lost

Date	Tournament	Location	Opponent team	Score	Scorers
July 1, 2009	Friendly	Ohrid	Vllaznimi	6 – 0	Xhafa , Muka , Sefa , Sorra , Abilaliaj
? July 2009	Friendly	Ohrid	Struga	3–1	?
July 4, 2009	Friendly	Ohrid	FK Teteks	1 – 1	?
July 6, 2009	Friendly	Ohrid	Selection	6 – 0	Mukaj , Muzaka , Xhafa , Abilaliaj
? July 2009	Friendly	Tirana	KS Kamza	5 –1	?
July 25, 2009	Friendly	Tirana	Olimpiku	4 – 1	Lila , Xhafa, Ferra , Abilaliaj
July 28, 2009	Friendly	Tirana	KF Tirana U-19	5 – 1	Sefa , Mukaj (p), Hajdari (p), Ferra , Abilaliaj
August 6, 2009	Friendly	Tirana	Partizani	1 – 1	Lila  21'(p)
August 9, 2009	Friendly	Tirana	Kastrioti Krujë	1 – 3	Lila  40'
August 10, 2009	Majaci Cup	Fier	Apolonia	1 – 0	Malindi  38'
August 10, 2009	Majaci Cup	Fier	Apolonia	1 – 1 aet (5–4p)	Abilaliaj  18'

Albanian Supercup

As Kategoria superiore 2008-09 champions Tirana kicked off the domestic 2009–10 season with the annual Albanian Supercup on August 16, 2009, where they played the Kupa e shqipërisë 2008–09 winners Flamurtari. The match was played at the Qemal Stafa stadium with only a few thousand fans showing up from the start of the game. Tirana were forced to play an unusual line-up due to injury to some of their main players like inspirational leader Devis Mukaj and goal-machine Migen Memelli. Tirana started the game with just Arbër Abilaliaj up front with youngster Blerti Hajdari playing just behind the striker. The fans providing the atmosphere inside the stadium as always were the 'Tirona Fanatic', another notable fan was former chairman of KF Tirana and the president of Albania, Bamir Topi who had taken up his normal place in the V.I.P section of the stadium. The match itself started very slowly with very few chances to shout about until the second half when Tirana whipped in a corner and after confusion in the box former Flamurtari player Arbër Abilaliaj managed to scramble the ball into the back of the net on the 72nd minute mark. This proved to be the only goal in the game.

Date	Opponents	H / A	Result F – A	Scorers
August 16, 2009	Flamurtari	N	1 – 0	Abilaliaj 72'

Kit

• Supplier: Lotto Sport Italia
• Sponsor: Halili S.h.pk

Other information

President	Refik Halili
Ground (capacity and dimensions)	Selman Stërmasi stadium (12, 500 / 105m x 68m)

Source: Selman Stërmasi stadium

Squad statistics

No.	Pos.	Name	League		Albanian Cup		Europe		Supercup		Total		Discipline
			Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
1	GK	Blendi Nallbani	2	1	0	0	2	0	1	0	5	1	0	0
3	DF	Rezart Dabulla	2	0	0	0	2	0	1	0	5	0	2	0
4	MF	Laurent Mohellebi	2	0	0	0	2(2)	0	1	0	5(2)	0	1	1
5	DF	Entonio Pashaj	2	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	4	0	1	0
6	DF	Andi Lila	1	0	0	0	2	0	1	0	4	0	2	1
7	MF	Blerti Hajdari	1	0	0	0	1(1)	0	1	0	3(1)	0	0	0
8	MF	Jetmir Sefa	2	0	0	0	2	0	1	0	5	0	0	0
9	FW	Hendrit Ferra	1(1)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1(1)	0	0	0
10	FW	Devis Mukaj	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	1	1	1	0
11	FW	Ergys Sorra	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
12	GK	Pece Korunovski	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
13	MF	Sajmir Patushi	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	0	0
14	MF	Bledar Devolli	2	0	0	0	2	0	1	0	5	0	2	0
15	FW	Migen Memelli	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
16	DF	Abraham Alechenwu	2	0	0	0	2	0	1	0	5	0	0	0
17	MF	Gjergji Muzaka	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	0	0
18	FW	Erand Rica	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
19	DF	Tefik Osmani	1	0	0	0	2	0	1	0	4	0	1	0
20	FW	Arbër Abilaliaj	2	1	0	0	2(2)	0	1	1	5	2	2	0
23	MF	Sabien Lila	2	0	0	0	2	0	1(1)	0	5(1)	0	0	0
27	MF	Gerald Tusha	1(1)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1(1)	0	0	0
31	GK	Klajdi Kuka	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Players

Squad information

N	P	Nat.	Name	Age	Since	App	Goals	Ends	Transfer fee	Notes
1	GK		Nallbani	44	2004	86	1	2010	$1 million
12	GK		Korunovski	33	2008	5	0	2010	undisclosed
31	GK		Kuka	25	2007	1	0	2011	Youth system
3	DF		Dabulla	36	2008	25	0	2010	undisclosed
19	DF		Osmani	30	2008	24	0	2010	€40,000
5	DF		Pashaj	31	2008	4	0	2010	undisclosed
16	DF		Abraham	29	2008	60	0	2010	$160,000
6	DF		Lila	29	2008	30	4	2010	undisclosed
4	MF		Mohellebi	32	2009	0	0	2011	€100,000
14	MF		Devolli	38	2008	31	2	2010	Free
23	MF		Lilaj	26	2008	21	1	2011	Youth system
13	MF		Patushi	39	2009 (Winter)	15	0	2010	Free
8	MF		Sefa	28	2005	75	6	2010	Youth system
27	MF		Tusha	25	2008	3	0	2010	Youth system
10	MF		Mukaj	39	2002	159	50	2010	undisclosed
17	MF		Muzaka	31	2008	30	3	2010	€100,000
7	MF		Hajdari	25	2007	10	0	2011	Youth system
20	FW		Abilaliaj	29	2009	2	1	2011	Free
9	FW		Ferra	27	2008	2	0	2011	Youth system
15	FW		Memelli	35	2008	29	22	2009	undisclosed
11	FW		Sorra	26	2007	5	1	2011	Youth system
18	FW		Rica	26	2009	0	0	2010	Youth system
?	DF		Bicaj	26	2009	0	0	2011	undisclosed
?	DF		Ahmataj	36	2009	1	0	2010	Free
?	DF		Dede	40	2009	0	0	2010	Free
?	DF		Sina	37	2009	0	0	2010	undisclosed
?	DF		Sinanaj	29	2009	0	0	2010	undisclosed
?	MF		Karabeci	28	2009	0	0	2010	Free
?	FW		Çeliku	28	2006	0	0	2010	Youth system
?	FW		Malindi	28	2009	0	0	2010	undisclosed

• Source:

References

1. Tirana prepare for new pre-season (in Albanian)
2. Pre-season in Oher confirmed (in Albanian)
3. Tirana travels to Ohrid (in Albanian)
4. Tirana arrive in Ohrid (in Albanian)
5. Friendly postponed (in Albanian)
6. Tirana 6–0 Vllaznimi (in Albanian)
7. Teteks 1–1 Tirana (in Macedonian)
8. Tirana 6–0 Selection (in Albanian)
9. Tirana leave Oher (in Albania)