Following his official appointment as head coach of the U-17 National Team, coach Fatjon Tafaj gave his first interview to fshf.org, where he shared his emotions about returning to the Football Association, this time as head coach. He spoke about his objectives with the team, the importance of developing young players, and the upcoming projects. Tafaj also commented on the organization of the UEFA U-17 European Championship “Albania 2025,” calling it a complete success, with quality teams and high-level football.
Emotions about returning? – It’s an honor for me to return to the Albanian Football Federation, this time as the head coach. This is my second experience, after previously working with the U-21 National Team alongside coach Alban Bushi. I want to sincerely thank the AFA, President Armand Duka, and also Director Pea, for giving me the opportunity to come back and become part of the home of Albanian football.
UEFA U-17 European Championship “Albania 2025”? – I followed almost all the matches. The organization was perfect. The teams were very high-quality, there was great football played, and I also watched the Albanian team. There are some very promising players. Of course, the teams were very strong, and playing against such opponents is not easy, even if you have quality on your side. But what I saw — and this is very important — is that there are some very good elements in the U-17 National Team.
Objectives? – Of course, it will begin with the “Step by Step” project, where we’ll start with the training and development of players. Then we have another project that is more focused on the administrative side. There will also be a lot of work on scouting players, which will be done in collaboration with the scouting staff, the director, and everyone involved in the selection process. Reducing the margin of error is very important. I say this because I see there are many good players, both in Albania and abroad. The goal is to have as many quality players as possible.
