French football player talks about Albanian football collapses: Selling matches, preison comes after the first half is done

Arnaud Guedj “uses” towards Albania and Skenderbeu. When 3 months have passed since his departure, 21-year-old midfielder reveals to the French the problems he faced during his adventure in Korca. If there was no complaint about life - style, what he experienced in soccer was spared.

During an interview, the midfielder, who played 634 minutes of redwood, accuses that local players opposed foreigners. He also mentions a conversation he has held with an Albanian player, but without specifying the name of the team he was playing with. According to Guedj, they have confessed that the president had asked them to miss a match without interest at the end of a season.

After the adventure in Ukraine, how was Skenderbeu?

After I requested a break from Ukraine and they accepted it, I had to give up some of the wages they owed me. I was in contact with Shator, a team that wanted me to sign. But I didn't close because the player I had to replace didn't leave. At the same time, an Albanian club was looking for me, Skenderbeu. I refused the first time. They came back to me again, as I was still free. I thought I'd accept it because they were the main club in Albania and they had some participation in the League of Europe. Then the fact that they did not give up on me convinced me to start that adventure. It was also the end of the transfer mercato and I was without a team, so I agreed.

You went to Albania's champions, but they were also excluded from the European Cups for 10 years and they received a huge fine from U. EFA. Did you know that before you accepted the offer?

I knew two or three things before I went, but it was nothing compared to what I found there. I talked to some players who had played several seasons in Albania and told me the club was on the decline, especially considering the results. And as in Ukraine, there were problems with wages. In Ukraine, I stopped the contract because I had trouble at the club. I'm not a bad man, but at Skenderbe the local players were against strangers!

I don't know if it was because I was taking a place in formation, but it was weird. Some things did not go, but it was certainly not our fault. One day the agent who introduced me to Skenderbe, told me that he did not understand why when I played, my friends did not follow me. They put sticks under my wheels and it was hard to find space in my trainer's <x0-letter”.

Have you felt the corruption issue of Skenderbeu or Albania?

No, I didn't feel it. Because they had to calm the situation after sanctions from U EFA. Corruption was, however, less flagrant than in Ukraine, where they had no hiding at all. On the other hand, I have met some Albanian players who have told me about my concerns about the previous situation.

One of them told me that at the end of a season, when the club he played had no goals, the president had asked him to lose the match. Some did not understand and were playing it with all their heart. But at the break of the match, when they went to the dressing rooms, they were pressured.

Very few matches at the Albanian championship have packed stadiums. Why is that?

In fact, this is about the importance of the match. When we played against Partizan, the stadium was filled with a fantastic atmosphere. Next week, if you played with a team less appreciated, the stadium would be empty... That's what happened.

What about infrastructure?

If you've played in Le Mansh or Nice, sure it'll look like another world. The dressing rooms gave you the impression that you were in a neighborhood, the terrain in the complex was a disaster, except for us (a reference to Skenderbeu), which we had the best field in the championship. To play games, conditions were not ideal. I remember we played some fights in villages, near mosques or tall buildings.

What do you remember about life in Albania?

We were just two francs on the team and it wasn't the most fun. However, I had the opportunity to take my brother with me, and he played Skenderbe's U-19. They wanted to include him on the first team, but this did not happen after my problems with the club started. People are more hospitable than in Ukraine. Moreover, the city of Korca was much more developed than the one I played in Ukraine. The climate was beautiful, and sometimes I went to Greece to relax. Life out of the sport was good.

Six months later you left Albania. How do you see your future now?

When I finished my contract, I had several proposals from East European clubs, such as Armenia, Bosnia and Latvia. I talked to my agent, but I preferred to wait for a convincing project from the wine merkato. My priority is still to find a good project in France. Finally, some quick questions.

Which do you choose between Albanian and Ukrainian food?

Albanian specialities.

Albanian or Ukrainian women?

I have a girlfriend. But Ukrainians are more beautiful than Albanians.

Albanian or Ukrainian?

Albanian. /Panorama/