Kosovo Football: Challands Declares New Status

Bernard Challands has been back for some time. Reached in his health a few years ago, the Neuchâtel of today 74 years old has no more bench.

“I would almost feel able to take up a new challenge, but I don’t want to get involved at only 80%,” he explains. In fact, I would not stand 80%! And then, I go to my 75 years, I no longer attract too much. Frankly, if you were sports director, would you go for Challands? It’s a frustrating situation, but I have to accept it. ”

The last Challande station is none other than Kosovo, which he led team A from 2018 to 2021 with a definite success. The one who worked for more than ten years for the Swiss Football Association (ASF) therefore appears to be the best placed person to talk about the Swiss – Kosovo this Friday evening in Basel (kick -off at 8:45 p.m.).

Bernard Challands, what awaits Switzerland from Murat Yakin?

A very dangerous team, which has substance. I really invite future opponents of Kosovo to be wary of it. Let us not forget that his players evolve in Italy, Naples or AS Roma, Spain, Germany, in short: they are broken in international matches. It is no longer the third zone team that it was during its international recognition in 2016. Since then, Kosovo has taken on the braid.

We have talked a lot in recent days about Leon Avdullahu’s choice, who has decided to play for Kosovo, not for Switzerland. How do you react to the decision of this 17-year-old player?

First of all, I believe it is wrong to consider this as a failure for the Swiss Football Association. Avdullahu made a choice, it must be respected. But it is by no means a mark of disavowal for the ASF.

However, ASF has, and inevitably, invested in the development of Avdullahu. And here he chooses Kosovo …

Of course, a young person who makes all the selections is expensive in training compensation. The training country can therefore consider itself injured when he sees the player he helped develop choosing to wear the jersey of another nation. But FIFA regulations are made. Switzerland can be disappointed today by the choice of Avdullahu, but it took advantage of the system for many years.

Precisely, are these regulations really well made?

If these countries are recognized by FIFA, it is normal that they have the possibility of setting up the best possible team. A player with the Kosovar passport must therefore be able to use it. And it is just as logical as the federations do the maximum to attract the double nationals to their nets. Especially since the homeland counts more than anything for these “segundos” …

What do you mean by that?

That we do not always realize, here in Switzerland, the importance of the family and the flag in these Balkan countries. I remember one of the first cases with which Switzerland was confronted, at the end of the nuning years. It was that of Mladen Petric, who played Grasshopper and whose career was known afterwards. I was employed by the ASF at the time, and had eaten with the player and his parents to try to convince them to choose Switzerland. Mladen’s father had looked straight to my eyes and said to me: “But sir, if my son chooses Switzerland, I can never go back to my village of origin in Croatia again”. What do you want to face such arguments? And Petric obviously opted for Croatia.

So you understand the choice of Avdullahu?

Absolutely, and I also understand the frustration of the ASF. But we can’t change anything. It’s a shame for Switzerland, which loses a promising midfielder, but on the other hand, she can count on Jashari (hurt)which could also have opted for another country (Editor’s note: Kosovo, Northern Macedonia or Albania, by his parents). The family is so important in Kosovo … I remember that when I was setting up my preparation courses before qualifying matches, the priority was to set the family day at the team hotel. Football came after.

Avdullahu risks making his debut with Kosovo in Switzerland this Friday. What do you want?

I wish him full success for his international career with Kosovo, but without winning against Switzerland!

And you, in what state of mind will you be in Basel this Friday evening?

To admit everything, I hesitated to take advantage of this Swiss match – Kosovo to make my official farewell to the world of football. I sincerely asked myself the question, insofar as I worked well, both for the ASF and for the Kosovare Federation. But I found that it was a bit presumptuous. So I will just go to attend a football match, that’s all.