Midfielder Bastien Toma is ready to play for the Kosovo National Team if the FFK gives him the opportunity, he stated in an interview with Telegrafi.
Toma is among the players who has always been sought after by Kosovo, with President Agim Ademi who five years ago, in 2020, declared that “Bastien Toma will be a Kosovo footballer.”
However, years passed and we did not see Toma in the “Dardane” jersey. The situation has now changed and the midfielder is more ready than ever to represent his parents’ country.
In an interview with Telegrafi, the 26-year-old stated that he “didn’t expect Switzerland” but was focused on finding his place at the club.
“It’s not that I was expecting Switzerland. I mainly wanted to find balance again at club level, because the most important thing is to perform with the club. National team decisions only become important when you are doing well. I have never closed the doors to Kosovo, so if the federation thinks I deserve my place, I am open.”.
For Toma, it is normal that names like Leon Avdullahu are leaving Switzerland, because Kosovo has advanced a lot in recent years.
“I think it’s normal that many players make this decision, because Kosovo is progressing a lot and building a strong team. More and more players are showing interest, which shows how much the national team is developing.”.
Toma also confirmed that he has not had any recent contact with the FFK, while in the past he was also contacted by the Albanian Football Association to represent Albania.
“There have been some talks in the past, both with Kosovo and Albania, but not recently (I have not been contacted by the FFK). For the future, everything remains open.”
“Albania? Yes, there has been interest in the past and I respect that. But at the moment, there have been no new contacts.”, the player told the Telegraph.
He also revealed some interesting behind-the-scenes details that led him to leave St.Gallen. According to him, the Swiss club let him go without any reason or explanation, despite him being one of the best in the first half of the season.
“Overall, it was a good season for me. I feel like I’m getting back to my best form, especially up until March when I was playing regularly, performing well and putting up good stats. I also had the opportunity to play in the Conference League, where I put in solid performances. It was a great experience that gave me confidence and allowed me to face strong teams.”
“But then the club let me go for no reason and no explanation. That’s why I see the season as mixed: I was at my best, but my momentum was cut short for no reason.”
“I couldn’t go on like this. There were things I didn’t accept, and the club never gave me a real reason why I wasn’t playing. The management and the coach left me out, so for me the best decision was to terminate my contract and move on.”
After leaving St.Gallen, Toma is continuing his career in Poland, where he has signed with the LSK Lodz team.
“About two weeks ago, I decided to sign here in Poland. The project really convinced me and I believe it is the right place to show my qualities and continue my career. This was the main motive behind my decision.”
“For me it’s simple: perform well with my new club, be consistent and keep improving. If I play well and stay at my best, everything else will come naturally. That’s my priority now.”, said Toma.
Otherwise, the attacking midfielder has played for all age groups of Switzerland, from U15 to U21./Telegraph/