Albert Bunjaku and Anel Rashkaj have played in important phases of the construction of the Kosovo national football team.
The two former national team players now have another mission with Kosovo – to lead the U19 national team towards qualification for the European Championship. Bunjaku is the head coach of the Kosovo U19 team and Rashkaj is his assistant.
Bunjaku and Rashkaj’s work with the U19 age group began on Tuesday. Former striker Bunjaku revealed his plan with the players of the country’s clubs during the three-day camp.
On the first day of the camp, he saw great enthusiasm among potential players to be included in the Kosovo U19 team for qualifying matches.
“The first training was very good. I liked the maximum intensity. There are quality players. During the meeting we had with the players, I told them that I could have done a camp with players outside of Kosovo, but it was my desire to do a camp with players from Kosovo clubs because I did not inform them. It is different to get to know them up close. The training was very good, I liked it a lot,” Bunjaku said on Tuesday for the official website of the Kosovo Football Federation.
He emphasized that several players could be competitors for a place in the national team.
“I want to see during these three days which of them can help us in the future and I think we have some interesting players,” Bunjaku emphasized.
He ended his playing career in 2022. A year later, the FFK organized a farewell ceremony for him from the Kosovo national team.
Bunjaku joined Kosovo in 2014, scoring three goals in six games. He played in the first official friendly, against Haiti. He scored Kosovo’s first goal in FIFA-recognized matches. He scored against Turkey in a friendly on May 21, 2014. He also scored the first goal after Kosovo’s admission to UEFA and FIFA. On June 3, 2016, the 41-year-old scored his first goal in a 2:0 victory over the Faroe Islands.
He has also played six matches for Switzerland. Bunjaku played for the Swiss state in the 2010 World Cup.
Bunjaku immediately after ending his successful playing career started as a coach. He was the youth coach of Leverkusen.
He has had a great career, especially in Germany. He scored 13 goals in the Bundesliga.
Meanwhile, Rashkaj was Kosovo’s captain in the first official friendlies. He excelled especially against Haiti.
The players are also satisfied with the work of Bunjak and his staff.
Rin Ahmeti, who is playing for the Kosovo U19 team for the first time, says that working with coach Bunjaku has been very good. He expects to be invited again in the future.
“With everyone’s work, I hope I will be invited to the qualifying matches,” Ahmeti declared.
Omer Bajraktari also appreciates Bunjak’s work.
“It went very well with the staff and coach Albert Bunjaku, who is a very correct coach. He showed us that the responsibilities in the U19 age group are greater, but I believe that with work and commitment, discipline, consistency, this can be achieved anywhere,” said Bajraktari.
Kosovo U19 under the leadership of former coach Adil Maliqi had some positive results. However, they failed to qualify for the European Championship. Now there is hope that under the leadership of Bunjak, Kosovo can secure qualification for the European Championship to be held in Wales in 2026. The qualifying matches take place starting in October.