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PROFILE: A magician of "small teams", who does not give spectacle - Who is the new coach of the Albanian National Team

2026-05-19 15:21:01Sport SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

PROFILE: A magician of "small teams", who does not give spectacle -

Although the national team's objectives remain the same, qualification for the European Championship and first place in the Europa League groups, the appointment of the new coach of the Reds does not promise to give a spectacle to the fans. Rolando Maran, the fifth Italian in charge of the team, is a fan of a cautious football that prioritizes defense over attack, which is more concerned with not conceding goals than scoring in the opponent's goal.

The 63-year-old, who is taking over from Silvinho, who failed to find a satisfactory financial agreement with the Albanian Football Association, has managed teams that have struggled for survival in Serie A and promotion from the second division, such as Cagliari, Catania, Chievo, Genoa, most of which he ended his career with dismissal.

In the early 2010s, the peak of his success came with Catania, where he ranked them in eighth place in Serie A, achieving the team's record of victories on its field. "I like to have an aggressive team, we have to show that we are strong on the field, this is my DNA. I want to transmit this," he said in his first presentation to the Albanian public, immediately after signing a two-year contract that ends in 2028.

He added: "I have followed the Albanian National Team closely and you have all my compliments. I have the opportunity to represent a people with great pride, something that is felt when you talk to an Albanian fan. I want to convey this great love for this jersey."

Maran, one of the first things he did after receiving the proposal to lead our national team was to meet with former coach De Biasi: "I know him well, I know many players because I have watched many matches of Albania, and I have even watched some of them. I spoke with him, because he is a good friend and a coach that I appreciate a lot for what he has given. He gave me some indications that I appreciate."

But just like De Biasi once, or the recently departed Silvinho, President Duka seems to have set high goals for the Italian. "Our goals remain where we want to be, first place in the Nations League and qualification for EURO 2028, and then to continue with the goal that we have never achieved to be part of the World Cup", said the President of the Albanian Football Association at the presentation ceremony. According to Duka, he is the type of technician that best suits a team like ours.

This is also stated in Rolando Maran's technical sheets read by Lapsi.al for the Italian clubs he has managed. He is known as a coach who gets the most out of teams with a small budget and average players. He is considered a pragmatic coach, very tactically organized and with great attention to defensive balance. He is not a "spectacle" or very offensive coach, but a technician who aims to give the team structure, compactness and identity.

The coach, who usually prefers the 4-3-1-2 scheme; 4-3-2-1 or 4-4-2, "represents the traditional Italian school of tactical organization: more balance than aesthetics, more structure than improvisation" - say those who have studied his style.

Marano, who for an Italian has the flaw of being a bit mediatically, has a traditional approach to managing the group. What he insists on with insistence are discipline, work, and a clear hierarchy.

These qualities were best seen when he took over at Chievo Verona in 2015–16. It was there that he built a reputation as one of the best Italian coaches for organising and maximising the team's potential.

Although Chievo was a club with a very small budget, few stars and a main objective of survival, Maran managed to build a very organized team, difficult to beat, physically strong and with a clear tactical identity.

Chievo finished around mid-table in Serie A, well above the relegation zone and often getting good results against stronger teams. Maran's motto at the time was: "I will ask the team to be short, free-spirited and courageous."

At times, Chievo were among the most solid defenses in the league in relation to the level of the team, and were considered one of the most "annoying" teams to face.
Even when he returned to Cagliari Calcio in 2019, he had a very good period, especially at the beginning.

Cagliari fought for European football for a few months, playing more aggressive football than usual by Maran's standards, and having very good balance. But then the team fell apart physically and psychologically, and the project lost continuity.

This will be more or less the physiognomy of our team in the years 2026-2028. One of the first statements the new coach made was:

"Albania is the team of a very proud people. I want to transmit this pride in the jersey on the field." He is expected to achieve this through a now clearly defined philosophy, as a "magician of small teams."

This representative of the traditional Italian school of tactical organization does not promise “champagne football like France or Brazil, but an always identifiable game: compact teams, close lines, intensity without the ball and extreme pragmatism”. So with him we should forget the spectacle and pray for luck in the results.


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