Armand Duka has been re-elected as president of the Football Association of Albania. The 59-year-old businessman, who has also been a member of the UEFA Executive Committee since 2019, will serve a sixth term of office.

He is probably the longest-serving president of a European football federation. He is waiting for his country to host the final of the newly formed Europe Conference League and wants to help improve women's and children's football as much as possible.

Armand Duka spoke exclusively to Manos Staramopoulos about everyone and everything...

1. We've seen lately that you have come under a lot of attack, obviously from opponents who can not accept your new success…

R/: This has been a complicated and unprecedented period. I have a long experience with the world of football but I had have never crossed such situation before. In the period prior to the elections in the Albanian Football Association, unfortunately, I couldn’t hear any alternative or program from the other contenders and this is something to worry about. If someone seeks a destination, at least they should present an alternative for the football community in the country. This was not the case and it felt bitter because i always want to talk and discuss over projects and programs and not for speculations and empty accusations that take you nowhere. I displayed my project, the development strategy for the next four years and I expected to have a confrontation of ideas and platforms in benefit to the football community, in order to learn more from each other. Even though this did not happen and I heard only slander, I decided to note every critic, remark or suggestion. I am more than ever focused to put forward our biggest projects.

2. A few months ago we have to remind the situation, it was even worse, as they had blown up your car, outside your house. How did you react at that moment, but also after…

R/: It was without a doubt a difficult moment for me. My family was inside the house the moment of the explosion and it was hard on them too. Fortunately, the damage was only material, meanwhile even today there is no suspect for this attack. The initial moment was really shocking but after I calmed down I decided keep going with my mission and not surrender. My family has supported me in these difficult moments and if I had backed down it would seem like I was betraying them. I feel obliged towards them, even towards the big football family that has been united more than ever in these dire moments. I will take the occasion to thank everyone for the support and for the conviction to not surrender. I wish that everything is left behind and we will move forward with our target – to increase the level of Albanian football.

3. With your 6th election victory, you also surpassed the record of the former Moldovan president and friend, Pavel Cebanou…

R/: I have never counted my mandates. I count projects, results and ideas for the future. If some big projects such as the final of UEFA Europa Conference League, the construction of a new stadium in Kukes or other projects that we have launched in our strategy are ongoing, I think that we should continue on these tracks. When you feel the trust and support of the Albanian football community, I think that we should continue to give the contribution for the development of the most loved game for Albanians. When results, projects and ideas are depleted, than it is time to say enough.  We have great objectives to achieve and backing up would be like treason for those who have supported and believed me during the years as head of AFA.

4. But let us go back in time a little. How did you first get involved with the football federation and the so-called factorism?

R/: In fact, my concrete involvement in the world of football started at the end of the 90’, when I became sponsor of my home team, Erzeni and afterwards Teuta of Durres, the city where I currently live. To be honest I had no ambitions at first and I never thought to be leader of a football club or the Association because I was entirely dedicated in running my businesses.

It happened that some of my friends, club owners, proposed that I run for the post of the president of the Association but at first I hesitated. Afterwards I accepted to compete and I won.

As soon as I took over the leadership of the Association, my commitments changed completely, as I was fully committed to the new job. We managed to restore the proper splendor to the institution within a few years and to restore Albanian football on the right track. The Albanian Football Association became a reference point in terms of organization and achievements, becoming a locomotive of transformations in the Albanian reality.

5. During your long tenure, what have you achieved as president of the Albanian Football Federation?

R/: If I had to talk about achievements, a whole book would not be enough. The biggest achievement was the participation in the finals of EURO 2016. It seemed to me like in a dream when I watched the Albanian National Team play in the final phase of an international tournament between the best teams in Europe. Also, it still seems incredible to me when I see our national stadium "Air Albania", a modern stadium that offers great conditions, just like the best stadiums in Europe. It is a reality that comes as a result of the policies and strategies of our federation, of joint projects supported by UEFA and FIFA and a reward for the commitment and professionalism of our administration. In these years we have built 49 football pitches, 81 mini-football pitches, 59 stadiums have been reconstructed and in 8 stadiums we have financed the lighting systems. In these years we completed the construction of 3 new stadiums and we are concluding the fourth. We have licensed 1719 coaches and 68 coaches; we have built a clear strategy for national teams and children's football. Albanian clubs are now better represented in the international arena, as the level of Albanian football has increased in every direction. We have also managed to expand women’s football through incentives and support at every link, creating the women's national championship and several age championships. We are implementing a very ambitious project for women's football, which aims to increase the involvement of women in football.

 6. How did you deal with the threats as federations?

R/: This difficult period we went through taught us to appreciate and value one of the greatest virtues of civilization: Human solidarity, love and support for each other. To achieve the goals we set for ourselves and to walk the path to success, we relied on each other, on solidarity within our large football family, which gives us all strength and support. Nothing is impossible, if we are all together. I remember the expression of the UEFA president, Ceferin during his visit to Tirana: Football decides about football. And we managed to face any threat, as football people decided on football in Albania. This difficult period showed once again that we have built a really serious institution that managed to cope with the endless attacks that happened to it and at the same time continue to successfully realize the endless commitments that it has in its daily life.

7. I remember you always have as your motto, politics out of sports. Everyone remembers that in Congress, while the (then) UEFA lawyer Mr. Bell had stated that Kosovo could not join the European Confederation, you reacted and put the issue to a vote as it was done.

R/: I said it then and I say it again; the issue of Kosovo was not political at all. I have asked UEFA and its members not to deny football to the children of Kosovo. When the representative of Switzerland was complaining, after the recognition of Kosovo that 5 footballers could leave, I remember saying: “Half of the team of Albania can depart, but this does not mean that we should deny the children of this country the right to dream that one day they will play with their national team. I have done everything for Kosovo to be accepted in UEFA and FIFA and I am proud of that. Time has shown that it was a right decision and for the good of football. Today Kosovo is a beautiful reality on the map of European football and we must all support it on its journey to achieve the best European and world standards. If the opposite were to happen surely football would have lost many of the values ​​it encircles.

8. The final phase of the World Cup is approaching, and yet due to Russia's intervention in Ukraine, we have seen the sports authorities effectively "punish" footballers and athletes in general by excluding their teams, clubs and national teams (Russia)

R/: It is a situation that none of us would want. First of all, because peace is very important for all of us and especially for the future of our children. We should all think about this, but especially politicians, who have a lot in hand and should orient the world towards peace. At the last Assembly, we passed a Resolution condemning Russian military intervention in Ukraine and calling for peace. We hope that this situation ends as soon as possible, and that everything returns to normal. Even in football.

9. Is it expected that this conflict will end soon and in the next season we will see the Russian teams again in the European competitions?

R/: Firstly, we wish that the armed conflict ends as soon as possible. The voice of reason must triumph and it is important that the world needs peace and that is a very important thing. After the experiences we endured during this period with tight measures due to the pandemic caused by COVID 19, the planet needs more peace and harmony. The population of the world needs to be as happy as possible and to look with optimism from the future. For all these humane reasons I mentioned above, the war must be stopped. Of course, sports reasons come later and I very much hope that everything returns back to normal in football.

10. Your country, after your great efforts, undertook to host the final of the Europa Conference League of this newly established event. But ëe read that there is a possibility that they ëill remove the final one for you. This is true, because on behalf of UEFA, at least no one has officially mentioned this issue.

R/: We have worked hard, for years, to achieve the final in Tirana. A dedicated staff of AFA has worked to complete the documentation procedure at a professional level. Also, a large part of the AFA staff is cooperating closely with the organizers to achieve the maximum, so that this final is not only a perfection of the way of organization but to give a better image, not only for Tirana but for everyone in Albania. I strongly believe that all this work so far will not go to waste, hoping to cooperate with all structures of the Albanian state to be as praised as possible as a country and as a structure.

11. In November, for the first time in the history of the World Cup, a country from the Middle East and more specifically the small but beautiful Qatar ëill host the top sporting event of 2022. What should we expect this great event and of course the Qatar…

R/: What I can say right away is that very nice surprises will await us seeing that Qatar has used the most modern technology in the sports facilities it has built, offering great innovations on the eve of this World Cup. These things, which the human mind may find difficult to imagine, are normal. Some of them, we discovered during the participation in the FIFA Congress, held in Doha and during the draw for the finals of this World Cup.

Technically, it is important to look for the first time in history, a World Cup that takes place in winter, like never before. It will be a new experience not only for the representative teams and players but also for the national championships in many countries, which will be interrupted and compress the calendar like never before. This will also serve us to evaluate future projects related to with European and world calendars and competitions. We will all learn from this experience, having a valuable experience in coping with other cases in the future.

12. We see that FIFA wants the final phase of the World Cup to be organized every 2 years. Do you agree with this action?

R/: This is a broad topic, which like everything new always has "pros" and "cons". I think it is important that everything serves the good of football, the quality of the game and the interests of the players, coaches and staff. I want to emphasize that a World Cup every two years can greatly damage football bringing him irreparable damage. This is not the time for tryouts and no one will have to experiment at the expense of football.

13. What are your future plans for this 6th term of the UEFA presidency?

R/: We have unveiled them, through the four-year strategy "Football for the Nation", which we launched a few weeks ago. It is a genuine research work, the fruit of numerous researches, analyzes and calculations that the working group has done on this occasion. Through it, we are clear on where we intend to go during this period, setting priorities. The two most important topics are women's football and children's football. We need to take other qualitative steps in their development.

Of course, without giving up on improving the infrastructure, to create the best possible conditions for the training of the next generation. The strategy is also clear for the national teams or for the work done in relation to the education not only of the coaching staff through the courses but also continuing with other professions such as sports doctor, physiotherapists, athletic trainers and even video analysts, without giving up social responsibilities and assistance to certain strata. We believe that we are a great driving force for the Albanian society and our work will have an impact on the entire football body and not only Albanians. I am confident that with work, as we have shown in the past, we will achieve everything and Albanian football will continue its growing journey.