Albania’s national team coach, Rolando Maran, spoke to the media on the eve of the match against Finland, where the Reds aim to respond after their defeat in Helsinki. The Italian coach talked about the team’s mentality, the responsibility the group must take on, the philosophy of play, and the importance of fan support at the “National Arena”.
Maran stressed that his message has been understood by the players, underlining that Albania must enter the pitch with clear objectives: to score and not to concede. According to him, the first match against Finland was decided by individual episodes, while the team had the chances to score more.
“The question of mentality? This is something we understood immediately after the match with San Marino. There is no doubt that the message has also been received by the team. The match could have been closed earlier with more goals. The team feels the responsibility.
We will go onto the pitch to score and not to concede. The match with San Marino put this process we are working on into doubt. The match with Finland showed that we scored quickly and could have scored more, but it was decided by episodes. The team is aware of what it must do. I hope we transmit it tomorrow”, Maran said.
The Italian coach also dwelt on the character of the Albanian people, describing determination and a sense of responsibility as two elements he wants to convey to the national team players as well.
“What I have noticed in Albania is the desire to be determined. The Albanian people have this characteristic and it must be passed on to the team. Likewise, the sense of responsibility is what is needed and we have it”, he stated.
Another aspect that Maran is trying to get to know more closely is Albanian football. The coach revealed that he is also following players who play in the domestic league, considering this a duty for the coach of a national team.
“In fact I am trying to get to know the players of this league too. It is the coach’s duty to understand the football of the country. I think this is what the coach of a national team should do. This is my way of respecting the league”, Maran emphasised.
Finally, the Reds’ coach also spoke about the importance of motivation and of the support expected from fans in the stadium. For him, the most important thing is that every footballer leaves the pitch convinced that he has given his maximum, regardless of the result.
“I think the main element is for the players to be motivated by the stadium. Each of the players must have something specific, without a burden on their conscience, with the feeling that they gave everything on the pitch. The result is unknown, but what matters is that we give everything”, the Albania coach concluded.