Podcast: Football in Stalinist Albania

My guest is Phil Harrison, who discusses his new book, Inside the Hermit Kingdom: Football Stories from Stalinist Albania.

We cover:

Origin of Football in Albania: Football was introduced to Albania in 1908 by a Maltese cleric who founded a team in the city of Shkodra, known as the cradle of Albanian civilisation.

Development of Albanian Football Clubs: The first official sports clubs in Albania emerged around 1930, with the establishment of a football association. Notable early teams include KF Tirana and teams from other cities following Shkodra’s lead.

Influence of Italian Football: During the interwar period, Albanian football was significantly influenced by Italy. Many Albanian players, including stars from SK Tirana, moved to play in Italy, contributing notably to teams like Roma and Juventus.

Impact of World War II: Despite the ongoing war, football continued in Italy, with Albanian players participating prominently. The connection between Albania and Italy deepened when Mussolini invaded Albania in 1939.

Stalinist Influence on Football: After World War II, under Stalinist influence, football clubs in Albania were used as propaganda tools by the communist regime, renaming clubs to reflect socialist ideals and using them to promote the government’s agenda.

Control and Repression: The communist regime exerted control over football by manipulating club names and memberships, and by repressing figures like Selman Stërmasi, a former benefactor and coach, who was later sent to perform hard labor until his death.

Dominance of State-Controlled Teams: During the Cold War, teams like Partizani Tirana (military) and Dinamo Tirana (secret police) dominated Albanian football by forcibly recruiting the best players from other teams under the guise of national service.

Post-Communism Changes: After the fall of communism in 1990, Albanian football clubs reverted to their original names, and the sport began to open up to commercial influences, though this transition was often marred by corruption and economic instability.

Modern Era and Challenges: The discussion also touches on the current state of football in Albania and the ongoing challenges faced by the sport, including the lack of development and lingering effects of past regimes on club management and national team performance.

Disclosure: Phil and I share a publisher in Pitch Publishing.

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