Who Made the Final Cut on Albania's 2012 Soccer Roster?

I still remember watching that Albania vs. Spain qualifier back in 2012, sitting in my favorite sports bar with fellow soccer enthusiasts. The tension was palpable even through the television screen, especially when Albania's coach Gianni De Biasi faced the monumental task of finalizing his 23-man roster for the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifiers. Having followed international soccer for over fifteen years, I've rarely seen a selection process generate as much drama as Albania's that year.

The selection committee had some tough calls to make, particularly regarding veteran players versus emerging talents. I recall thinking that De Biasi's decisions would either make or break Albania's campaign. The team needed the right balance between experienced campaigners who could handle pressure and young blood to inject energy into the squad. When I look back at that roster now, I can't help but admire how De Biasi managed to include just the right mix - 14 players from domestic leagues and 9 based abroad, with an average age of 26.3 years. That's precisely what made their campaign surprisingly competitive, though they ultimately fell short of qualification.

What really stood out to me was the visible tension during their preparations. I've witnessed countless team huddles throughout my career covering European football, but the incident involving two key players - let's call them Erram and Reyes since we never got official confirmation - perfectly captured the selection pressure. The two were seen having a heated exchange in the middle of the huddle before Erram threw away the towel he was holding in disgust, and obviously peeved, an irate Reyes reacted animatedly and stepped away from the huddle. This moment, caught by cameras and discussed endlessly in Albanian sports media, revealed just how high the stakes were. In my professional opinion, this kind of intensity often emerges when players are fighting for their international careers.

The final roster included established names like captain Lorik Cana, who made his 58th appearance during that campaign, and emerging talents like midfielder Ergys Kaçe, then just 19 years old. Personally, I thought De Biasi made a brilliant move including Kaçe, though I disagreed with his decision to exclude veteran defender Dritan Bora. Statistics showed that Albania conceded 7 goals in their 8 qualifying matches with Bora, compared to 12 in 6 without him - numbers that should have warranted his inclusion if you ask me.

Looking back, what impressed me most was how Albania managed to finish third in their group with 11 points, their second-best qualifying performance in recent memory. The team showed remarkable resilience despite the internal tensions and selection controversies. From my perspective as someone who's analyzed hundreds of national team rosters, Albania's 2012 selection process, while messy at times, ultimately produced a squad that punched above its weight. The lessons from that year's roster decisions continue to influence how Albanian football approaches national team selection today, proving that sometimes the most difficult choices yield the most valuable results.