Franco Foda remains team boss: Kosovo survives swap rumors!

Franco Foda remains team boss: Kosovo survives swap rumors!

Franco Foda remains team leader of the Kosovar national team, despite tempting offers from the United Arab Emirates. Previously, the 59-year-old coach was associated with a move to Club Al-Wahda, where he was traded as a new technical director. Foda, however, rejected a lucrative offer and confirmed his wish to promote the development of his team after having held a conversation with the association leader Agim Ademi in Austria. Ademi explained that it was a normal conversation about the upcoming games and Foda never indicated that he was going, which also calmed down the fans who see him as a key person in their historical qualification process.

With an impressive point cut of 2.08, Foda has led the Kosovar team to a remarkable course. Under his leadership, the team plans to first qualify for the B-Liga of the Nations League and then secure participation in the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada. Foda emphasizes how honorable it is to be able to work again for a country as a national coach and strives to become group first in the Nations League. The goal is clear: a successful qualification for the big tournament.

foda’s success story

foda brings a rich experience from European football. The coach was last from September 2022 until his return to Kosovo after working as a team leader in Austria for over four years. Under his leadership, Austria reached the round of 16 at the 2021 European Championship after defeating Northern Macedonia and Ukraine in the group phase. Despite a narrow defeat against Italy in the next round, Foda was able to gain valuable experience that he now wants to bring into his work with Kosovo.

Foda's career began as a player where he celebrated success with Sturm Graz and took part in the Champions League three times. He won two championship titles and later also led the team to the title as a coach. Foda can look back on a total of 321 Bundesliga games in which he scored 20 goals and gave 14 templates. He is also a two-time DFB Cup winner, which underlines his extensive competence.

The future of Kosovo

Negotiations with Al-Wahda reflect the club's ambitions to re-position themselves on the international stage. After several difficult seasons, the club is looking for an experienced trainer who brings a breath of fresh air. The league sees Foda a man who can bring about the necessary changes. However, Agim Ademi, the President of the Kosovar Football Association, emphasized that no official announcement about Foda's departure has received regarding the team's financial and strategic situation in this decisive phase of qualification.

Overall, football in Kosovo flourishes thanks to Foda's leadership, which channel the passion and ambition of the team in order to achieve the goals for the coming years. While the talks about Al-Wahda continue, it remains to be seen which decisions are made, but fans and officials agree: Foda is a central player in the mission to bring the national team to a new bloom.

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