Erjon Vuçaj

Erjon Vucaj
Personal information
Full nameErjon Vuçaj
Date of birth25 December 1990
Place of birthShkodër, Albania
Height1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)[1]
Playing positionMidfielder
Club information
Current team
Flamurtari Vlorë
Youth career
2005-2008Vllaznia Shkodër
2008-2009Manhattan Panthers
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2007-2008Vllaznia Shkodër1(0)
2009–2014KF Laçi110(19)
2014–Flamurtari Vlorë6(0)
National team‡
2008–2009Albania U191(0)
2009Albania U202(0)
2009–2012Albania U218(0)
2012–2013Albania0(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 27 September 2014.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 15 August 2012

Erjon Vuçaj (born 25 December 1990 in Shkodër, Albania) is an Albanian footballer who currently plays as a midfielder for KF Laçi in the Albanian Superliga.[2] Grown up as a player at Vllaznia Shkodër, he has spent three years at KF Laçi, proving to be a pivotal player for this team's midfield and notably bringing the team to the qualifiers of the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League. In July 2012 he was loaned to Skënderbeu for their UEFA Champions League qualification campaign, and in August 2012 he received a call from coach Gianni de Biasi to be part of Albania in their friendly against Moldova. He received second place, after winner Bekim Bala, of an individual prestigious prize given from the sports association "Sporti na bashkon" to the best football talents of the Superliga's 2011–12 season. At the beginning of the 2012–13 season KF Laçi's coach promoted Vuçaj to team captain, which made him the youngest captain of the Superliga.

Career

Vllaznia Shkodër

Vuçaj began his career at his local club Vllaznia Shkodër as a youth, where he was eventually promoted to the senior team by the coach Mirel Josa during the 2007-08 season. Josa handed Vuçaj his professional debut on 14 May 2008, during the penultimate game of the season against Dinamo Tirana. Vuçaj came on at half time in a match which ended in a 3-0 defeat for Vuçaj's side. That game proved to be his first and only league appearance for Vllaznia.[3] Mirel Josa left the club right before the 2008-09 season, with Agim Canaj taking over as manager. The change of coach made it difficult for Vuçaj to break into the first team. His only appearances during the entire 2008-09 season came in both legs of the Albanian Cup first round against KS Sopoti Librazhd, which Vllaznia won 8-1 on aggregate.[4][5] At the end of the season Vuçaj refused to sign a new three-year contract at the club when his current deal ended in one year on 30 August 2010.[6] He was not included in the club's mini pre-season training plans and was eventually given permission from the directors to leave the club.

KF Laçi

Vuçaj spent the following three seasons (2009-10, 2010-11, and 2011–12) at KF Laçi during which he logged 69 presences and scored 5 goals. In the first season with KF Laçi he contributed to an unexpected historical qualification of KF Laçi to the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League, being fourth. In the 2010-11 season, KF Laçi was again fourth in the Superliga, but failed to qualify for the Europa League, whereas in the 2011–12 season KF Laçi came 8th within the 14 teams of Superliga. During this season Vuçaj left his mark especially in a game against his former home team, Vllaznia, when he was declared the best player of the match. In that game Vuçaj scored the decisive goal and was confirmed as the decisive leader of his team.[7]

At the end of the 2011-12 season, Vuçaj received the second prize dedicated to the best football talents of Albania for 2011-12 from the sports association "Sporti na bashkon", the first prize being awarded to Bekim Bala.[8]

In July 2012 Vuçaj joined the Superliga champions Skënderbeu as a loan for their UEFA Champions League qualification campaign. He went on trial at their summer training camp in Austria, and coach Stanislav Levý was impressed after seeing him in two consecutive friendlies against FC Torpedo Kutaisi and FC Vaslui. This led to an agreement struck between KF Laçi and Skënderbeu to allow Vuçaj to be sent out loan for the European qualification campaign.[9]

In the beginning of the 2012–13 season, it was reported that Vuçaj became the captain of KF Laçi, which is going to make him the youngest player in the Superliga with the honor of captaining a team.[10]

International career

Vuçaj received his first senior international call-up from Albania's coach, Gianni De Biasi for a friendly of against Moldova on 15 August 2012.[11][12] In an interview to the Panorama magazine, Vuçaj said that he was extremely happy about De Biasi's call.[13] He was an unused substitute in the goalless draw.[14]

References

  1. ↑ "Erjon Vucaj". FSHF. FSHF. Retrieved 23 August 2012.
  2. ↑ "Erjon Vuçaj Football Database profile". Football Database. Retrieved 2010-05-30.
  3. ↑ Vllaznia 0-3 Dinamo
  4. ↑ Sopoti 0-4 Vllaznia
  5. ↑ Vllaznia 4-1 Sopoti
  6. ↑ "Vila firmos për Dinamon e Zagrebit". Shkodra online. 6 June 2010. Një nga lojtarët e rinj, Erion Vuçaj, pjesë e ekipit tonë Shpresa nuk është marrë në minifazën përgatitore të ekipit kuqeblu nga drejtuesit e klubit shkodranë. Sipas njërëzve pranë lojtarit mësohet se gjithçka ka lidhje me kërkesën e drejtuesve të klubit për të rinovuar kontratën përsëri me këtë lojtarë me një afat 3 vjeçar pikërisht kur kjo kontratë lojtarit i skadon me 30 gusht 2010[source needs translation]
  7. ↑ Hasani, Ardi (15 March 2012). "Ballina, Kategoria Superiore, Kupa e Shqiperise, Laci, Vllaznia — 15 Mars, 2012 11:17 Laçi u bëhet makth kuqebluve të Vatës, Vllaznia akuzon kryesorin Kridens Meta". Panorma Sport. Erjon Vucaj ishte lojtari më i mirë i ndeshjes së djeshme. Ai bëri “lëmsh” të gjithë mesfushën shkodrane dhe shënoi një gol deciziv për Laçin. 21-vjeçari, deri pak kohësh pjesë e Kombëtares U-21, ka disa takime që luan rolin e liderit te skuadra kurbinase[source needs translation]
  8. ↑ Manallari, Altin. "Bekim Bala fituesi i çmimit "Talenti më i mirë i sezonit për 2011-2012″". Rrjeti informativ shkodran.
  9. ↑ "Vuçaj, vetem per sfidat e Championsit me Skenderbeun". 22 June 2012.
  10. ↑ Nikolli, Mario (25 August 2012). "Laçi, kapiten është një i kombëtares". Sportekspres. p. 6.
  11. ↑ "De Biasi, tre surpriza në listën anti-Moldavi". Gazeta Tema. 11 August 2012.
  12. ↑ "De Biasi fton tre debutues me Moldavinë". Mesazhi. 11 August 2012.
  13. ↑ "Shqipëria nis grumbullimin me 5 kosovarë". 13 August 2012. talenti shkodran i Laçit, Erjon Vuçaj, është shprehur tejet i lumtur me ftesën e marrë nga Kombëtarja. “Është një ëndërr e çdo futbollisti, për të mbërritur në Kombëtare. Sigurisht, ndihem i emocionuar dhe i vlerësuar njëkohësisht. Përgjegjësitë rriten, ndaj kjo ftesë lë të shërbejë për të më mobilizuar edhe më tej në kryerjen e detyrave eventuale që do të më ngarkohen nga trajneri De Biasi”, ka deklaruar 21-vjeçari Vuçaj për gazetën tiranase “Panorama Sport”.[source needs translation]
  14. ↑ KRYEZIU, ABAZ. "Blek insats av Albanien i genrepet". Svenskafans.