UEFA.com, 31 October 2003

Tirana job for Josa

Mirel Josa is the new coach of Albanian First Division club FK Tirana, replacing Sulejman Mema who resigned last week.

Win or bust
Josa, a former Tirana and Albania player who served as assistant to former national coach Sulejman Demollari, takes charge in time for Saturday's league game against KS Lushnja. He said: "Tirana are obliged to win everything in Albania and my job will be to achieve that."

Tirana in fourth
His predecessor Mema stepped down after a run of four matches without a win. Tirana, 20-times national champions, currently occupy fourth place in the table.

UEFA.com, 27 October 2003

Winless streak costs Mema

Sulejman Mema has resigned as KF Tirana coach after the Albanian champions failed to win for the fourth successive match at the weekend.

Champions League outings
A former coach of Albania's Under-21 team, Mema took charge of Tirana in June, shortly after the capital club claimed their 20th title. He guided them to a UEFA Champions League first qualifying round victory against Georgia's FC Dinamo Tbilisi before elimination at the next stage by Grazer AK of Austria.

Perfect start
Tirana also enjoyed an excellent start to their domestic campaign, winning their first five games before slipping to fourth position following defeats by FK Partizani and KS Teuta and goalless draws against KS Dinamo Tirana and, on Saturday, KS Elbasani. Mema said after the latter draw: "We have very good players and it is unacceptable that we have not won in four matches. Maybe I am not good enough to lead this team."

Bozhani quits
Mema's resignation means eight of Albania's ten top-flight clubs have changed coaches this season. That figure was temporarily boosted at half-time on Saturday when KS Flamurtari's Ardi Bozhani announced live on Radio Tirana that he was standing down with his side 3-0 down against Dinamo. However, club president Shkklqim Selami talked Bozhani into changing his mind and he was back on the bench for the second half.