Zamir Shpuza

Zamir Shpuza
Personal information
Full name Zamir Shpuza
Date of birth (1968-06-26)26 June 1968
Place of birth Shkodër, Albania
Date of death 10 January 2014(2014-01-10) (aged 45)
Place of death Speyer, Germany
Playing position Defender
Youth career
19xx–1988 Vllaznia Shkodër
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1988–19xx Vllaznia Shkodër
Veleçiku Koplik
19xx–1991 Partizani Tirana
1991 Budućnost Podgorica 8 (0)
1992–1994 Vllaznia Shkodër
1994–1995 FV Speyer
1995–1996 Waldhof Mannheim 0 (0)
2000–2007 FV Speyer
National team
Albania U21
Albania Olympic
1991–1997 Albania 5 (0)
Teams managed
2000–2007 FV Speyer
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Zamir Shpuza (26 June 1968–10 January 2014) was an Albanian international football player and coach.[1]

Club career

Born and raised in a traditional family from Shkodër, Shpuza was noticed on the U19 team of KF Vllaznia Shkodër, debuting for the senior squad in the season 1988–89.[2] At that time Albania was still ruled by a communist regime, and in a secret meeting of the local communist party committee, Zamir and his brother Luan who was playing for Vllaznia U17 team, were expelled from the team as party enemies because their uncles were considered undesired by the party. Their uncle was caught illegally crossing the border and then labeled as "traitor". Zamir and his brother didn't give up football, and joined FK Veleçiku from Koplik.[2] Soon after, democratic transition began in Albania, and Zamir and Luan joined democratic and anti-communist moviments in Shkodër. They joined the Democratic Party. Coaches Astrit Hafiz and Neptun Bojka took Zamir to the capital to join Albanian giants FK Partizani Tirana.[2] He had the opportunity to show his exceptional talent there, and was rewarded with first calls to Albanian national U21 and Olympic teams.[2]

In 1991 he moved to the Yugoslav side FK Budućnost Podgorica along his compatriot Ramiz Bisha.[2] He played in the 1991–92 Yugoslav First League.[3] and became known as "Albanian Belodedici".[2] In 1992 he returned to Albania, joining KF Vllaznia Shkodër and winning the Albanian championship in 1992.[4] In 1994, he moved to Speyer, Germany, asking for asylum, where is a large Albanian community.[2] There he joined local side FV Speyer.[2] In the 1995–96 season he played with 2. Bundesliga side SV Waldhof Mannheim but failed to make any league appearance.[5] Between 2000 and 2007 he was a player-coach of FV Speyer.[6]

International career

He played for Albanian national U21 and Olympic teams before debuting for the main team in 1991.[2] He was capped 5 times with Albania in 1991 and 1997.[7]

Personal life

Shpuza died in Germany on January 2014 from sudden brain hemorrage.[4] He had a wife and two children.[1]

Honours

Vllaznia

References

  1. 1 2 "Ndahet nga jeta ish-futbollisti i kombëtares, shkodrani Zamir Shpuza". www.panorama.com.al (in Albanian). 11 January 2014. Retrieved 2018-02-07.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Nderroi Jetë Në Speyer Të Gjermanisë Zamir Shpuza at zemrashqiptare.net, 13-1-2014, retrieved 7-2-2018 (in Albanian)
  3. ↑ Tempo almanah pag. 24
  4. 1 2 Ndërron jetë në Gjermani Zamir Shpuza at squiptarja.com, 10-1-2014, retrieved 7-2-2018 (in Albanian)
  5. ↑ Zamir Shpuza at SV Wandhof Mannheim official website
  6. ↑ Zamir Shpuza at Worldfootball
  7. ↑ Zamir Shpuza at National-Football-Teams.com
  8. ↑ Albania - Championship Winning Teams at RSSSF.com

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