Alban Dragusha

Alban Dragusha
Personal information
Date of birth (1981-12-11) 11 December 1981
Place of birth Prugoc, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Position Centre-back
Team information
Current team
 Prishtina (manager)
Youth career
1990–1998 2 Korriku
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1998–2003 KEK-u
2003–2004 Kosova Prishtinë
2004–2005 Vorskla-2 Poltava 5 (0)
2005 Baku 24 (2)
2005–2008 Besa Kavajë 52 (2)
2008–2009 Trepça 21 (0)
2009–2010 Besa Kavajë 26 (2)
2010–2011 Skënderbeu 13 (0)
2011–2012 Kalmar 0 (0)
2012 Besa Kavajë 10 (0)
2012–2015 Vushtrria
2015–2016 Hajvalia 10 (0)
2016–2017 Drita 23 (1)
2017–2018 Vëllaznimi 18 (1)
Managerial career
2019 KEK-u
2019–2022 Drita (assistant)
2022–2023 Vushtrria
2023–2026 Ramiz Sadiku
2026– Prishtina
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Alban Dragusha (born 11 December 1981) is a Kosovar professional football manager and former player who is the current manager of Kosovo Superleague team Prishtina.

Club career

Dragusha started his senior career with KEK-u in 1998, progressing from the club's youth system after several years at 2 Korriku. He spent five seasons with KEK-u, establishing himself as a centre-back before moving to Kosova Prishtinë for the 2003–04 season.

In 2004, he moved abroad for the first time, signing with Ukrainian side Vorskla-2 Poltava,[2] where he made five league appearances. The following year, he joined Azerbaijani club Baku, making 24 appearances and scoring two goals during his time there.

Later in 2005, Dragusha transferred to Albanian club Besa Kavajë, where he enjoyed a more extended spell. Between 2005 and 2008, he made 52 appearances and scored two goals, becoming a regular member of the squad.[3] In 2008, he returned to Kosovo to play for Trepça, where he made 21 appearances during the 2008–09 season, following a two-year suspension incurred while at Besa Kavajë after a doping violation,[4] in a 2007–08 UEFA Cup first qualifying round match against Serbian side Bežanija on 19 July 2007.[5]

Dragusha rejoined Besa Kavajë in 2009 for a second spell, making 26 appearances and scoring two goals in the 2009–10 season,[3] when the club won the Albanian Cup. He then signed with Skënderbeu in 2010, where he made 13 appearances.

On 27 January 2011, Dragusha moved to Sweden to join Kalmar,[6] although he did not make any official first-team appearances during his time at the club. In 2012, he returned briefly to Besa Kavajë,[7] making 10 appearances before moving back to Kosovo.[3]

From 2012 to 2015, he played for Vushtrria, followed by shorter spells at Hajvalia (2015–16),[8] where he made 10 appearances, and Drita (2016–17), where he played 23 matches and scored one goal. He concluded his playing career with Vëllaznimi in the 2017–18 season,[9] making 18 appearances and scoring once before retiring.[10]

Managerial career

Dragusha began his managerial career in 2019 with KEK-u.[11] Later that same year, he was appointed assistant manager of Drita,[12] a role he held until 2022. During his time as part of the coaching staff, the club won the Kosovo Superleague in the 2019–20 season.[13]

On 17 June 2022, he was appointed head coach of Vushtrria,[14] leading the team for one season until 2023. He then took over as manager of Ramiz Sadiku,[15] remaining in charge from 2023 to 2026.

On 18 March 2026, Dragusha was appointed manager of Prishtina.[16]

Honours

Besa Kavajë (as player)
Drita (as assistant)

References

  1. ^ Alban Dragusha at WorldFootball.net
  2. ^ Alban Dragusha at UAF (in Ukrainian)
  3. ^ a b c Alban Dragusha at the Albanian Football Association (in Albanian and English)
  4. ^ "Dragusha given doping ban". UEFA. 28 August 2007.
  5. ^ "History: Bežanija 6–0 Besa". UEFA. 19 July 2007.
  6. ^ "Liridon och Alban" [Liridon and Alban] (in Swedish). Kalmar FF. 27 January 2011. Archived from the original on 8 February 2011.
  7. ^ "Besa, arma plus në Kukës është Dragusha" [Besa, the plus weapon in Kukës is Dragusha] (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 2 March 2012.
  8. ^ "Live prezantimi i lojtarëve Alban Dragusha dhe Arbër Prekazi, Trajneri Ismet Munishi dhe ndimësi i tijë Emin Bajrami" [Live presentation of players Alban Dragusha and Arbër Prekazi, Coach Ismet Munishi and his assistant Emin Bajrami]. Facebook (in Albanian). KF Hajvalia. 5 December 2014.[self-published]
  9. ^ "Vjen edhe Dragusha, Vëllaznimi nis përgatitjet intensive" [Dragusha is coming, Vëllaznimi begins intensive preparations]. RadioGjakova.info (in Albanian). 10 July 2017.
  10. ^ "The year where four legends of Kosovar football retired". Telegrafi. 1 January 2019.
  11. ^ "Alban Dragusha is the new coach of KEK". Telegrafi. 5 January 2019.
  12. ^ "Alban Dragusha returns to Drita, now in the role of assistant coach". Telegrafi. 11 July 2019.
  13. ^ "Gjilani-Ballkani mbyllet baras, Drita e siguron titullin e kampionit" [Gjilani-Ballkani ends in a draw, Drita secures the championship title] (in Albanian). Football Superleague of Kosovo. 22 July 2020.
  14. ^ "Zyrtare: Alban Dragusha trajner i Vushtrrisë" [Official: Alban Dragusha coach of Vushtrria]. Demokracia.com (in Albanian). 17 June 2022.
  15. ^ "Dragusha emërohet trajner i Ramiz Sadikut" [Dragusha appointed Ramiz Sadiku's coach] (in Albanian). Epoka e Re. 5 June 2023.
  16. ^ "Alban Dragusha është emëruar trajneri i ri i skuadrës sonë" [Alban Dragusha has been appointed the new coach of our team] (in Albanian). FC Prishtina. 18 March 2026.
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