Mirel Josa

Mirel Josa

Personal information
Full name	Mirel Josa
Date of birth	(1963-06-01) 1 June 1963
Place of birth	Tirana, Albania
Height
Position(s)	Midfielder
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1980–1990	Tirana	100	(22)
1990–1991	Nea Kavala	20	(1)
1991–1992	Aris	17	(1)
1996-1997	ILTEX Lykoi	?	(?)
International career
1984–1992	Albania	27	(1)
Managerial career
2003–2007	Tirana
2007–2008	Vllaznia Shkodër
2008–2009	Elbasani
2009–2010	Teuta Durrës
2010–2011	Shkumbini Peqin
2011–2012	Vllaznia Shkodër
2012–	Skënderbeu Korçë
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Mirel Josa (born 1 June 1963) is an Albanian football coach and former player, who currently works as head coach of KF Skënderbeu Korçë. As a player, he played in the Greek Alpha Ethniki for Nea Kavala and Aris, as well as making 27 international appearances for the Albania national football team between 1984 and 1992.

Club career

Josa started his club career with his boyhood club Tirana where he would play for ten years. He will be long remembered by the fans for his last-minute goal against the Romanian side Dinamo București in the 1986–87 edition of European Cup Winners' Cup, which brought his team in the best 16 of the competition, where they got eliminated by Malmö.

Later, Josa left the country for the first time and moved aboard, signing with the Greek Nea Kavala. There, he played only in the 1991–92 season, recording 20 appearances and one goal, leaving the team at the end of the team. For the next season, Josa remained in Greece where he signed a one-year contract with Aris. He played only one season with the club, just like he did with Nea Kavala. He ended his playing career with ILTEX Lykoi after the end of 1996–96 season.

International career

In his youth years Josa distinguished himself both as a defensive and attacking midfielder. During the 1982 UEFA European Under-18 Championship, played in Finland, Josa managed to score a goal against Netherlands, in a 1–3 loss, which disqualified Netherlands, where Marco van Basten was present.

During the 1984 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship his goal made Albania draw against West Germany in Trier, and was a determining factor in qualifying Albania in the quarter-finals of the championship, eliminating West Germany, Turkey, and Austria. After that game Josa was awarded the Master of Sports title.

In the national team during the qualifiers of Mexico 1986 campaign he scored the first goal in the winning game of Albania against Belgium.

Managerial career

Vllaznia Shkodër

On 26 October 2010, Josa become the new coach of Vllaznia Shkodër, replacing the Montenegrin coach Mojas Radonjic who was sacked following a run of negative results. He returned for the first time in the club since 2008. He was presented to the media in the very same day.

Skënderbeu Korçë

On 4 August 2012, Josa was unveiled as the new coach of Skënderbeu Korçë ahead of 2012–13 season.

On 18 May 2016, after winning the club's six consecutive league title and his fouth personal, Josa become the most successfull coach in the history of Albanian football.

Persona life

Josa is the son-in-law of Shyqyri Rreli, former Albania coach.

Honours

Player

Tirana

• Albanian Superliga (4): 1981–82, 1984–85, 1987–88, 1988–89
• Albanian Cup (3): 1982–83, 1983–84, 1985–86

Manager

Tirana

• Albanian Superliga (1): 2003–04

Skënderbeu Korçë

• Albanian Superliga (4): 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16
• Albanian Supercup (2): 2013, 2014

External links

• Profile at Soccerway