FC Besa Peja

Besa Peja

Full name	Football Club Besa Peja (Klubi Futbollistik Besa Peja)
Nickname(s)	Besa Boys (Djemtë e Besës)
Founded	1923;101 years ago (1923) as Behari i Ri 4 December 2023;9 months ago (2023-12-04) (current form)
Ground	Shahin Haxhiislami Stadium
President	vacant
Manager	vacant
League	Kosovo First League
2022–23 (last)	Kosovo Second League, 16th of 16 (relegated)
Home colours Away colours

Football Club Besa Peja (Albanian : Klubi Futbollistik Besa Peja) is a football club based in Peja, Kosovo. Their home ground is Shahin Haxhiislami and they compete in the Second Football League of Kosovo. The club went defunct after having lots of financial problems and not being able to climb up the Kosovo football league system, but were refounded the following year after a merger with another club, thus adopting a new name, new colors for the club and a new crest. ^[1]

History

Early history (1923–1945)

The current club is considered to be the successor of a number of different football and sports clubs that had been active in the city of Peja since 1923, with the first being Behari i Ri who were the original club that today's FC Besa Peja is based on. In 1924 another club named Gajret Pejë was formed, but ended disbanded soon after. Other clubs that were also formed in Peja at the time were Zeleni Venac in 1925, Tarabosh in 1927, Dukagjini Pejë in 1928, Radnički Peć in 1930, Budućnost Peć in 1935 and Ardhmëria Pejë who were active between 1941 and 1945.

Between 1923 and World War II, the different clubs representing the city of Peja competed only in friendly tournaments as none of the clubs were members of the Belgrade Football Subassociation. A club representing the city competed in the 1942 Albanian Superliga, but the war period championships that were held in Albania are not recognised by the Albanian Football Association. ^[2]

Development of football (1945–1991)

Following the end of World War II, football in Peja and the rest of the Kosovo region became more prominent and this was in no part due to the rise in tournaments and championships that were held regularly. The most dominant club of the post war era was Yugoslav backed FK Budućnost Peć, but other clubs were also active including Përparimi Pejë, who only functioned between 1949 and 1951. Other clubs active after World War II included Kombinati i Drurit, Klubi Kristal, who were active between 1973 and 1990. Another club that was formed in the 1970s was Klubi Kombinatit Bujqësor Industrial, a club heavily involved in the agricultural business at the time. In 1974 the first club to be called Besa was formed, which is where the current name of the club comes from, which is an Albanian cultural precept meaning "faith" and "to keep a promise". Other clubs were formed to represent the different professions in the city at the time, including Klubi Fabrikës së Autopjesëve of the automobile parts factory, Klubi Kombinatit të Lëkur-Këpucëve of the leather and footwear factory and Kosovatransi Klubi Ndërrmarjes Transportuese Të Udhëtarëve of the shipyard passenger transport profession.

End of Yugoslavia (1991–1998)

There was widespread ethnic tension in Yugoslavia in the 1990s. The three main clubs that were left in Peja at the time, Besa, Budućnost and Kristal, held a joint assembly early in 1991 and decided to merge the clubs in order to create what is now known as FC Besa Peja that was to compete in the independent League of Kosovo that was organised by the Football Federation of Kosovo, which was out of the Yugoslav football league system. This parallel competitions were of poor standard and were limited to matches played in remote villages on fields rather since the stadiums were still property of the clubs which were competing in the Yugoslav leagues. Until 1996 the Kosovo Superleague was held in four different groups, whose winners would then face each other in a playoff to determine the champions, but in 1996 the original league format was restored. The 1997–98 Kosovo Superleague was interrupted due to the start of the Kosovo War while KF Besa was top of the league.

Post war rebuilding (1999–2003)

The Kosovo War devastated the country, including Peja, and sports activities were put on hold in 1999. Football, much like most things in Kosovo, had to restart once again and the development of FC Besa Peja was slow as the club began to rebuild from 1999. The club relied on donors from the city, and the main donor of the post war period was Birra Peja and the brewery, who became the club's main financier in July 2003.

Honours

Kosovo Superleague

• Winners (3): 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07

Kosovar Cup

• Winners (3): 2005–06, 2010–11, 2016–17

Kosovar Supercup

• Winners (1): 2004–05

Players

For a list of all former and current FC Besa Peja players with a Wikipedia article, see Category:SC Besa Pejë players.

Current squad

As of 6 February 2021 ^[3]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK   KOS Agron Kolaj 2 DF   ENG Guri Hana 3 DF   KOS Valton Ibrahimi 5 DF   KOS Ardi Ajdini 6 FW   KOS Gentrit Salihu 7 MF   KOS Erjon Morina 8 MF   ALB Diellor Beseni 9 FW   KOS Ardit Tahiri 10 MF   KOS Donart Sheqerolli(captain) 11 FW   KOS Bekim Maliqi 13 MF   MTN Ethmane M'Heimar 15 MF   KOS Diar Halili 16 GK   KOS Kreshnik Nreca

No. Pos. Nation Player 17 MF   KOS Festim Haxhiu 18 DF   MNE Blažo Rajović 19 MF   KOS Ardi Qorri(on loan from Feronikeli) 21 MF   KOS Ron Raçi 22 FW   KOS Dren Idrizi 27 DF   MTN Bilal Taghiyoullah 26 FW   KOS Redon Syla 30 MF   KOS Etnik Brruti 33 FW   KOS Dhurim Zhuri(on loan from Prishtina) 34 DF   ALB Agon Xhaka(on loan from Prishtina) 36 FW   MTN Ahmed Salem M'bareck 37 MF   KOS Boiken Shala 40 GK   KOS Visar Haxhijaj

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 4 DF   KOS Andi Alshiqi(at Ramiz Sadiku until 30 June 2021) — MF   KOS Arbër Maznikolli(at Onix Banjë until 30 June 2021)

Personnel

Current technical staff
Position	Name
Head coach	Leotrim Krasniqi
Assistant coach(es)	Fisnik Papuçi
Conditioning coach	Tahar Ben-Romdhane
Goalkeeping coach	Valmir Bytyqi
Scout	Fetim Kasapi
Physiotherapist	Fatlind Maraj
Board members
Office	Name
President	Ylli Kullashi
Advisor	Dritëro Daci

List of managers

• Valdet Shoshi (2004–2005) ^[4]
• Genc Hoxha (2005–2007)
• Miftar Rama (2013)
• Arbnor Morina (27 Aug 2014–7 Apr 2016) ^[5]
• Ilir Nallbani (Apr 2016–May 2016) (caretaker)
• Gani Sejdiu (23 May 2016–Mar 2017) ^[6]
• Astrit Imami (13 Mar 2017–Jul 2017) ^[7]
• Valdet Shoshi (27 Jul 2017–May 2018) ^[8]
• Ismet Munishi (25 May 2018–14 Sep 2018) ^[9]
• Miftar Rama (2019–)

References

1. "SC Besa nis prej Ligës së Parë". 25 May 2024. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
2. Copy of Besnik Dizdari Historia e Kampionatëve të Shqipërise. Vol. III: Vitet 1939–’42 Ombra GVG, Tiranë, 2004, p. 150 Archived 2013-09-22 at the Wayback Machine at sktirana.com (in Albanian)
3. "Besa "zbulon fytyrën" për edicionin e ri, klubi vjen me… gjithçka të re!" [Besa "reveals the face" for the new edition, the club comes with… everything new!]. GazetaOlle (in Albanian). 19 September 2020.^{[ permanent dead link ]}
4. Trajnerët më të suksesshëm në Kosovë, prin Afrim Tovërlani - Gazeta Express (in Albanian)
5. Besa angazhon Morinën e jo Tovërlanin - Telegrafi (in Albanian)
6. Gani Sejdiu emërohet trajner i Besës - Telegrafi (in Albanian)
7. Pas largimit të Sejdiut, Besa emëron trajnerin e ri - Telegrafi (in Albanian)
8. Besa zyrtarizon si trajner Valdet Shoshin - Telegrafi (in Albanian)
9. Ismet Munishi, trajner i Besës së Pejës në Ligën e Parë - Telegrafi (in Albanian)

External links

• (in Albanian) KF Besa official website