Jani Kaçi

Jani Kaçi (born 17 August 1952 in Korçë) is a retired Albanian professional footballer. He played in goal for Skënderbeu Korçë in the 70s and 80s as well as the Albania national team, earning himself 6 full senior caps. He is widely considered to be one of Skënderbeu Korçë's best ever goalkeepers.

Jani Kaçi
Personal information
Full name Jani Kaçi
Date of birth (1952-08-17) 17 August 1952
Place of birth Korçë, Albania
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position(s) Goalkeeper
Club information
Current team
 Skënderbeu
Goalkeeping coach
Youth career
1965–1969 Skënderbeu
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1969–1972 Skënderbeu
1972 Labinoti
1973–1975 Partizani
1976–1985 Skënderbeu
National team‡
1972–1976 Albania U-21 20 (0)
1976–1981 Albania 6 (0)
Teams managed
1985–1987 Skënderbeu (youth)
1987–1995 Skënderbeu
1996 Skënderbeu
1997–1999 Pindos
2000–2001 Gramozi
2001 Skënderbeu
2006–2007 Skënderbeu
2008–2009 Skënderbeu (goalkeeping)
2014– Skënderbeu (U-19)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 23 September 2011

Playing career

Club

Born in Korçë on 17 August 1952 to an ethnic Eastern Orthodox Albanian parents, Kaçi joined his local side Skënderbeu Korçë as a 13-year-old where he became a goalkeeper due to his height. He joined the under–19s in 1967, at the age of just 15, and made his senior debut just two years later in an Albanian Cup game against Besëlidhja Lezhë. In 1972, he interrupted his studies at the High Agricultural Institute of Korçë to complete his military service, with the home of joining the military side Partizani. He was sent to an artillery unit in Elbasan and forced to join Labinoti Elbasan instead as Partizani was on a tour of China at the time.[1] He played for Elbasan in 1972, when he was spotted by military commander Petrit Dume in a match against Partizani which Elbasani won 3–0; Dume then insisted in Partizani coach Loro Boriçi bringing him back to the club, which he subsequently joined in January 1973. He returned to Skënderbeu in January 1976 and quit football prematurely in 1985, aged 32, after the communist leaders in Korça harassed him due to his father being from Greek origin.[2] Also, he was accused of tearing apart a photo of communist leader Enver Hoxha while he was with Partizani.[1]

International

He made his debut for Albania in a November 1976 friendly match against Algeria and earned a total of 6 caps, scoring no goals. His final international was an April 1981 FIFA World Cup qualification match against West Germany.[3]

Managerial career

He has also managed Skënderbeu Korçë and won the 2006-07 Albanian First Division with the club.[4] In February 2010 he was named as assistant manager under Mirel Josa at Skënderbeu,[5] a position which he filled until the manager's departure at the end of the 2009–10 season. He has since returned to his post as the goalkeeping coach of Skënderbeu. In recent years he has also been goalkeeping coach of the Albania U-21 national team.

Honours

Managerial
Skënderbeu Korçë
  • Albanian First Division (1): 2006-07
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References
  1. Jani Kaçi, kolosi i portës korçare që u ndëshkua për fotografinë e… Enver Hoxhës (Bio) - Panorama (in Albanian)
  2. Jani Kaçi: Si lojtar më largoi politika, nga futbolli s’më largon … - Telegraf (in Albanian)
  3. "Player Database". eu-football.info. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
  4. "Jani Kaçi trajneri i ri i Skënderbeut" (in Albanian). Info Arkiv. 2 August 2006. Archived from the original on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  5. Kristo Zhidro (10 February 2010). "Jani Kaçi, ndihmesi i Joses tek Skenderbeu!" (in Albanian). Albania Soccer. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
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