Erbim Fagu

Erbim Fagu (born 15 April 1987) is an Albanian professional football coach and a former defender. He retired from football at the early age of 27 due to numerous injuries.^[1] After retiring from playing football Erbim Fagu started his career as a coach. His beginnings as a coach were in the Akademia Futbollit created by two former national team players Alban Bushi and Redi Jupi. During his journey to this academy, he grew professionally and won his first trophies as a coach. After two years in this academy, Erbim Fagu was transferred to one of the best football academies in Albania, Football Republic, which was created in 2018 by Redi Jupi, with whom they had worked together before in the Akademia e Futbollit. In three years Erbim Fagu won many trophies making this academy one of the most famous in Albania. In June 2021 Erbim Fagu signed a three-year contract with the team of Tirana. He was appointed as an assistant coach in the first team and head coach Tirana U-21. http://www.mcntv.al/2021/06/28/trajneri-34-vje-ar-rikthehet-te-tirana-em-rohet-n-stolin-e-bardhebluve This year he won the title of 26th champion with the first team. https://euronews.al/kryesore/2022/05/07/tirana-shpallet-kampione-pas-fitores-ne-derbi-me-partizanin/. After winning Kategoria Superiore with Tirana travels abroad to the Netherlands and continue his career there. Now he works as a head coach at Coerver Coaching Netherlands, one of the best academies which stands out for its training methodology for young players. He is also started working as a head coach in RKVV DEM U-14.

Fagu was signed by KF Elbasani in the summer of 2008 after agreeing on a fee believed to be around $120,000 with their fierce rivals KF Tirana. He signed for Dinamo Tirana after KF Elbasani were relegated after the 2008–09 season. Following the club's defeat and elimination from the Europa League, Fagu signed for Besa Kavajë and this year won the Albania Cup and runner-up in Albania Superliga. One year later, Fagu signed for Skenderbeu Korce and won the Albania Superliga four times in a row.

On 16 May 2011, the final day of the 2010–11 season, he suffered an injury causing distortive trauma in his left knee. He quickly traveled to Rome, Italy to see a specialist about the extent of the damage and then, on 28 May, had his knee operated on. Following the operation he continued regular physiotherapy which would enable him to begin training again in three months, but he was expected to not be able to play for at least another five months.^[2] Fagu made his long-awaited return on 12 November 2011 during the international break in a friendly against FK Renova.

In May 2012, Fagu was called up for the first time in senior team by the coach Gianni De Biasi for the friendly matches against Qatar and Iran.^[3]

He was a very versatile player. He was skillful from a technical standpoint, Fagu was a physically strong, consistent, aggressive, and hard-tackling defender, with an extremely high work rate; he also possessed a powerful shot, and quick reactions, as well as an excellent positional sense and good anticipation, which enabled him to excel in this position; in his prime, he was widely regarded as one of the best right back in Albania. He has played in defense, midfield, and as a forward, mainly on the right-hand side. During his time at Besa Kavajë, he mainly played as a right full-back but also in midfield. In Skënderbeu Korçë he plays right full-back.^[4]

KF Tirana

• Albanian Superliga (1): 2004–05
• Albanian Supercup (1): 2007

Besa Kavajë

• Albanian Cup (1): 2009–10

Skënderbeu Korçë

• Albanian Superliga (4): 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14
• Albanian Cup Runner–up (1): 2011–12
• Albanian Supercup (1): 2013

From 2015 to 2018, Fagu developed his coaching skills at Akademia Futbollit Academy, where he gained valuable experience. He then continued his journey at the Football Republic Redi Jupi Academy from 2018 to 2021, working with players aged 7 to 19, which allowed him to refine his approach to youth coaching. In 2021, Fagu made a significant step in his career by joining KF Tirana as the head coach of the under-21 team, while also taking on the role of assistant coach for the first team. This experience further enhanced his leadership skills and tactical knowledge. In 2022, Fagu relocated to the Netherlands, where he took on the role of head coach at Coerver Coaching Netherlands, an esteemed academy known for its innovative training methodology for young athletes. He also coached the RKVV DEM under-14 team for half a season during the 2023-2024 period, which added to his diverse coaching portfolio. In January, he returned to KF Tirana as the head coach, leading the team to qualify for the Europa Conference League, showcasing his ability to drive teams to success. After this exciting chapter in Albania, Fagu returned to the Netherlands, where he is currently applying his expertise at the ADO Den Haag Academy, ready to inspire the next generation of players as the season gets underway. ^[5]

•AKADEMIA FUTBOLLIT

• Tirana Regional Champions U-15 (2016–2017)
• Albania Champions U-15 (2016–2017)
• Tirana Regional Champions U-13 (2015–2016)

•FOOTBALL REPUBLIC

• South Albanian Champions First Category U-17 (2018–2019)
• Albania Champions First Category U-17 (2018–2019)
• South Albanian Champions First Category U-19 (2019–2020)
• Albania Champions First Category U-19 (2019–2020)

•KF.TIRANA

• Albanian Superliga (2021–2022)

• Erbim Fagu at Soccerway