Memorie.al / Although Agron Kadri Hazbiu, known by his football name Agron Dautaj, passed away 35 years ago, for reasons that still remain a mystery, in one of the galleries of the Kurbnesh mine, on January 28, 1989, he continues to be remembered with respect, for what the former prominent footballer of “Dinamo” of Tirana from 1977-1982 gave for the blue jersey. Ten years ago, the 55th anniversary of the birth of the energetic defender gathered in one of the capital’s facilities, many of the most prominent names of “Dinamo” of that time, as well as his friends and family.
Muhedin Targaj, Vasillaq Zëri, Ilir Përnaska, Faruk Sejdini, Iljaz Çeço, Shyqyri Ballgjini, Andrea Marko, Sulejman Demollari, etc., honored their teammate, with whom they won the championship title in the 1979-1980 seasons. The golden career of the son of the former Minister of the Interior, Kadri Hazbiu, was interrupted in 1982, after the arrest and shooting of one of the most important people in the Albanian state at that time. Muhedin Targaj, one of the former prominent footballers of the National Team, at the same time its captain and one of the famous players of the 70s-80s on the “Dinamo” team, still has Agron, the boy with whom he had a special friendship, alive in his memory.
Agronin was the last of Kadri Hazbiu’s five children, who from his marriage to Hedija had Elena, Bashkima, Mimoza, Petrit and Agron. Kadri Hazbiu, commissar of the “Old Brigade”, in the formations of the 5th Assault Brigade, former Minister of Interior (1954-1979) and former Minister of Defense (1979-1982), member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Party of Labor of Albania (1971-1982), decorated 13 times by the Presidium of the People’s Assembly, had a terrible and undeserved end (he was shot on September 10, 1983, at the age of 61), while his entire family was exiled to Kurbnesh in 1982, culminating in Agron’s (suicide) on January 28, 1989 in one of the copper galleries of the Kurbnesh mine.
Mr. Targaj, a few days ago, together with other famous “Dinamo” players, you commemorated the 55th anniversary of the birth of Agron Hazbiu (Dautaj), your teammate who tragically passed away in 1989. How did the idea to commemorate him come about?
In fact, it was an idea of Agron’s society and family, his sisters and brother, Petrit Hazbiu, to remember him. Goni has done a lot for society, so we all just did our duty towards him. It would be completely different if we had him among us. He should have been with us, but…!
It is said about you that you were one of his close friends…
He was not only mining, but everyone’s. Goni was very simple and very modest. He had very good social and friendly relations with everyone. He was everywhere; he did not spare anyone who asked for help. He was a very funny, simple and loving man. Goni did not do much for us at “Dinamo”, but also for the opposing players.
How do you remember him as a footballer?
Agron played with great passion for “Dinamo” and football in general. Goni was a fast player, one of the fastest footballers in the championships of our time. Extremely strong. When he finished the match with “Dinamo”, his mind was on “Flamurtari”, because after “Dinamo”, he loved the Vlora team very much. Goni had a weakness for the players of “Flamurtari”.
It’s a pity that his career was cut short at its peak, in 1982, when he was only 22 years old.
Together you were part of a famous “Dinamo” of the mid-1970s, part of which was Agron Hazbiu, or as he was known in the match protocols, under the name Agron Dautaj.
How do you remember his first title?
Goni came to the first team in 1977, while with us; he won the championship title in the 1979-1980 seasons. He not only became a champion with “Dinamo”, but also won the Republic Cup twice. Goni was a very promising player, having played in the first team as a right defender since he was 18 years old. He covered the right wing line very well, as he was a very fast player. A footballer with a strong character and did more training than everyone, as he was passionate about it. He would constantly run for miles from the Lake. He maintained a strong regime.
Was your “Dinamo” one of the best teams the blue club has produced?
I think that the “Dinamo” of 1974-1977, which became champions three times in a row, is the best of all time. Big names in Albanian football played there: Faruk Sejdini, Iljaz Çeço, Torez Çiraku, Gani Xhafa, Kujtim Çoçoli, Ilir Përnaska, Vasillaq Zëri, Shqyqyri Ballgjini, Ilir Luarasi, Jani Rama, Haxhi Mërgjyshi, Frederik Gjinali, Andrea Marko, Aleko Bregu. In the 1979-1980 seasons, we won the championship again, and in this edition, Agron Hazbiu also became champion. My last championship title was in the 1985-1986 season, with Coach Fatmir Frashëri.
Several international matches with “Dinamo”, even against big-name opponents in Europe…?
Yes, our Dinamo played against “Ajax” of Amsterdam, “Karl Zeiss Jena” of East Germany, “Aberdeen” of Scotland, etc. We had really good matches and Agron was the protagonist in those matches. I am sorry that he did not wear the national team jersey, since at that time, in the years 1974-1980, it was forbidden for our representative to play international matches.
The story of the donation of an “Adidas” brand ball has caused a lot of fuss, at the time that Agron Hazbiu was interned in Kurbnesh and worked in its mining galleries. How did it happen?
We had taken that ball in Malta, together with Arben Vila, we gave it to Çim (Shkëlqim) Skifteri and it was he who took the “Adidas” ball to the internment. The presence of that ball in Agron’s hands caused a lot of fuss, especially since he was internment in Kurbnesh. Of course, they asked us too, but we justified it by saying that his father, Kadri Hazbiu, had taken it some time ago for Agron’s birthday. In fact, even the coaches Fatmir Frashëri and Faruk Sejdini knew that we had taken the ball for Agron, but they didn’t feel it.
Targaj, how did you react when you found out that Agron had died after a suicide, at least according to the official version?
I don’t believe that he killed himself. He was a boy with great courage. For him to kill himself in January 1989 is something impossible. I personally don’t believe it, as he has always been a courageous guy.
Mujo, let’s go back to the Albanian National Team, with which you were also its captain. Who did you get the armband from?
I got the captain’s armband from the defender of “Partizan”, Safet Berisha and after me; it was taken by the Tirana striker, the late Arben Minga.
22 matches with the National Team between 1980-1985.
My first match started with a 2-0 win over Finland (September 3, 1980, 1982 World Cup), while the last one was with Greece, a 1-1 draw (October 30, 1985, 1986 World Cup). I played against Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, Belgium, Poland, Greece, Turkey, etc.
The 2-0 win over Belgium in Tirana and the 2-2 draw in Poland, for the qualifiers for the “Mexico 1986” World Cup, are still remembered as some of the best matches of the National Team…
At that time we played very good matches. We really had a solid team with talented players in every department. If we had more experience, since we were coming after a long period without international matches, we could have even qualified for the World Cup.
Three goals, scored with the National Team. Not bad for a defender, right?
In fact, I scored the goals with penalties. I scored against Finland in Helsinki (2-1), Germany in Tirana (1-2) and Austria also in Tirana (1-2).
Unerring from the penalty spot…
You can also be wrong. In fact, even when we won the Balkan Championship in Volos, Greece, I scored with penalties. We became Balkan Champions, with Coach Shyqyri Rreli, in 1978 and 1981. It was a golden era, we worked hard. The coaches also worked with passion.
Which coaches did you work with in the National Team?
I was with Zyber Konçi, Loro Boriçi and Shyqyri Reli.
Loro is considered a myth. How do you remember him?
With all the coaches that I have worked with in the National Team, there are both great coaches and great people. Loro was a myth. However, Rreli has had more success, having also won the Balkan Championship twice (1978 and 1981). Rreli had a secret, having built excellent relationships with the players.
22 matches and 3 goals against Germany, Finland and Austria, Mujo Targaj, a red and black captain
Muhedin Targaj has 22 matches with the National Team and 3 goals. He has won five Albanian Champion titles with “Dinamon”, three Republic Cups and has been present in many of this team’s successes in international matches of the European Cups. From 2002 onwards, Targaj has been a member of the Executive Committee of the Albanian Football Association (his third mandate).
Çeço’s “gift”, number 8 shirt
Agron Hazbiu was introduced to “Dinamo” by Coach Saimir Dauti, in the summer of 1977. The 17-year-old boy wore the number 3 shirt, that of defender Frederik Gjinali, who had just retired from playing football. A formation player, he was lucky enough to receive as a “gift”, the number 8 shirt of Iljaz Çeço, one of the best midfielders that Albania has produced, precisely during the farewell ceremony of the “brain” of “Dinamo” in the match “Dinamo” – “Vllaznia”. At that event, as always in such cases, Kadri Hazbiu was also present, who had a weak point in the “Dinamo” team.
Fan of Përnaska and Kreshnik Çipi
Agron Hazbiu adored the “Dinamo” striker, Ilir Përnaska, the six-time top scorer of Albania, a mega-portrait of which he kept in his room, in his house in “Bllok”. But, he also adored Kreshnik Çipi of “Flamurtar”, whom he considered the Franz Beckenbauer of Albania.
Agron liked the Italian team and tried to follow all its matches, especially during the world championships, which for him were the most beautiful holidays. However, the arrest of Kadri Hazbiu, in 1982, then Minister of People’s Defense, also brought about Agron’s departure from “Dinamo”, and while later came the family’s internment in Kurbnesh. Memorie.al
