Ervin Skela

Ervin Skela (born November 17, 1976 in Vlorë) is an Albanian footballer currently playing for Energie Cottbus.

Club career

Albania

Ervin Skela started his playing career in Albania, from a young age he was involved in football. He started his professional career with his local team KS Flamurtari Vlorë, who at the time were one of the best teams in Albania. He was at the Vlorë based club for three years from 1992-1995, during his time there he was loaned out to SK Tirana in 1993 but returned soon after.

Germany

After three years in Albanian football Ervin decided it was time to broaden his horizon and so moved to Germany to play for Union Berlin. After spending three years at the Berlin club he had made over 57 appearances and scored a total of 8 goals. He then moved to FC Erzgebirge Aue in 1997. In his two seasons there he made over 47 appearances and scored 7 goals. in 1999 Skela moved to Chemnitzer FC where he played over 50 games and scored 11 goals. In the 2000 January transfer window he moved to SV Waldhof Mannheim who were the club who missed out on promotion that season by only a single point. But after spending only half ayear at the club and making only 15 appearances he moved to Eintracht Frankfurt. After a total of three years at the club he made 92 appearances and scored 26 goals. Then Skela moved to DSC Arminia Bielefeld where after only one season and 32 matches he hs left the club to join 1. FC Kaiserslautern in 2005. In his only season at the club he played 34 matches and scored 4 goals. But after a disappointing 2005-2006 season which saw the club getting relegated to the 2. Fußball-Bundesliga), Ervin Skela was released from his current contract with Kaiserslautern, and subsequently joined Italian side Ascoli Calcio 1898 on a free transfer in 2006.

Ascoli
He signed a one-year deal at the Italy club and made his debut with Ascoli on September 9, 2006. However, Skela did not manage to make his breakthrough in the starting lineup and was released for free soon after. During his only season in Italy football he made only 7 appearances and never managed to score a single goal.

Energie Cottbus

During the January 2007 transfer window, Skela returned to Germany on 29 January, 2007, with Energie Cottbus on a two and a half year contract. During his time so far at Energie Cottbus he has become a crowd favourite and one of their key players. In the 2007–08 season he played 34 matches and scored seven goals, his goals and magnificant displays in an Energie Cottbus jersey saved the club from relegation that same season. At the end of the season he had made 137 appearances in the Fußball-Bundesliga and has scored 19 goals in Germany's top division.

International career

Ervin Skela was first included in the Albania national football team in 2000, and since then has played a total of 49 games and scored nine goals for his country. He has established himself in the first team for many years now and is now one of Albania's most important players in years.