Introduction
Gerhard Progni (born 6 November 1986 in Bajram Curri, Tropojë) is an Albanian professional footballer plays for Teuta Durrës in the Albanian Superliga. An Partizani Tirana product, Progni has played for several clubs in Albania, including Skënderbeu Korçë, whom he won two Albanian Superliga titles.
Club career
Early career
Progni began his career with Partizani Tirana as a child, where he played for the youth teams within the club. During the 2004–05 season with Partizani's U-19 side, he won the national championship and he caught the attention of the senior team, who towards the end of the season invited to train with them. He was promoted from the U-19 side at the end of the season, and was loaned out to Albanian First Division side Kastrioti Krujë for the 2005–06 season in order to gain first team experience. During his year on loan he became an integral part of the first team squad as a teenager and with his good performances and 3 league goals he even helped the club achieve promotion to the Albanian Superliga after finishing third.
Partizani Tirana
Following a success loan period at Kastrioti Krujë, Progni returned to his parent club Partizani Tirana and signed a three-year contract with the club. During the 2006-07 campaign he became an important first team player, making 29 league appearances and scoring 2 goals in the process, helping his side finish 4th in the league as well as reaching the semi-finals of the Albanian Cup, narrowly losing out to beaten finalists Teuta Durrës on away goals. The following season, he played for Partizani until January, making 11 league appearances, before leaving the club for Besa Kavajë.
Besa Kavajë
Porgni signed for Besa Kavajë in January 2008 and immediately became an important member of the first team, making 16 league appearances and scoring 1 goal, helping the club finish third in the league behind his previous team Partizani Tirana. He also scored a goal in the Albanian Cup with Besa, where the club reached the quarter-finals. The following season Porgni remained in Kavajë and he made his European debut in the Intertoto Cup against Cypriot club Ethnikos Achna, where he was in the starting lineup for both legs, helping Besa to a 1-1 aggregate win on an away goal. In the next round his side faced Swiss outfit Grasshopper Club Zürich, who beat Besa 5-1 on aggregate, with Progni playing the full 90 minutes in both games. Domestically, Besa did not have a successful season, finishing 7th in the league, just 2 places above the relegation play-off spots. Progni did however have a successful individual season, scoring 4 league goals in 28 games, and by scoring 3 goals in 6 cup games.
Dinamo Tirana
Progni left Besa Kavajë at the end of the 2008–09 season and joined Dinamo Tirana in the summer transfer window. At Dinamo he had a difficult time attempting to break into the first team, as the squad had an array of talent in the midfield positions, including Emiljano Vila and Elis Bakaj, meaning Progni's chances were limited. He left the club in January and made just 5 league appearances during his short time at Dinamo, all of which were substitute appearances. His only goal for the club came in the Albanian Cup against Adriatiku Mamurrasi.
Flamurtari Vlorë
After a less than fruitful short spell with Dinamo Tirana, Progni joined Flamurtari Vlorë in January 2010 and immediately became and important player, featuring in 16 league games in the second half of the season, all of which were from the starting lineup. The following season Progni remained an integral player and his performances exemplified this, as he scored 6 goals in 30 league games, which helped Flamurtari to 2nd place in the Albanian Superliga. At the end of season he went on a trial with Romanian Liga I champions FC Oțelul Galați, accompanied by fellow Albanian and former Oțelul Galaț player, Arben Kokalari. His trial at the club was not successful, so he remained at Flamurtari for the following 2011–12 campaign. He featured in both Europa League games against Baumit Jablonec in the second qualifying round, which ended in a 7–1 aggregate loss for Flamurtari. In the league campaign Progni played in 28 league games and scored 8 goals, helping Flamurtari finish 4th in the Albanian Superliga. In the cup, Progni featured in 12 games and scored 1 goal as Flamurtari reached the semi-finals, losing out to eventual winners Tirana.
Kukësi
Progni signed for newly promoted side FK Kukësi in the summer of 2012, who under the guidance of the club president Safet Gjici had an ambitious project to be one of the best clubs in the country.
In October 2013 the club captain Rrahman Hallaçi gave up his duties, making Progni the club's captain for the remainder of the season.
Skënderbeu Korçë
On 10 June 2014 reigning Albanian champions for the past four seasons, Skënderbeu Korçë announced the signing of Progni from FK Kukësi on a one-year contract. He was considered to be the replacement of Gjergji Muzaka who had left the club in favour of a return to one of Progni's former sides, Flamurtari Vlorë.
On 5 August 2015, in the returning match of the Third qualifying round of 2015–16 UEFA Champions League against Milsami Orhei, Progni scored the second goal of the match in the 55th minute to help the team to win the match at Elbasan Arena 2–0 and to qualify in Play-off round with the aggregate 4–0.
Zira
On 23 June 2016, Progni moved for the first time aboard by signing a two-year contract with Zira FK of Azerbaijan Premier League. Six months later, Progni left Zira by mutual consent on 9 January 2017.
Teuta Durrës
On 23 January 2017, Progni returned to Albanian Superliga by signing a six-month contract with Teuta Durrës, taking the squad number 77. In an interview two days later, he cited that he returned in Albania to stay closer to his family. He made his debut later on 29 January against Tirana at home, contributing in a 1–0 win in the team's first competitive match of 2017.
Career statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Partizani Tirana | 2003–04 | Albanian Superliga | ? | ? | ? | ? | — | — | ? | ? | ||
| 2004–05 | ? | ? | ? | ? | — | — | ? | ? | ||||
| 2006–07 | 29 | 2 | ? | ? | — | — | 29 | 2 | ||||
| 2007–08 | 11 | 0 | ? | ? | — | — | 11 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 40 | 2 | ? | ? | — | — | 40 | 2 | ||||
| Kastrioti Krujë | 2005–06 | Albanian First Division | 3+ | 3 | ? | ? | — | — | 3+ | 3 | ||
| Total | 3+ | 3 | ? | ? | — | — | 3+ | 3 | ||||
| Besa Kavajë | 2007–08 | Albanian Superliga | 16 | 1 | ? | ? | — | — | 16 | 1 | ||
| 2008–09 | 28 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 0 | — | 38 | 7 | |||
| Total | 44 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 0 | — | 64 | 8 | |||
| Dinamo Tirana | 2009–10 | Albanian Superliga | 6 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 9 | 1 | ||
| Total | 6 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 9 | 1 | ||||
| Flamurtari Vlorë | 2009–10 | Albanian Superliga | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 14 | 0 | ||
| 2010–11 | 30 | 6 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 32 | 6 | ||||
| 2011–12 | 25 | 8 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 39 | 9 | |||
| 2012–13 | — | — | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 69 | 14 | 14 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | 86 | 15 | |||
| FK Kukësi | 2012–13 | Albanian Superliga | 25 | 6 | 9 | 2 | — | — | 34 | 8 | ||
| 2013–14 | 29 | 4 | 9 | 2 | 8 | 1 | — | 46 | 7 | |||
| Total | 54 | 10 | 18 | 4 | 8 | 1 | — | 80 | 15 | |||
| Skënderbeu Korçë | 2014–15 | Albanian Superliga | 31 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 7 |
| 2015–16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | ||
| Total | 31 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 8 | ||
| Career total | 247 | 39 | 46 | 11 | 21 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 315 | 52 | ||
Honours
- Albanian Superliga: 2014–15, 2015–16
- Albanian Supercup: 2014