| grazorblade 
                                 
                    
                   
                    
           
             |  | 
				
		
					| Group: Forum Members
 Posts: 19K, 
            Visits: 0
 
 | 
			    albania would be playing vastly superior opponents (compared to albania) though and probably a style that wouldn't suit him. With roar he was playing weaker opponents (compared to roar) with a style that suited him.  So i wouldn't read too much into 1 goal in 19 appearances                
			    				
			    
                
                      
                            
                  
                           
                 
             | 
				
	    
					|  |  | 
							
		
        
					|  | 
				
    		
		
					| Angus 
                                 
                    
                   
                    
           
             |  | 
				
		
					| Group: Forum Members
 Posts: 4.5K, 
            Visits: 0
 
 | 
			    paladisious wrote:rusty wrote:Decentric wrote:Thanks, PV4.
 Surprised he has only scored 1 goal out of 17 appearances for Albania?
 i]
 I think that stat may explain partly why he left Europe for Australia lol yeah he must be shit :roll: Eurosnobs, can't please them. Looking through his stats though, he was hardly prolific at club level either before coming to the AL. Season before AL he had 28 apps for 2 goals.                
			    				
			                        
                            
                      
                            
                  
                           
                 
             | 
				
	    
					|  |  | 
							
		
        
    		
		
					| paladisious 
                                 
                    
                   
                    
           
             |  | 
				
		
					| Group: Moderators
 Posts: 39K, 
            Visits: 0
 
 | 
			    rusty wrote:Decentric wrote:Thanks, PV4.
 Surprised he has only scored 1 goal out of 17 appearances for Albania?
 i]
 I think that stat may explain partly why he left Europe for Australia lol yeah he must be shit :roll: Eurosnobs, can't please them.                
			    				
			                        
                            
                      
                            
                  
                           
                 
             | 
				
	    
					|  |  | 
							
		
        
    		
		
					| rusty
                                 
                    
                   
                    
           
             |  | 
				
		
					| Group: Banned Members
 Posts: 6.1K, 
            Visits: 0
 
 | 
			    Decentric wrote:Thanks, PV4.
 Surprised he has only scored 1 goal out of 17 appearances for Albania?
 i]
 I think that stat may explain partly why he left Europe for Australia                
			    				
			                        
                            
                      
                            
                  
                           
                 
             | 
				
	    
					|  |  | 
							
		
        
    		
		
					| Shatter 
                                 
                    
                   
                    
           
             |  | 
				
		
					| Group: Forum Members
 Posts: 4.3K, 
            Visits: 0
 
 | 
			    vandyborg1 wrote:Albania beat portugal away last week in a Euro qualifier.How little people know about European football on this forum is sad.
 I suppose if you have never seen a live game apart from play station you have to be ignorant.
 Cyprus, Albania, and many other smaller nations in Europe do Ok, but it is silly to expect them to be powerhouses countries.
 As far as Berisha goes when he was playing in England he did his knee and was out for a full year after playing for Albania when his club suggested he have a rest. He never played for this club again.
 He has used this experience to decide if it is in his best interest to travel 20,000 km a game and risk his career again.
 Australia's National Team has learnt not to travel these great distances so most of their games are now in Europe.
 It's sad that I didn't know Albania v Portugal last week? Really? I don't begrudge people whose lives revolve around football, but I don't find it particularly sad that some may have more pressing things to do than watch Albania go around.                
			    				
			                        
                            
                      
                            
                  
                           
                 
             | 
				
	    
					|  |  | 
							
		
        
    		
		
					| SWandP 
                                 
                    
                   
                    
           
             |  | 
				
		
					| Group: Forum Members
 Posts: 4.5K, 
            Visits: 0
 
 | 
			    Without knowing the man or much of his history (disclaimer):
 Maybe, just maybe, he doesn't really identify as an Albanian?
 Did he ever live there?  Does he even know anybody from there that he didn't meet in a dressing shed?
 Didn't he move to Germany from Kosovo at about the age of 4 as a refugee?  He possibly feels more like a German without local roots?
 Really don't know, but  I do feel for the guy.  Might have struggled with identity through the testing years of youth.  Could leave a person confused and distressed about identity and loyalty.
 
 Seems to be a decent bloke though.  Will shine in Melbourne at some point.  Might have to have a punch-up with the coach at some point.  Maybe already has.
 
 :-k
 
                
                      
                            
                  
                           
                 
             | 
				
	    
					|  |  | 
							
		
        
    		
		
					| Heineken 
                                 
                    
                   
                    
           
             |  | 
				
		
					| Group: Forum Members
 Posts: 49K, 
            Visits: 0
 
 | 
			    TheSelectFew wrote:jdbbshdvjksb wrote:SlyGoat36 wrote:paladisious wrote:It would be nice to see him playing against European giants in his time with us, but it'll also be good to getting our money's worth with less time away.
 Measure him up for the Golden Boot already.
 Having Berisha finish chances is what you pay for, if he misses a few games you'll still see him competing for the golden boot. Most of the games he misses are nothing to do with 'time away'  These acts are now justifiable. No pussy bs at MVFC.  [youtube]c_-q-KodhAI[/youtube]                
			    				
			     WOLLONGONG WOLVES FOR A-LEAGUE EXPANSION!
                 
                      
                            
                  
                           
                 
             | 
				
	    
					|  |  | 
							
		
        
    		
		
					| TheSelectFew 
                                 
                    
                   
                    
           
             |  | 
				
		
					| Group: Forum Members
 Posts: 30K, 
            Visits: 0
 
 | 
			    jdbbshdvjksb wrote:SlyGoat36 wrote:paladisious wrote:It would be nice to see him playing against European giants in his time with us, but it'll also be good to getting our money's worth with less time away.
 Measure him up for the Golden Boot already.
 Having Berisha finish chances is what you pay for, if he misses a few games you'll still see him competing for the golden boot. Most of the games he misses are nothing to do with 'time away'  These acts are now justifiable. No pussy bs at MVFC.                
			    				
			                    
                      
                            
                  
                           
                 
             | 
				
	    
					|  |  | 
							
		
        
    		
		
					| jdbbshdvjksb 
                                 
                    
                   
                    
           
             |  | 
				
		
					| Group: Forum Members
 Posts: 2.4K, 
            Visits: 0
 
 | 
			    SlyGoat36 wrote:paladisious wrote:It would be nice to see him playing against European giants in his time with us, but it'll also be good to getting our money's worth with less time away.
 Measure him up for the Golden Boot already.
 Having Berisha finish chances is what you pay for, if he misses a few games you'll still see him competing for the golden boot. Most of the games he misses are nothing to do with 'time away'                  
                      
                            
                  
                           
                 
             | 
				
	    
					|  |  | 
							
		
        
    		
		
					| TheSelectFew 
                                 
                    
                   
                    
           
             |  | 
				
		
					| Group: Forum Members
 Posts: 30K, 
            Visits: 0
 
 | 
			    dat moment when the tables have turn regarding Australia, clubs and international football rofl Australia > Albania                
			    				
			                   
                      
                            
                  
                           
                 
             | 
				
	    
					|  |  | 
							
		
        
    		
		
					| Slobodan Drauposevic 
                                 
                    
                   
                    
           
             |  | 
				
		
					| Group: Forum Members
 Posts: 14K, 
            Visits: 0
 
 | 
			    RedKat wrote:JiMMM wrote:He is apparently a very very poor flier, so a 24+ hour flight to Europe for one match is probably not worth while in terms of the affect it has on him. If thats the case I wonder what made him want to take such a long flight here in the first place? Not too far from Albania is it? [youtube]VRIUbFLjtX0[/youtube]                
			    				
			                        
                            
                      
                            
                  
                           
                 
             | 
				
	    
					|  |  | 
							
		
        
    		
		
					| azzaMVFC 
                                 
                    
                   
                    
           
             |  | 
				
		
					| Group: Forum Members
 Posts: 6.3K, 
            Visits: 0
 
 | 
			    vandyborg1 wrote:Albania beat portugal away last week in a Euro qualifier.How little people know about European football on this forum is sad.
 I suppose if you have never seen a live game apart from play station you have to be ignorant.
 Cyprus, Albania, and many other smaller nations in Europe do Ok, but it is silly to expect them to be powerhouses countries.
 As far as Berisha goes when he was playing in England he did his knee and was out for a full year after playing for Albania when his club suggested he have a rest. He never played for this club again.
 He has used this experience to decide if it is in his best interest to travel 20,000 km a game and risk his career again.
 Australia's National Team has learnt not to travel these great distances so most of their games are now in Europe.
 Albania weren't that good in the past, they've improved only very recently. They are miles ahead of Cyprus too. Berisha would still be picked if he made himself available. Edited by azzaMVFC: 18/9/2014 02:45:40 PM                
                      
                            
                  
                           
                 
             | 
				
	    
					|  |  | 
							
		
        
    		
		
					| Slobodan Drauposevic 
                                 
                    
                   
                    
           
             |  | 
				
		
					| Group: Forum Members
 Posts: 14K, 
            Visits: 0
 
 | 
			    Moldova is the poorest country in Europe. Albania is behind quite a few yet.                
			    				
			    
                
                      
                            
                  
                           
                 
             | 
				
	    
					|  |  | 
							
		
        
    		
		
					| Cromulent 
                                 
                    
                   
                    
           
             |  | 
				
		
					| Group: Forum Members
 Posts: 814, 
            Visits: 0
 
 | 
			    JiMMM wrote:He is apparently a very very poor flier, so a 24+ hour flight to Europe for one match is probably not worth while in terms of the affect it has on him. That's probably Mifsud's excuse for why he was so diabolical here                
			    				
			                        
                            
                      
                            
                  
                           
                 
             | 
				
	    
					|  |  | 
							
		
        
    		
		
					| JiMMM 
                                 
                    
                   
                    
           
             |  | 
				
		
					| Group: Forum Members
 Posts: 250, 
            Visits: 0
 
 | 
			    He is apparently a very very poor flier, so a 24+ hour flight to Europe for one match is probably not worth while in terms of the affect it has on him.                
			    				
			    
                
                      
                            
                  
                           
                 
             | 
				
	    
					|  |  | 
							
		
        
    		
		
					| SlyGoat36 
                                 
                    
                   
                    
           
             |  | 
				
		
					| Group: Forum Members
 Posts: 5.9K, 
            Visits: 0
 
 | 
			    paladisious wrote:It would be nice to see him playing against European giants in his time with us, but it'll also be good to getting our money's worth with less time away.
 Measure him up for the Golden Boot already.
 Having Berisha finish chances is what you pay for, if he misses a few games you'll still see him competing for the golden boot.                
			    				
			                        
                            
                      
                            
                  
                           
                 
             | 
				
	    
					|  |  | 
							
		
        
    		
		
					| lolitsbigmic 
                                 
                    
                   
                    
           
             |  | 
				
		
					| Group: Forum Members
 Posts: 7.5K, 
            Visits: 0
 
 | 
			    WC20182022 wrote:Interesting that a foreign national team player would choose to stay and play here for the dollars...
 My how times change.  Perhaps the HAL isn't as uncompetitive for players wages as some would think.  Don't get me wrong I know we aren't going to sign Messi any time soon, probably never, although never is a Long time.  What I mean is that for good players we are competitive (Milligan, Broich, Berisha for starters).
 
 My view has always been that an increased salary cap just leads to your domestic players on average getting a pay rise, not that you are all of a sudden going to be Man City.  We see it all the time with J, K and Chinese super league players.  The average player gets paid a lot more but its hard to see the extra value.
 I think you are right about the salary cap. I always see the a league as a development league, we don't want to end up like Saudi Arabia were none of their players want to leave because of the coin. I would like us move to a 3+1 for international players and 3-4 marquee players. One is an Aussie, one is "club legend" your broich Milligan type of player and one or two who ever. That way clubs can bring in quality and keep it, I think it a better way to improve the league than playing with the cap.                
			    				
			                        
                            
                      
                            
                  
                           
                 
             | 
				
	    
					|  |  | 
							
		
        
    		
		
					| vandyborg1 
                                 
                    
                   
                    
           
             |  | 
				
		
					| Group: Forum Members
 Posts: 200, 
            Visits: 0
 
 | 
			    Albania beat portugal away last week in a Euro qualifier.How little people know about European football on this forum is sad.
 I suppose if you have never seen a live game apart from play station you have to be ignorant.
 Cyprus, Albania, and many other smaller nations in Europe do Ok, but it is silly to expect them to be powerhouses countries.
 As far as Berisha goes when he was playing in England he did his knee and was out for a full year after playing for Albania when his club suggested he have a rest. He never played for this club again.
 He has used this experience to decide if it is in his best interest to travel 20,000 km a game and risk his career again.
 Australia's National Team has learnt not to travel these great distances so most of their games are now in Europe.
 
                
                      
                            
                  
                           
                 
             | 
				
	    
					|  |  | 
							
		
        
    		
		
					| Heineken 
                                 
                    
                   
                    
           
             |  | 
				
		
					| Group: Forum Members
 Posts: 49K, 
            Visits: 0
 
 | 
			    I'm fairly sure he's been called up once or twice whilst at Brisbane.                
			     WOLLONGONG WOLVES FOR A-LEAGUE EXPANSION!
                
                      
                            
                  
                           
                 
             | 
				
	    
					|  |  | 
							
		
        
    		
		
					| WC1day 
                                 
                    
                   
                    
           
             |  | 
				
		
					| Group: Forum Members
 Posts: 1.2K, 
            Visits: 0
 
 | 
			    Interesting that a foreign national team player would choose to stay and play here for the dollars...
 My how times change.  Perhaps the HAL isn't as uncompetitive for players wages as some would think.  Don't get me wrong I know we aren't going to sign Messi any time soon, probably never, although never is a Long time.  What I mean is that for good players we are competitive (Milligan, Broich, Berisha for starters).
 
 My view has always been that an increased salary cap just leads to your domestic players on average getting a pay rise, not that you are all of a sudden going to be Man City.  We see it all the time with J, K and Chinese super league players.  The average player gets paid a lot more but its hard to see the extra value.
 
                
                      
                            
                  
                           
                 
             | 
				
	    
					|  |  | 
							
		
        
    		
		
					| scotty21 
                                 
                    
                   
                    
           
             |  | 
				
		
					| Group: Forum Members
 Posts: 9.5K, 
            Visits: 0
 
 |                
                      
                            
                  
                           
                 
             | 
				
	    
					|  |  | 
							
		
        
    		
		
					| paladisious 
                                 
                    
                   
                    
           
             |  | 
				
		
					| Group: Moderators
 Posts: 39K, 
            Visits: 0
 
 | 
			    It would be nice to see him playing against European giants in his time with us, but it'll also be good to getting our money's worth with less time away.
 Measure him up for the Golden Boot already.
 
                
                      
                            
                  
                           
                 
             | 
				
	    
					|  |  | 
							
		
        
    		
		
					| melbourne_terrace 
                                 
                    
                   
                    
           
             |  | 
				
		
					| Group: Forum Members
 Posts: 11K, 
            Visits: 0
 
 | 
			    I guess Albania aren't interested in paying for a lad to come all the way from Australia. As far as i'm concerned, this is a good thing as we already lose enough key players each year to international football thanks to the dinosaurs at the FFA.                
			     Viennese Vuck               
                      
                            
                  
                           
                 
             | 
				
	    
					|  |  | 
							
		
        
    		
		
					| melbourne_terrace 
                                 
                    
                   
                    
           
             |  | 
				
		
					| Group: Forum Members
 Posts: 11K, 
            Visits: 0
 
 | 
			    A quick google search and a bit of translating has your answer.http://asport.info/besart-berisha-premton-kthehem-ne-europe-dhe-rifitoj-kombetaren/ Besart Berisha promises return to Europe and revive National Team
 Date: 09/12/2013
 
 He pretty much says he is considering moving back to Europe to be more available for national team games. He signed for Victory about a month later though.http://asport.info/besart-berisha-i-mbyll-perfundimisht-dyert-shqiperise/ Besart Berisha closes door on Albania
 13/08/2014
 In an interview for Kosovo daily "Zeri", he has talked with coach Gianni De Biasi and "until they will be playing in Australia, he can not  join Albania".  :lol:  The reason is the large distance between the two countries. Following the interview, Berisha said he could probably reunite with the Albanian National Team if he joined a European club, but that is unlikely as a few months before he signed a two-year contract with Melbourne Victory, with an offer that was impossible to pass. The former Brisbane Roar player also stressed that the desire to play again with Albania or Kosovo still exists, but for the moment such a thing is impossible.  The transfer from Brisbane Roar to Melbourne Victory was one of the most important of his career Berisha in terms of the financial aspect, the player born in Pristina will benefit 1.5 million dollars. Viennese Vuck               
                      
                            
                  
                           
                 
             | 
				
	    
					|  |  | 
							
		
        
    		
		
					| pv4 
                                 
                    
                   
                    
           
             |  | 
				
		
					| Group: Moderators
 Posts: 12K, 
            Visits: 0
 
 | 
			    StiflersMom wrote:Wow. I get its a long way to go, but if our guy's thought like that ( and they did pre Guss and for Oceania qualifiers) Australia would have never made a WC final Who knows - maybe Albania don't pay enough for the effort he made, and starting only 2 of his 8 games he went to may have been disheartening for him.                
			    				
			                        
                            
                      
                            
                  
                           
                 
             | 
				
	    
					|  |  | 
							
		
        
    		
		
					| Decentric 
                                 
                    
                   
                    
           
             |  | 
				
		
					| Group: Awaiting Activation
 Posts: 22K, 
            Visits: 0
 
 | 
			    Thanks, PV4.
 Surprised he has only scored 1 goal out of 17 appearances for Albania?
 
 It is not only his goalscoring, but Berisha's ability to play as an integral part of team build ups that is also a feature of his game, not just that he is clinical around goal.
 
 
 
 Edited by Decentric: 18/9/2014 09:17:28 AM
 
                
                      
                            
                  
                           
                 
             | 
				
	    
					|  |  | 
							
		
        
    		
		
					| StiflersMom 
                                 
                    
                   
                    
           
             |  | 
				
		
					| Group: Moderators
 Posts: 12K, 
            Visits: 0
 
 | 
			    Wow. I get its a long way to go, but if our guy's thought like that ( and they did pre Guss and for Oceania qualifiers) Australia would have never made a WC final                
			    				
			    
                
                      
                            
                  
                           
                 
             | 
				
	    
					|  |  | 
							
		
        
    		
		
					| pv4 
                                 
                    
                   
                    
           
             |  | 
				
		
					| Group: Moderators
 Posts: 12K, 
            Visits: 0
 
 | 
			    From his wiki: Quote:During the World Cup 2010 qualifiers, he was called up regularly in the national team for all 10 group matches, playing on eight of them. In two of those matches Berisha played as a starter, in a 0–1 against Hungary on 28 March 2009[38] and four days later in a 0–3 loss against Denmark on 1 April 2009.[39] After the end of the tournament, he refused permanently to be called up for the national team's fixtures, one reason being that he is living a long distance away from Albania. As of 14 October 2009, his last game with the national team, Berisha had made 17 appearances and scored one goal for Albania.[40]
 On 9 December 2013, he declared that after the opening of the winter transfer period he will sign for a football-club in Europe to be more close Albania and to play again for the national team,[41] but suddenly on 22 January 2014 it was announced that fellow A-League club Melbourne Victory had agreed to sign Berisha for next season 2014–15.[1] On 5 April 2014, he was asked by Albania national team coach Gianni De Biasi to play again for Albania only for the official matches valid for UEFA Euro 2016 qualifiers and Berisha asked just ten days for final response.[42] His late response was definitive to not accept latest invitation, as he declared that as long as he was playing in Australia he couldn't come to Albania due to the long distance.[43]
 
 
               
                      
                            
                  
                           
                 
             | 
				
	    
					|  |  | 
							
		
        
    		
		
					| Decentric 
                                 
                    
                   
                    
           
             |  | 
				
		
					| Group: Awaiting Activation
 Posts: 22K, 
            Visits: 0
 
 | 
			    Berisha is probably better than any other striker playing in Australia at this point in time, and overseas, apart from Cahill and Kennedy.
 He is an Albanian national, the poorest country in Europe. Albania competes in European qualifiers regularly. Is he an unwanted player for Albania?
 
 Is he available for Albanian selection?
 
                
                      
                            
                  
                           
                 
             | 
				
	    
					|  |  |