SLUGGING IT OUT IN EUROPE

It was very tough being a professional football player in Europe. There is no salary cap like in Australia and there are sometimes 40 players in a team, maybe five players in each position.

Every player wants to kick you to make sure he plays the next game. Honestly, if you are not mentally and physically prepared for the pressure, you will fail. One mistake and someone is ready to take your place.

It’s not for everyone, but whoever makes it will have a lot of success.

While I was at Hamburg I got to play in the UEFA Champions League. It was an amazing feeling when I played my first match at home to Porto.

I remember lining up and hearing the anthem. It was a beautiful moment and very emotional. I was so proud I almost started crying.

I came off the bench in that game. I had to face a player called Pepe, who I’ve also played against with the Albanian national team. I remember thinking, ‘This guy is so tough, he is going to finish my career’. Pepe went on to play for Real Madrid for many years.

I started and scored in my next Champions League game, at home to CSKA Moscow. It was incredible to hear the fans singing my name. We won 3-2!

I remember lining up and hearing the anthem. It was a beautiful moment and very emotional. I was so proud I almost started crying.

I was sold to Burnley in 2007 but my career in England got off to an unlucky start.

I tore my ACL while on international duty. It was tough coming back from that.

I moved to a few different clubs – loans to Rosenborg in Norway and Horsens in Denmark and then a return to Germany with Arminia Bielefeld.

I had some bad coaches who didn’t show any belief in me.

I’d achieved a lot already in my career. I’d played in the Bundesliga and with the national team, against players like Cristiano Ronaldo. That’s more than I could ever have imagined but I needed a new start.

ANGE & THE AUSTRALIAN OPPORTUNITY

I was under contract at Bielefeld when Brisbane assistant coach Rado Vidosic saw me. I didn’t know anything about Australia, or about any of the teams in Australia.

My son Amar was just six months old.

But after I spoke to Ange Postecoglou on the phone, I felt certain that I needed this change. I spoke to my wife, Sumea, and my family and told them I wanted to sign a one-year contract. That’s how it all came together.

I had never won a trophy. I wanted to go to a team where a coach believed in me and wanted to win trophies.

I’m very lucky my first coach was Ange. He helped me get my hunger back and my belief. From day one, he knew how to work with me. He helped get me back to my best form – back to how I was playing when I started my career at Hamburg.

I thought that I’d soon be going back to Europe with confidence. But after we had that amazing first season when we won the Championship, I fell in love with this league and this country.

I enjoyed everything about the experience, so I signed on to stay for another two years.

I learnt more, I grew up more, I found myself and re-found my love for football. Coming to Australia is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

I never forget this. Look at me now today.

I’m still here. I’m still trying to be the strongest, still enjoying every day in Australia.

THE MOVE TO MELBOURNE

After my time at Brisbane, people were saying I would never have that kind of success at a different club. I wanted to prove people wrong. I wanted to prove that I could win trophies with another team.

I wanted to work harder, I set goals and tried to help the club who really badly needed trophies.

I could not be happier with the move to Victory.

I found myself as a footballer in Brisbane.

In Melbourne, I found a club that I had been looking for my whole career – ever since leaving Hamburg. I feel connected with the supporters, the people, the coach and I want to be here forever.

Playing for Victory is a totally different pressure. It’s a big club that is always trying to win trophies. It’s perfect because that is what I need. I feel I belong in a club like that.

I’m not done yet. I want to win more trophies. I want to create more history, especially with Melbourne.

I want to win the Asian Champions League and of course I know how important the Grand Final is in Australia, so that makes me hungry as well. Especially after last season.

In Melbourne, I found a club that I had been looking for my whole career – ever since leaving Hamburg. I feel connected with the supporters, the people, the coach and I want to be here forever.

When I look back on that loss to Sydney FC, a lot of people said, ‘You deserved to win, you played much better than Sydney, we all thought you were going to win’.

But that’s not the way I see it. We weren’t good enough. We lost.

We have to work harder now. We can’t think about the defeat. That’s yesterday. We have to think about tomorrow and prepare ourselves for the next opportunity. You need to keep moving forward.

RETURN TO KOSOVO

It was very emotional going back to Kosovo, which is now in a great stage in its history. I had played 17 times for Albania, but the Kosovo national team had only played six games since they were officially recognised by FIFA and UEFA in 2016.

When I arrived at Pristina International Airport, it was amazing. I really did not expect so many supporters to be there waiting for me. They had flares and were singing my name out loud. They welcomed me with open arms. It’s a very respectful country.

I played the first World Cup qualifier against Iceland at the Loro Borici Stadium in Shkoder, but was on the bench for the second game against Turkey.

I had returned home out of respect for the people and to help the country, but I had to explain that I can’t fly 26 hours to the other side of the world if I’m not going to play.

It was a heartbreaking decision to make but it is best for both sides.

After everything I’ve achieved in Australia and what Australia has done for me, I don’t want to lose that. It’s a beautiful country.

I want to be an Australian citizen and I want to keep enjoying my life here and be a good example for young footballers. It means a lot to my family for us to live here.

My family in Germany are a little worried I’ll stay here forever though.

I told them they are welcome to come stay any time.