Valon Berisha — His Football Education & Embracing The Fight

When Valon Berisha signed for Melbourne City on the 7th of September 2022, we were pleasantly surprised. A then 29-year-old import with a strong career in different countries, used to winning given his time at Red Bull Salzburg; it had all the ingredients to be something special. The question was if he would come to Australia with the right mentality. Something that doesn’t always happen with foreign players coming into a league they might assume will be a walk in the park. The impact he could have on the league and club seemed exciting from the outside but It was up to him to deliver.

Come the end of the season we were pleasantly surprised again by just how professional Berisha was when it came to his work. What we got was a super season on the pitch, and a legacy left behind to teammates and young players around always giving your absolute all and striving for more. In our interactions with Berisha we always found him to be super positive about the league and his network of teammates and people at the club around him. It was a pleasure to catch up with him right before the Grand Final and before he left to head back to Europe. Sadly, from a personal point of view without the Grand Final win he was hoping for. A bitter blow for us as we’d spoken at length about how hard he, and his fitness staff at City, had worked to get him in the best shape he’d been in years. Something he was very proud of, only to be injured in the final. The win wasn’t to be, but Berisha’s impact at the club will be felt for years to come.

We caught up with Berisha in his Melbourne hometown of South Yarra on the eve of the final. We got straight to talking about the final, and it was clear he wasn’t nervous at all about the task in front of him. The tough stuff is what he relishes. “That’s what I play football for (the pressure). I love it. I love to play when you know you have to perform. It’s actually harder to play in games which people seem to think it will be easy, because that’s actually when you have to perform more. To find that extra gear and be at it.”

This is a guy used to pressure. Heard of Ralf Rangnick? In June 2012, Rangnick became the director of football for both Red Bull Salzburg and RB Leipzig. In July that year, Berisha was his first signing at Red Bull Salzburg alongside fellow Norwegian Havard Nielsen. Rangnick was about to create something special with both clubs, setting up RB Leipzig on their way to the Bundesliga in Germany in 2018, while also winning the Austrian Bundesliga and Austrian Cup multiple times, reaching the Champions League and UEFA Europa League along the way. Berisha was at the heart of this success in Salzburg. “The first year I was at Salzburg we didn’t win. We came second by one point to Austria Wien. Then I had 5 in a row in the league, with 4 cups as well. Ralf Rangnick changed everything. When I first came things were going well but things changed completely at the club. He took it to a completely different level and began the Red Bull way. It’s crazy to think that I was there at the start of that time.” 

One thing you’ll notice with Berisha is he likes things in black and white. He wants to have a relationship with someone who tells you how it is, what it is they want and allow him to do his work. Something that stems from the big influences he’s had on his life. “I respect him like crazy (Rangnick). There was no bullshit with him, and I loved that. As a person he knows what he wants and tells you in a straightforward way. That’s my kind of person.”

After dominating in Austria it was time for Berisha to move on. Serie A was the destination which was also successful when it came to silverware. “At Lazio with Simone Inzaghi we won the Coppa Italia and the Supercoppa Italiana against Juventus in Saudi Arabia. It was crazy seeing Ronaldo picking up the second-place medal. I think he was so pissed off he gave it to a ball kid or something. Although I struggled with injury at Lazio it was an amazing time as well.”

Rangnick, Inzaghi – we’re beginning to see a pattern of good football minds appearing in Berisha’s career which he learned from. When asked if there were any more from his time in Europe, two other names you would have heard of sprung to mind. “Roger Schmidt who just won the title with Benfica was a massive influence on me. I really felt like I learnt a lot from him and Marco Rose who is now at Leipzig. I excelled my performance under Marco a lot. One season in particular I felt I went to another level was when we (Red Bull Salzburg) made the semi-final of the Europa League. For an Austrian team to go all that way there – wow. It was crazy. It had to do a lot with the coach. Everyone wanted to play. We were such a close-knit team, even the guys who weren’t playing a lot bought into it all. He gave me a lot of responsibility on the pitch but a lot of freedom as well. I love that because I know what I must do for the team, but offensively give me the ball and let me impact the game. Tactically I will still give you everything.”

The high praise for managers wasn’t restricted to those in Europe as well. When we discussed how the season had gone for him under two Australian managers, the same applied. “I really enjoyed things here under PK (Patrick Kisnorbo) and Rado (Rado Vidosic) too. PK was stricter, but he let me free in the right moments. Rado pushed me hard on certain things I had to do but also let me free when the game flowed. Under these guys I’ve had the most fun I’ve had in the last 3 or 4 years. Because of this freedom and also down to the fact I’m not injured. I said to myself at the start of the season – all I want is to be injury free and play as much as possible. I got through many games this season so for that I’m really happy with how it went.”

It wasn’t just the two managers who made life easy for Berisha at the club. From the medical staff to the captain – the environment at City sounds top class when you hear it from someone coming to experience it for the first time with no background knowledge of the day-to-day life at the club. “The influence from the guys has been great. Me and Thomas (Lam) said often, because of these guys around us we can perform. A lot of times when you go to a new team it’s not like that. It seems like you’re coming to take someone’s place. Sometimes people treat you like you’re not welcome. Here it was so easy. The first day felt like home. The moment I signed Jamo (Scott Jamieson) texted me. I was not even here in Melbourne, and he said to me he was looking forward to me joining the team. For the captain to do that, I was like, wow. This is nice. He did the same with Thomas. The first impressions here were awesome and it allowed me to fit straight in.”

This takes us back to the point about imports and their mentality when they arrive. Some players with Berisha’s CV might have thought they could walk into the team. Come for a nice holiday and experience something before heading off. However, taking the piss when it comes to football isn’t in Berisha’s DNA. “PK promised me that I’d be a regular starter, but football is full of promises. If you don’t perform – it’s not going to happen. You’re going to be benched. I knew with the team already being champions I had to be on it from day 1. So, I came ready to fight.”

Fight is something that Berisha has in spades. But where does it come from? Before Rangnick, Schmidt, Rose and Inzaghi, who was his biggest influence? His father. “When I was a child, we had nothing. We went to Norway as refugees just before the war. That's why my dad is my idol, because he struggled so much. He worked so hard just to give me shoes to put on, to feed me and give me clothes. At the same time as looking after us he had to send money back home to his family. Just seeing that made me the person I am, I think. I took in a lot of stuff when I was younger.”

Some people can easily go down a rough path and find it incredibly difficult when entering a new country under immense pressure. Berisha and his family embraced the challenge and fought for their future, and he learnt so much from his father’s work ethic and desire to see his children thrive. “He pushed me so much. When I was younger, when people were saying I was a talent, he never allowed me to feel like I was a star or get ahead of myself. He always said to me that I must do more.  He would never be satisfied with what I was doing. If I’d scored 10 goals in a game, I would come home and would still get told about things I’d not done well – you have to do this better, next time try this. He knew how to trigger me and get more from me.”

This time of his life is something that Berisha will never forget, and a decision which has paid off for his family’s brave call to try for a new life. “People think when you say you’re from Norway that, you know, you have it good – right? It’s a well organised country with a good government in the way they help the people in terms of jobs and all that. But you have to sacrifice a lot when you change countries for your family. My dad chose to not live well in order to give us a better life. Thankfully now he’s blessed with three, healthy, good kids who made something for themselves.”

It must be an incredibly proud moment for Berisha’s father to see his children thriving as they are. The pride goes both ways in the fact that Berisha can repay his fathers hard work and belief in him throughout his life. “I know he is (proud). For sure. He’s not the guy who will say it a lot though because he doesn’t want you to settle. He’s always striving for us (the family) to do more. But I know he’s proud and he still watches every game. When he was here, we played against Sydney, and he was in the stands. We won the game at home. Looking over at my family and seeing that you have made them proud is the best feeling. That's like nothing money can buy, you know?”

With this strong mentality forged through struggle and a strong family bond, Berisha looks, in our eyes, like a manager in the making after his career on the pitch ends. Something his dad predicts will happen, too. “My dad always tells me that I would be a good coach because he knows how I am. But it’s a lot of work! Haha. I see the guys putting in hours on hours of work – it’s not easy. The day that I am not happy on the pitch is the day I will stop. Money and nice things come with a good football career, but the thing that is most important to me is playing. When I was injured looking around at all the others playing, I was not happy. It’s not about the money, it’s about the game. The blessing is that you get money along the way, and I like to be able to use this to give back to my family and others. I have been fortunate enough to do that and will keep doing that.”

It's not just helping his family that Berisha seems natural at. From our conversations with him and the way he talks about working at the club – he’s spread his hard-working attitude in training to others. Especially the younger lads who he wants to help reach the top and ensure they don’t waste their potential and chance. Coming from Europe and used to the super competitive way things are over there, he knows too well that one chance can be all you get.

“When I was coming through if an older pro said something to me, I took it in and wanted to smash it even more and to prove something to them. Over here, sometimes I think the younger players might have it a little too easy. They might take some of their chances for granted. I told them this sort of thing doesn’t come around often. You must take your chance otherwise it will be gone. I always tried to push the young guys and help them. Even in training around the starting guys I’d tell them to come at us. Smash me. Because if you do it keeps me on my toes and shows me that you want it. They want to make it to the next level. Sometimes I can be harsh but it’s not personal – it’s always me trying to get more out of them and help them improve.” See what we mean about a manager in the making? Helping others is something that really inspires him.

“In a way, coming here and doing what we did during the season, points wise, records wise for certain players and for me personally helping Aidin O’Neill, I feel very proud. A week after I got here, I said to Aidin I was going to push him and help him reach the Socceroos and get a move overseas. As a midfielder I feel we had a good connection early. I could really feel it. So, I said to him I’m going to help get you there. We made it happen and I feel so proud of him for that. I feel proud I could play a part in helping him be better. When he made it (the Socceroos) I said do you remember I told you that you were going to get there? It makes me so happy because he’s like me. He loves football and goes to work every day trying to get better. I see that with Jordy (Jordan Bos) and Tilio (Marco Tilio) as well. They’re going to get their chance. I’ve lived that life and had that chance and now I want to help others get there.”

With players in that similar age profile to the Australian players trying to forge their own path in Europe’s cutthroat environment, we wondered about the mentality of his teammates and if they had what it takes as well? “Obviously with the three players I just mentioned I feel it. I think they have something that can help them make it abroad. Obviously, it is going to be a tough task, I’m not going to say they will definitely make it, because you have to adapt. There’s going to be a different language and this and that. You have to have that hunger – but with these three guys I think they definitely have it. I think they’ll manage. Hopefully they stay healthy and have good people around them at the clubs. I’ve experienced it all with football. Sometimes the coach ends up choosing someone else when you get there, and different things happen. You might have to go on loan or whatever. You have to be strong enough to deal with whatever comes your way and I think they have that. I think if Marco (Tilio) finds that consistency and that winning mentality to perform every game he will be something truly special. He’s a real difference maker.”

It's not just his own teammates that Berisha has an eye on and is encouraging to make it to the next level. Keegan Jelacic, who’s now made a move to Europe at Genk, also impressed during their battles on the pitch. “One player who really caught my attention this season was Keegan Jelacic. I saw it in him. When we played against each other, he was completely fearless. There are good players in this league, but I didn’t necessarily get that feeling all the time. This kid is good.”

Away from football it is clear that Berisha has loved the city of Melbourne just as much as some of the picturesque countries he’s lived in already - Norway, Austria, Italy, Germany and France. That’s some line up. “I live just around here (South Yarra). There are so many different spots to go and eat and shop. The city is so close just around the corner. I’ve really enjoyed that. It’s just too far from Europe! Salzburg is small but it’s nice. It’s a traditional city but with a lot of tourism all year long. There’s lots of ski resorts so a lot of foreigners stay there. Because I was there for so long it was like home. I became a man there. I arrived when I was 17 and left when I was 25. It was a great time.”

They say travel broadens the mind and given that Berisha has played in so many different locations he comes across very worldly in conversations. What you also sense is an intelligence that makes him stand out. When pressed about how many languages he picked up along the way, given some stays at clubs were shorter than others, we expected a couple. The fact he speaks so much is a testament to someone who wants to dive into the culture and ensure he has all the tools he needs to succeed. “I speak all of them! (languages) The only one I don't speak fluently in is Italian. I understand it quite well. I can speak some. But I’m not fluent. I can speak Norwegian, Albanian, English, German and French fluently. A little bit of Italian. Almost six languages. I like to learn the language wherever I go. You have to. In Italy if I went and only spoke English – I wouldn’t get by there. France is the same. They stick to their language and are proud of it. For me it was a must to learn each one. A lot of my teammates over there didn’t do it and suffered for it. They didn’t want to adapt and integrate which makes it hard. When you can communicate with everybody, not just the foreign lads, it’s much better. Over here I spoke a lot of French with Flo (Florin Berenguer) to keep my French up. It was nice.

We could tell from the conversations we had that Berisha toyed with the idea of staying here. He loves the country and the A-Leagues, but at 30 he still has ambition and, perhaps, owes it to his strong will and upbringing to have another go at playing at the top level in a top league. It wouldn’t be in his nature to take the easy path. “I’m a player who wants to push myself more. I’ve had a good challenge here, but I want to be better. I’m 30 and still have 3 or 4 good years left in me and I need to push myself as much as possible. My brother said it’s going to be a nice experience. Something you might never get the chance to do again. Go there, prove yourself, and come back a better player. I feel like I’ve done that.”

“They know what they want (Melbourne City). It’s a very well organised club. They pick the players that fit the system and have the mentality that is win, win, win. When you have this mentality it’s easy to play. I always try to be playing for teams that try to win something. If you’re playing at a team that is just there to survive in the league it is a different mentality. I don’t want that – I want to try and challenge myself to always be at the top. I’ve enjoyed this experience here a lot. The thing I’m going to miss most is the group. The camaraderie. I think we’ve won so many games because we really just enjoy playing with each other as a team. It’s a special group. I feel rejuvenated after this season and playing down here in Melbourne makes me know I’m ready again. The guys in the gym, the medical team, they have all done so much for me here. I have so much appreciation for them. There’s offers coming in but I have a year left and don’t have to stress. I’ve been in regular contact with the coach (Will Still) who has been amazing. He’s a very, very good guy. He loves football as much as I do. I’m looking forward to getting back into pre-season.”

With new signings, including recently announced Tolgay Arslan, City will be hoping the next wave of foreign players apply themselves and have a similar impact on the group. Berisha’s will be felt for years to come.