Fox sports commentator Andy Harper is right to label Thomas Broich the best foreign import the A-League has ever seen. The German playmaker has been key to Brisbane Roar’s success and in the past two seasons the Roar have set the benchmark when it comes to recruiting foreign players.
Broich was in typically inspirational form when the Roar beat Sydney FC at the Sydney Football Stadium in Round 2, scoring a goal and constantly probing with his expansive range of passing.
However, the performance of another foreign recruit went largely unnoticed – despite the fact it may have heralded the start of a bumper A-League career.
Albanian import Besart Berisha proved decisive against the Sky Blues, not through flashy attacking play but by doing the little things right.
Consider Brisbane’s opening goal.
While one European import in Pascal Bosschaart is caught ball watching, Berisha is on the move, positioning himself between Bosschaart and Scott Jamieson to slot home a simple finish following goalkeeper Liam Reddy’s fumble.
Berisha also played a role in Brisbane’s second, dummying to Broich when a less imaginative striker might have trapped the ball with his back to goal.
And against Gold Coast United last weekend Berisha took his goal with aplomb, getting in behind Michael Thwaite before rounding Glen Moss and finishing from the tightest of angles.
In other words, Berisha is a high-quality goal poacher – precisely the kind of import the A-League needs.
We shouldn’t be surprised since the Albanian international has had starts at a handful of decent European clubs and once turned in a superb individual performance against England B at Turf Moor.
He also played with Dario Vidosic at German side Arminia Bielefeld last season and no doubt Brisbane’s assistant coach Rado Vidosic took note of his son’s suggestion Berisha could be “the buy of the season.”
It’s safe to say Berisha has so far had more of an impact than the Roar’s other two foreign recruits in Issey Nakajima-Farran and former Bahrain international Sayed Adnan, yet both arrived with obvious pedigree.
Nakajima-Farran’s signing is interesting in that he’s used a rejection from Japan’s often psychologically brutal J. League to fuel a noteworthy international career.
The 27-year-old practically holds enough passports to start an international team on his own and as Andy Harper once told me, signing players born with a silver spoon in their mouth is no way to generate success.
Something tells me Nakajima-Farran has had to fight for everything he’s got and I’m sure he’ll prove a useful addition to a squad already brimming with talent.
It’s interesting the Roar’s foreign recruits look set to play a vital role this season when one of the A-League’s most mercurial talents seems to be on the outer at Melbourne Victory.
It didn’t take long for Victory’s stockpiling of attacking talent to have a negative impact, with rumours abounding Adelaide United are lining up a move for Costa Rican star Carlos Hernandez.
The portly playmaker has always struggled to shake off suggestions he’s out of shape and when Harry Kewell arrived, it was hard to see just where the 2009-10 Johnny Warren Medal winner would fit in.
Adelaide’s football director Michael Petrillo was quick to refute the rumour but no doubt United would love to replace departed Argentine star Marcos Flores, even if their attacking stocks already look abundant.
But back to Berisha, and the Albanian front man could be one of the real finds of the season.
His movement off the ball, composure in front of goal and willingness to work for team-mates suggest Berisha should be a major success in the A-League.
And in the same month the Roar’s new Indonesian owners were unveiled, the club’s scouting department once again looks to have proved its worth as the Roar’s foreign stars set their sights on setting the A-League alight.
Joe Lolley was outstanding for the Sky Blues, scoring a brace as Sydney FC equaled their biggest ever victory.
Here is the way the Roar expert panel sees all the action unfolding across the final weekend of play prior to the semi-finals.
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