Legend keen for A-League gig
A-League legend Besart Berisha has returned to Australia with the intention of securing a top-flight coaching job.
Arguably the best striker in A-League history, the Albania and Kosovo international scored 142 goals in 236 appearances in the national competition for Brisbane Roar, Melbourne Victory and Western United.
Berisha won four A-League championships, two premierships, an FFA Cup and was twice awarded the Golden Boot for most goals in an A-League season.
After retiring from football three years ago, Berisha turned his hand to coaching and had stints on the staff at Kosovo club Prishtina and the Kosovo national team.
He is now ready to step up to a head coaching role and wants to do so in the A-League.
“I want to be an A-League coach,” Berisha, 39, said from his new Brisbane base.
“I’ve been working so hard in the past three years to become a good coach, travelling around the world, meeting coaches, visiting coaches, and I’ve had a lot of influence from big coaches like Ange Postecoglou and Kevin Muscat who have been very successful, and I am hoping one day to follow in their footsteps.
“I’m hoping one day soon for a coaching opportunity to come in the A-League.
“The A-League is in a difficult situation at the moment, but hopefully one day it becomes one of the best competitions in Asia.
“I hope the competition can return to be as strong as it was in the past.”
Berisha also wants to help with the development of young players and, in partnership with NPL Queensland club Wynnum Wolves, has started Berisha Football.
He will be in charge of school holiday camps at Wynnum’s Carmichael Park base this month (December 16-18) and next month (January 13-15).
Besart Berisha became an A-Leagues legend in Brisbane. Now, he’s coming back to train the next gen of young Aussie footballers 🥹🧡
The former @brisbaneroar striker has launched his own coaching program in Brisbane 🙌 pic.twitter.com/xZdtfQO0OI— Isuzu UTE A-League (@aleaguemen) November 24, 2024
“When I was playing in Brisbane, I saw that football here in Queensland really needed somebody to care about the development of the game,” Berisha said.
“I have so much to give with the development of this game, and it starts with the juniors. I want to give something back to the people who supported me during my playing career.
“If I can do this, and help the kids become players in the A-League or somewhere else in football, that would be very special to me.
“I’m really happy to have a partnership with Wynnum. They are a really great club, and I really respect (president) Rabieh Krayem and the staff at the club.”
For registration details on Berisha’s school holiday camps, visit @berishafootball on Instagram.
