Berisha reveals bold ambition

Berisha took the A-League by storm in his first season in Australia, finishing top scorer with 19 goals and scoring the two late goals that gave Brisbane its second straight championship with a 2-1 victory.

The Kosovo-born Albania international has always sought to improve himself as a footballer and his career has taken him to Germany, Denmark, England, Norway and now Australia, where he is enjoying a purple patch.

Yet he is not the type of person to rest on his laurels and he boldly declared that he will try to raise the bar even further when the eighth A-League starts in October.

"I had a good season last year but now I want to reach the next level," he said.

"I'd love our fans to see the best Besart Berisha and by this I mean I want to be more successful.

"I want to win more games and help the team more in general play and I want to achieve this by working harder at training and in games. I will not rest for one single second in a game.

"The grand final was one of the highlights of my football career.

"To win a grand final and scoring twice was something special because I'm not so good in finals.

"I was very happy and I can say that it was my biggest memory so far.

"But I want more success now."

Berisha said Rado Vidosic had made a smooth transition from assistant to senior coach since he replaced Ange Postecoglou, who left the club soon after the grand final to join Melbourne Victory.

"I was surprised to see Ange go because as everybody knows he is a fantastic coach," he said.

"I was not sure how things would go without him but with Rado in charge I know now that we will play the same entertaining and winning football we produced under Ange.

"Rado has been at the club for a long time so it was not only Ange who brought us success but Rado too. He's among the best in the business.

"Rado might change a few things. For example, he would like us to be more compact and not to concede too many easy goals like we did last season.

"It's early days but we already can see that not much will change in the way we play."

Berisha said that he was happy to notice that the hunger and drive that prevailed over the squad during his first pre-season last year has been replicated this year.

He said the attitude of the players in pre-season has convinced him that Brisbane has a great chance of recording a historic hat-trick of A-League titles.

"You could see from our first training session this new season that the boys want more," he said.

"People say we might relax after winning two straight championships but I can tell you it is not going to happen because we are all hungry for more silverware.

"You should come and have a look at the players' intensity at training. Nobody wants to lose even a practice game.

"I have won only one of the two championships but most of the squad are not satisfied with two and they all realise the importance of getting a good start in the league because we all want another good season."

Berisha caused a few controversial moments in his debut season in Australia, none more so than in the last tumultuous moments of the grand final at a heaving Suncorp Stadium.

With the score standing at 1-1 and Brisbane pressing for a winner against 10-man Perth, Berisha was awarded a hugely controversial penalty when Liam Miller appeared to make contact with the Albanian hitman.

A penalty was awarded and Berisha put it away comfortably to seal victory.

So will Berisha, with his hand on his heart, say if it was a penalty or not?

"Look, I will tell you the truth because I never lie and, besides, at the end of the day you can see it from the cameras," he said.

"I tell you what happened: I was preparing to shoot at goal and I was landing on my left foot and trying to hit the ball with my right when I got a touch on my left foot and I lost my balance and fell down.

"It was a touch so that means it was a penalty.

"Many people have suggested there was no need for me to be tackled in the penalty area but I tell you if he (Miller) did not tackle me I would have had a firm footing on my left and I would have scored for sure."

Controversy apart, Berisha's fierce determination not to lose the ball in those final moments of the match while surrounded by Perth opponents epitomised the way he plays his football: he never gives up.

On two occasions he appeared to have lost the ball but he somehow kept control before he was felled when on the point of shooting at goal.

"Scoring one goal was not enough for me," he said.

"I wanted to keep fighting and get another one before the referee blew the final whistle because that is how I am.

"Throughout my career I have always got better closer to the end of a match.

"My fighting spirit told me I should not give up and in the end I was rewarded and we won the grand final."

Berisha believes that Melbourne Victory will provide the stiffest challenge to Roar's bid for a championship trifecta.

"To be honest, I think all the teams are getting stronger and stronger," he said.

"But if you push me I would have to say that Melbourne Victory should be our toughest challengers.

"It's not because of the arrival of Marcos Flores but because I know how the boys will work (under Postecoglou) and I'm sure they will have a good season."