Flying the Maltese flag

Tuesday, March 10. A chilly evening in Yorkshire as Barnsley fans converge on the floodlit Oakwell Ground ahead of the Tykes' league match against promotion hopefuls Birmingham.

A quick glance at the teamsheet heightens my anticipation as Daniel Bogdanovic and Michael Mifsud have been named in Barnsley's starting line-up.

A dull first half ends goalless but the tempo of the game picks up after the change of ends as Barnsley try to make a contest of it.

Bogdanovic is having a good match on the right flank but Mifsud has been on the periphery of the action as a succession of long, high balls towards the Birmingham area are easily intercepted by towering defender Martin Taylor.

With eight minutes remaining, Taylor misjudges a headed clearance and Mifsud quickly capitalises by firing the ball into the net to give Barnsley the lead. Minutes later, Birmingham equalise, Taylor atoning for his earlier mistake by heading home a Sebastian Larsson free-kick.

The match ends one-all but it's been another good night for those with Maltese football at heart, what with Mifsud opening his account for Barnsley and collecting the man-of-the-match award and Bogdanovic producing another lively performance to further enrich his burgeoning reputation among the Tykes' supporters.

Barnsley may not be the most glamorous club in England but since the last week of January, their battle to keep their Championship status has captured the attention of many a football follower on the Maltese islands.

It started off with the news that Bogdanovic had joined Barnsley from Bulgarian outfit Lokomotiv Sofia on an 18-month deal. Bogdanovic announced himself to the fans with a well-taken goal on his debut against Ipswich. A few days later, Malta was again on the lips of every Barnsley supporter as Mifsud called time on his spell with Coventry City after agreeing to join Barnsley on loan until the end of the season.

Having two Maltese internationals playing for Barnsley, coupled with Justin Haber's summer link-up with Sheffield United, suddenly enhanced the appeal of the Championship in the eyes of Maltese fans.

Mifsud's debut for Barnsley was delayed by a couple of weeks after heavy snow disrupted English football but the nippy striker has been a regular for the past few matches. Bogdanovic is also back in the thick of things after recovering from a torn hamstring.

The prospect of watching two Malta players turn out for the same team enticed me and three friends to take in Barnsley's home clash with Birmingham during a recent visit to the UK.

"I'm happy here," Mifsud told me when we met up for a short chat a few days after the Birmingham match.

"There is a good atmosphere in the dressing room. It hasn't taken me long to settle here because the players and coaches made me feel welcome straightaway."

The 27-year-old Mifsud then explained the reasons that convinced him to heed the call of relegation-threatened Barnsley.

"The coach's promise to play me as a striker, my favoured position, was key to my decision to join Barnsley," Mifsud added.

"Simon Davey knows what I can offer the team by playing up front."

Having joined Barnsley on a short-term loan deal, Mifsud insisted he was in no rush to make a decision on his future.

"I'm on loan here but Barnsley have the option of offering me a contract when the present deal expires," Mifsud said. "At the moment, I'm only focusing on doing well here and help the club retain their division one status. I'm very positive about our chances of staying up."

Mifsud is enjoying the 'new' experience of having a fellow Maltese, Bogdanovic, as one of his club-mates.

"It's a positive thing to have two Maltese players at the same club," Mifsud said. "We can communicate with each other in the same language and that makes for a pleasant change. I'm pleased that we've both been playing well lately."

Having enjoyed a dream debut, Bogdanovic is satisfied with his progress since joining Barnsley from Lokomotiv Sofia.

"I couldn't have hoped for a better start to my career with Barnsley," Bogdanovic reminisced. "I've been involved quite regularly for the team since my move from Lokomotiv Sofia and everything is going well so far.

"I've had to adapt quickly because the Championship is different from the Bulgarian league. The emphasis in Bulgaria is more on skill whereas here the game is more physical and faster. It's a difficult league. I've read that the Championship is classified as the sixth toughest league in Europe and that says all about its standard."

Like Mifsud, Bogdanovic, who turned 29 yesterday, is optimistic that Barnsley will not be relegated from the Championship.

"The team's results have improved significantly since mid-January," Bogdanovic said. "I'm confident that Barnsley will stay in the Championship." Barnsley are hovering above the relegation zone with 44 points from 38 matches.

Bogdanovic's relentless pursuit of professional football has seen him play for a host of clubs in Bulgaria, Hungary and Italy before finally fulfilling his ambition of joining a team in England.

Sacrifices

The Malta forward is glad that his perseverance is reaping the desired dividends.

"Being a professional footballer requires a lot of sacrifices," Bogdanovic, who moved to Malta with his family when he was still a teenager, said. "In my case, playing away from home also means being away from the family and that's not easy. You have to make new friends every time you move to a new club and find a new home but these things have not discouraged me from pursuing my dream.

"Now I'm glad that my efforts are paying off. To this end, I would like to urge Maltese parents not to stand in the way of their sons if they have the opportunity to further their career by joining a club outside Malta."

Bogdanovic, who seems to have overcome the disciplinary problems that blighted his progress in the past, is happy to be back in the national team's frame.

"I have always given my 100 per cent whenever I've been asked to play for the national team," Bogdanovic said.

"Before the Iceland friendly in November, I had been out of the squad for some time but the team didn't miss me because they had some great results," he remarked with a smile.

"Having said that, I'm glad to be back. I feel that the national team is improving and there are some interesting young players coming through.

"I hope that we get some positive results in our remaining qualifiers. With regards to my club career, I wish that the Maltese playing abroad will continue to do the nation proud."

Both Mifsud and Bogdanovic have taken up residence in Sheffield where Malta goalkeeper Haber is also based.

Haber has yet to make his competitive debut since joining Sheffield United from Greek club Haidari last summer but his professional attitude and willingness to work hard to achieve his goals have earned the Malta goalkeeper the respect of his team-mates and coaches.

"A few clubs were interested in taking me on loan in January but I decided to stay put," Haber said. "I'm a stubborn person and I'm still very much determined to achieve my aim of forcing my way into Sheffield United's team.

"Training with a professional club like Sheffield United has helped me to take my game to another level. I'm obviously delighted to have held on to my position as the national team's first goalkeeper and I'm looking forward to the qualifiers against Denmark and Hungary.

"I'd also like to think that Michael, Daniel and myself are doing our bit to keep the Maltese flag flying high in English football."