Orosco Anonam had been in danger of becoming the forgotten man of Maltese football.

Once regarded as one of the most formidable strikers in the Premier League, Anonam spent much of his last two seasons with Sliema Wanderers in the treatment room and on the subs' bench after a succession of injuries disrupted his career.

Anonam's toils to regain fitness and the confidence of his coaches between 2006 and 2008 prompted cynics to suggest that he was a spent force.

It was in these circumstances that, at the end of another disappointing campaign with Sliema last year, Anonam decided to seek pastures new. He was not swarmed with lucrative offers, not surprisingly in light of his injury troubles, but Floriana recognised the potential benefits of signing a gifted player who was adamant on reviving his career.

Their gamble paid off big-time as Anonam has not only rediscovered his form, he has become the talisman of a revamped Floriana team.

Further proof, if any were needed, of Anonam's unwavering commitment to the Floriana cause came last Sunday when the former Malta international capped another bold display with a stoppage-time winner in the 2-1 defeat of Msida.

"In my last two seasons with Sliema, I had a lot of injuries," Anonam told The Times.

"Whenever I came back from an injury, it was difficult for me to compete for a place in the team with other top players who were fit and fresh.

"The coaches I had at the time preferred other players to me but I respected their choices. In life, you have to look forward and face the challenges that come your way. At the end of season 2007-08, I made up my mind to join a new club in search of more regular football because the more you play, the better you become.

"With Floriana, I'm playing week in week out and this has helped me to return to my old self. Last season, I was satisfied with my progress, even though Floriana failed to end the season on a high after qualifying for the Championship Pool.

"I'm happy at Floriana not only because I'm playing regularly but also because the youngsters in the team listen to my advice. They respect me a lot and I try my best to repay their faith."

Indeed, Anonam, who had short spells with SC Vasas in Hungary and APOEL Nicosia in Cyprus earlier in his career, is Floriana's leader on the field of play and has struck an excellent relationship with Irish coach Roddy Collins.

At the start of the season, dark clouds hung over Floriana, especially after their 6-0 drubbing at the hands of rivals Valletta, but Collins has turned the team's fortunes around despite the endless difficulties caused by injuries to key players and the club's financial woes.

"At the beginning of the season, we were shaky because we hadn't settled down as a team," Anonam said. "We had a new coach and it took him a while to find the right formation. We lost a few games in those early weeks but gradually we began to improve.

"The coach has adapted himself to the demands of Maltese football. He quickly realised that the game here is not as fast and open as it is in Britain.

"We now play as a team. The coach is getting the best out of every player because he encourages us to believe in ourselves. No player has guarantees that he's going to be in the team and the young ones have come in and shown that they can do a job.

"Our squad is limited but there is nonetheless a healthy competition for places."

The scepticism surrounding Floriana in the first few months of the season was so high that their chances of challenging for a berth in the Championship Pool were seen as very remote. A glance at the table suggests otherwise as Floriana lie fifth with 15 points from nine matches, one adrift of Hibs and four behind Birkirkara and Qormi who are joint-second.

"The main aim for Floriana is to make the Championship Pool," Anonam said. "There's still a long way to go but we're in contention. There was a lot of talk about Floriana not being good enough to challenge for the top six but games are decided by the players on the pitch."

Floriana's hopes of proving the doubters wrong have also been boosted by the powerful displays of new signing Sunday Akanni-Wasiu.

"Sunday Akanni-Wasiu is fast emerging as one of the strongest foreigners in the Premier League," Anonam said.

"I think the clubs have signed some good foreigners this season. Camilo is scoring a lot of goals for Qormi and Jordi Cruyff is a top player, a big name in football.

"Cruyff is well into his 30s but he's still dominating games for Valletta. He, Camilo and Sunday are certainly living up to expectations."

With their second round derby against Valletta fast approaching, Floriana will no doubt be keen on atoning for their embarrassing defeat in the first round.

"Everything went wrong for us in the first round match against Valletta," Anonam said. "They were the better team but we were unlucky as some of our best players suffered serious injuries during that game.

"That match is in the past. I'm confident that with the set-up we have created at Floriana, we can offer Valletta a sterner challenge in the second round."

On a personal level, Anonam's objective is to keep playing for as long as he can.

"I'm feeling good and I believe I can continue to play at this level for some more years," Anonam, who turns 31 in June, said.

Anonam was born and bred in Nigeria but Malta has been his home for over a decade. At his peak, Anonam was called up to the national squad after obtaining Maltese citizenship but injuries shattered his hopes of becoming a regular for Malta.

"I lost my place in the national squad because I got injured and the coach at the time decided to send me back to the club," Anonam said.

"I have played four times for Malta and for me it was an honour to represent the country. I had three very good performances in the first three matches and in my last appearance, I played one half because I suffered an injury."

On current form, Anonam deserves a second chance with the national team but he's not holding his breath for a recall.

"If the coaches think that I can still contribute something to the national team, I will go back but I'm not going to beg for it," he said.

Anonam may be humble but he's also a proud man. After all, it was only thanks to his pride and determination that he has put his career back on track.