Michael Mifsud

Coventry City forward Michael Mifsud was linked with a move away from the club over the summer and almost moved to Bristol City only for the Robins to pull out of the deal following negotiations.

Mifsud has since made ten appearances for the Sky Blues this season but is yet to find the back of the net. Manager Chris Coleman believes that Mifsud is still keen on moving away from the Ricoh Arena, although no firm offers have been made.

"There were a few clubs who spoke to Michael's agent last week but nothing has materialised," Coleman explained.

"He has worked hard with us and as long as he continues to do that that's fine. We take it that he still wants to leave but he's working hard and if he gets in the team we know he will do a job, but the situation is still the same."

Michael Mifsud's official website will soon be launched and it's going to be huge and surely one of Malta's top websites, It will be finally great to see a wesbite of that calibre of Malta's best player ever that surely he deserves. Thanks to my friend Gordy, the wesbite will give us alot of information and things we didn't know about our Michael, and I'm sure we're all gonna like it. Stay "tuned" to this website to know the date when the site is going to be launched and this site will make way for it. Thanks Gordy, and we Michael's fans can't wait for the site to be launched.

Optimism in a fairy tale ending to Malta's jubilee celebrations was indeed sky-high at the end of the first half of an interesting match yesterday. Driven by a desire to make their own indelible mark on local football folklore, Malta's elite players warmed to the task of crowning the 50th anniversary of the country's international baptism with gusto.

A spectacular goal from Gilbert Agius after eight minutes laid the platform for Dusan Fitzel's men to outshine the Austrians who came into the match on a three-game winning run. Such was Malta's superiority in the opening 45 minutes that the only surprise was that the home team were only leading 1-0 at half-time.

Sound tactical discipline, commitment and a fearless approach, epitomised by the vintage Michael Mifsud, were the hallmarks of Malta's brisk first-half display. These qualities continued to serve the team well in the second half, especially after Austria briefly threatened to punish a difficult moment by the hosts following a somewhat fortuitous equaliser soon after the restart.

Although Malta's second-half performance failed to reach the heights of the opening 45 minutes, the hosts deserved to finish the match on a par with the Austrians, a result which should enrich their morale ahead of next month's Euro 2008 qualifiers against Moldova and Greece.

For all the publicity afforded to Malta's 50th anniversary match, only a few thousand fans turned up at the National Stadium.

The starting line-up named by national coach Dusan Fitzel offered no surprises as Terrence Scerri was roped into the side to fill the void left by Andrè Schembri.

Scerri was Malta's point of reference in attack as Mifsud, yesterday gracing the stadium for the first time since his switch to Coventry City last month, was granted freedom to roam behind the team's sole striker.

Only two minutes of the game had elapsed when Justin Haber was forced to make his first save of the evening to stop an effort from Thomas Prager after a scurrying overlap by Austria captain Andreas Ivanschitz.

When the stalemate was broken after eight minutes, it was the home team that drew first blood. And what a goal it was.

George Mallia's corner was half cleared by the Austrians but the ball dropped into the path of captain Agius who summoned a thumping shot that blazed past Jurgen Macho.

The Valletta livewire celebrated his eighth goal for Malta by kissing the Maltese cross on his commemorative shirt as he ran towards the home bench.

Four minutes after that goal, Briffa, yesterday deployed at right-back, avoided a potentially dangerous situation when tracking back to slide the ball away from the advancing Roland Linz.

An excellent move by Malta, involving no fewer than five players, should have procured a second goal midway through the half.

After Agius, Mallia and Mifsud had exchanged quick, accurate passes to find a way through, Mifsud strode forward on the right before crossing for Kevin Sammut. The Marsaxlokk midfielder evaded a tackle before cutting the ball back for Jamie Pace whose sizzling grounder grazed the far post.

A second goal would not have been undeserved as the Reds were by far the brighter side whereas Austria just could not infuse a semblance of fluidity in their play.

Mallia was an enterprising figure on Malta's left flank, Pace and Agius worked like Troyans in midfield and Mifsud was his usual busy self, running here, there and everywhere in pursuit of openings.

It was after 33 minutes that Austria created a decent attacking move but Ivanschitz overhit his pass to Linz in the Malta box.

Austria's increasing pressure brought them a series of set-pieces but every time the ball was delivered inside the Maltese area, Haber and company repelled the danger.

Four minutes from the break, Joachim Standfest dashed past Wellman and laid the ball back for Rene Aufhaser whose shot drifted wide of the far post.

Agius's participation was cut short by injury a minute from half-time. He was substituted by Gareth Sciberras.

In next to no time, Mifsud was off on one of his bewitching runs, ball glued to his dancing feet, but his rising effort was deflected over the bar.

He was at it again a few seconds later, this time creating havoc in the Austria defence with a diagonal run from the right but his attempt ricocheted off Martin Hiden's outstretched legs.

The half-time whistle was followed by an appreciative applause from the home crowd, which included among others Archbishop Paul Cremona and several former Malta players who were involved in the nation's first international match against Austria in 1957.

On that occasion, Tony Cauchi and Sammy Nicholl struck in the final stages of a 3-2 defeat for Malta. Fifty years on, hopes of averting defeat against Austria looked promising indeed after Agius's goal.

Barely three minutes of the second half had passed when Sanel Kuljic burst through Malta's defence before being thrown off balance by Dimech. Malta sighed with relief when Swiss referee Carlo Bartolini indicated that the foul was committed outside the penalty area.

Malta's reprieve was short-lived though as Ivanschitz's free-kick took a deflection off the wall and the ball rolled past the wrong-footed Haber and into the net.

Mifsud would have re-established Malta's lead when finishing off another jinking run with a ferocious shot but Siena goalkeeper Alex Manninger, a half-time replacement for Macho, denied him with a tipping save.

At half-time, Fitzel effected his second substitution, bringing on Ian Azzopardi for Brian Said. Azzopardi positioned himself on the left side of Malta's four-man defence as Wellman was moved into the centre to take Said's place.

A mix-up between Azzopardi and Dimech almost gifted Austria a goal but Haber spared his team-mates' blushes by smothering the ball away.

There was improvement in Austria's attack in the second half. Their forceful marauding down the flanks and more off-the-ball movement by their forward personnel turned the heat on Malta but to no avail.

As the minutes rolled by, Fitzel's men came through their nervy start to the second half to share the exchanges with their opponents.

The level of the expectancy among the Maltese fans rose late on when Mifsud dispossessed Gyorgy Garics close to the halfway line and surged forward but the Malta striker took a touch too many instead of serving a better-placed team-mate.

Malta: J. Haber ('69 A. Hogg), S. Wellman, B. Said ('46 I. Azzopardi), R. Briffa, L. Dimech, G. Agius ('44 G. Sciberras), K. Sammut ('86 I. Ciantar), M. Mifsud, G. Mallia ('78 A. Cohen), T. Scerri ('65 I. Woods), J. Pace.

Austria: J. Macho ('46 A. Manninger), J. Standfest ('77 Y. Sariyar), M. Stranzl, M. Hiden, A. Ibertsberger ('46 C. Fuchs), R. Aufhaser, T. Prager ('46 M. Kiesenbner), M. Weissenberger ('66 G. Garics), R. Linz ('73 M. Akagunduz), A. Ivanschitz, S. Kuljic.

Referee: Carlo Bartolini (Switzerland FA).

Scorers: Agius 8; Ivanschitz 48.

Malta players' ratings

Haber-6.5, Wellman-5.5, Said-6, Briffa-6, Dimech-7, Agius-7, Sammut-7, Mifsud-8.5, Mallia-7, Scerri-5.5, Pace-7.

Subs: Sciberras-6; Azzopardi-5.5; Woods-6; Hogg-6.

Aftermatch comments...

Dusan Fitzel was happy the Maltese had avoided defeat on a special anniversary day. The performance was not perfect, he said, but satisfactory.

"This was a good match for Malta against strong opponents like Austria," Fitzel told reporters. "My players ran a lot and created good scoring chances but, unfortunately, we only scored once tonight.

"The result is not bad and that shows the team is on the right track. However, there were some mistakes during the match which I did not like. The progress is steady but we still have some aspects of the game to improve upon.

"I was pleased with the movement of most players particularly the ones on the flank - George Mallia and Kevin Sammut."

Focus now shifts on the match against Moldova next month.

"When the draw was made," Fitzel said, "I told the players that against Moldova we had our best chance of winning points.

"The draw with Austria gives us hope but we must keep our feet to the ground. As I said, we still need to work hard to get another positive result in the group qualifiers."

Austria coach Josef Hickersberger said he was disappointed with the result and even more with the performance of the team.

"There was no cohesion in our game," he said.

"But I have to give due credit to the Maltese. From what I've seen tonight, Malta has indeed made a significant step forward. I think they have reached the middle level of European football."

Austria will be looking to chalk up their fourth victory in as many matches when they take on Malta in this evening's friendly match.

Last November, Austria followed up victories over Liechtenstein (2-1) and Switzerland (2-1) with a 4-1 win over World Cup 2006 finalists Trinidad and Tobago.

With daunting matches against Ghana and France, the World Cup finalists, awaiting Austria after their meeting with Malta, the Euro 2008 co-hosts are eager to keep their spirits high with another fruitful outing at Ta' Qali this evening.

Josef Hickersberger, the Austrian coach, is confident that his team can stretch their winning run but warned that Malta will be no pushovers, especially if striker Michael Mifsud is in top form.

"Malta should not be underestimated," Hickersberger told reporters yesterday.

"They have a strong defence and in Michael Mifsud, they have a striker who is always looking to hurt opposing defences with his quick incursions into the penalty area.

"If we manage to control Mifsud and use the flanks effectively, I believe we can knock down Malta's resistance," Hickersberger added.

MICHAEL MIFSUD made a good impression on his Coventry City debut on Saturday - but the Maltese striker will miss tonight's FA Cup clash.

"It was great to make my debut in front of the crowd but it was hard when we were losing," said Mifsud.

"It is not nice to lose, particularly when there are three goals in such a short space of time, but we were better in the second half.

"My fitness is not at its best but I am training hard and I am sure I will get better and better.

"I feel I will be ready to start a game if the manager wants me to but I can't play in the Cup game because I didn't play in the first leg so I have to wait until Monday when we go to Plymouth.But that gives me more time to train and improve my fitness"

Coventry city has signed Michael Mifsud on a free transfer from Lillestrom,Subjected to international clearance.

The Maltese International put pen to paper last night on a two-and-a-half year contract,which commits him to the sky blues until June 2009.

He has twice been voted to be the maltese sportsman of the year and impressed this season when Lillestrom took on Newcastle in the Intertoto cup.

Micky Adams who is Coventry's coach said "Were delighted that Michael opted to join us.There were number of clubs interested in his signature and I believe that aswell as being a proven goalscorer,he will bring more depth to the squad.I'm looking forward to work with him at the club."

The striker has been linked with a whole host of clubs, both in the Premiership and the Championship, but reports in Norway suggest that Micky Adams has won the race for his signature.

Coventry have been long term suitors of Mifsud and had a bid for the forward turned down by Lillestrom over the summer.

However, after scoring 11 goals in 19 games in the Tippeligaen, Mifsud is now available on a free transfer after seeing his contract with the Norwegian side expire.

Reports suggest that The Sky Blues could even wrap up Mifsud's signing on Tuesday to give another option to their under-fire manager.

Sheffield United were strongly linked with the striker in December but The Ricoh Arena now appears to be his destination in England

"Mifsud is one of the players that we've spoken about," Warnock confirmed.

"We want to improve our squad and so we've been keeping an eye on lots of people. The scouts have been very busy.

"What I want to try to do is get into a situation where we know we can bring in our top priorities and then work our way down through the rest.

"That's the most sensible way to do business.

"We know that the players we are looking at are available and we want to get the main ones first."

"The News of the World report was inaccurate," Michael Taylor told skysports.com. "Michael has not made any sort of comment that has been attributed to him, and as we said there are a number of inaccuracies in the report.

"There are a number of clubs looking at him, from England but also from across Europe."

Malta international forward Michael Mifsud has revealed he has been offered a move to Sheffield United, English tabloid The News of the World reported yesterday.

The Lillestrom striker caught the eye of several high-profile clubs after his impressive performances for both the Norwegian club and the Malta national team this year.

Mifsud is available on a free transfer in January and has never hidden his desire to play at a higher level.

A host of English Premier League clubs were reported last month to be showing an interest in the 26-year-old forward who started his career with Sliema Wanderers and who had a spell in the German Bundesliga with Kaiserslautern.

Sheffield United, Manchester City and Bolton Wanderers were said to be monitoring Mifsud after his excellent display in Malta's 2-1 win over Hungary last October.

The News of the World said that Sheffield United manager Neil Warnock is keen to bolster his attacking options when the transfer window reopens in January and has lined up Mifsud as his top target.

In an interview published yesterday, Mifsud was quoted as saying that he has been made an offer by United manager Warnock and that he has been given a few days to make a decision on his future.

"They gave me ten days to consider the offer but there is not really much to think about," Mifsud told the News of the World.

Lillestrom's German head coach Uwe Rosler was sacked yesterday.

Lillestrom finished fourth in the league, nine points behind champions Rosenborg Trondheim.

News of Rosler's departure comes amidst frenzied speculation over the future of Malta striker Michael Mifsud whose contract with Lillestrom is due to expire at the end of December.

The 25-year-old Mifsud yesterday joined his Malta team-mates for training at Ta' Qali ahead of tomorrow's friendly match against Lithuania at the Hibernians Ground.

Contacted by The Times soon after international news agency Reuters reported that Rosler had been axed, Mifsud said: "I'm surprised to hear that Rosler is no longer the coach of Lillestrom.

"During his time in charge of Lillestrom, Rosler had a positive influence on me in that he always regarded me as a key player for the team."

Mifsud, Lillestrom's top scorer in the league with 11 goals, has received a new offer from the Norwegian outfit but the indications are that the Maltese stalwart has set his heart on a move to a more glamorous league and will therefore reject the proposal from his present employers.

Asked if the club's decision to part ways with Rosler could have any influence on his future plans, Mifsud promptly replied in the negative, an answer which may be construed as another strong hint that he is seriously considering other offers, especially from English clubs.

"Rosler's departure will not affect the decision on my future," Mifsud said but stopping short of revealing what his intentions are.

English newspapers and internet sites are awash with reports that Mifsud is a transfer target for several English clubs with Premier League outfit Sheffield United believed to be leading the chase. Premier League clubs Bolton Wanderers and Reading and second division Coventry City are also said to be monitoring Mifsud closely.

The Daily Star reported last weekend that Sheffield United had agreed a deal worth £700,000 (around Lm446,000) for Mifsud but gave no details about the terms of the move.

As Mifsud will be out of contract in January, Lillestrom will not be entitled to compensation if, as expected, the former Sliema and Kaiserslautern forward joins another club.

Mifsud figured in Lillestrom's final league game, a 2-0 win over Lyn Oslo, the weekend before last, but he could still make a handful of appearances for the Norwegian club before the end of his contract.

Next Saturday, Lillestrom will open their Royal League commitments with a group match away to Sweden's Hammarby. The Royal League, founded in 2004, is contested by a total of 12 teams, namely the top four-placed clubs in the leagues of Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Lillestrom have been drawn in Group 2 along with Danish clubs FC Copenhagen and Brondby and Hammarby.

It remains to be seen if Mifsud gets the chance to play in this competition if he does affirm his intention to leave Lillestrom in the next few days.

Scouts working for clubs in the English Premiership and The Championship were expected to converge on the Arasen Stadium yesterday evening with the aim of running the rule over Malta striker Michael Mifsud in Lillestrom's final league game against Lyn.

Mifsud failed to get on the scoresheet yesterday but his strike partner Olivier Occean netted twice to earn Lillestrom a 2-0 win over Lyn.

Lillestrom finished fourth in the league on 44 points, behind Valerenga Oslo on goal difference. Valerenga ended their league commitments with a 3-1 home victory over Tromso to secure a place in the UEFA Cup. For the second year running, Lillestrom will compete in the Intertoto Cup.

Rosenborg (53 points) reclaimed the Norwegian league title with Brann Bergen (46) finishing second.

The 25-year-old Mifsud, who is yet to fully recover from a slight ankle injury, has been the subject of interest from a host of clubs after he rejected Lillestrom's initial overtures to sign a new contract.

"Yes, there are many clubs who are interested in Michael," Mark Taylor, Mifsud's advisor, was quoted as saying by skysports.com.

Last summer, Lillestrom turned down an offer for Mifsud from English club Coventry City despite knowing that the striker will be able to move for free in January as his present contract is due to run out at the end of December.

Mifsud, a product of the Sliema Wanderers FC nursery who had a two-year-spell with Kaiserslautern in the early years of his professional career, has set his heart on a move to one of the top European leagues.

The quicksilver striker, whose rising reputation has also been greatly enhanced by a series of exhilarating displays for Malta, is also a target for some top Norwegian clubs, with Brann and IK Start widely reported to be leading the chase for Mifsud's signature.

Contacted by The Times before yesterday's match, Mifsud, who topped the scoring charts for Lillestrom with 11 goals this season, said: "I've been told that a number of scouts will be watching me today. At this moment in time, I don't know the names of the scouts and the clubs they represent. In any case, scouts see many games from the Norwegian league. My focus is to play well and help Lillestrom end the season on a positive note."

Sources have told The Times that English Premier League club Watford and second division sides Coventry and Leeds United have all been linked with a potential move for the nimble Malta striker.

Mifsud's prospects of pursuing his career in England received a boost in July when he turned in a vibrant display in Lillestrom's 1-1 draw in the away leg of their Intertoto Cup third round tie against Newcastle. Lillestrom went out 4-1 on aggregate after a 3-0 defeat in the second leg.

Malta registered a great win yesterday when they won 2-1 against Hungary.It was a memorable night for all present yesterday at Ta'Qali.All the team played very good but there was one one who shined more from all the 22 players.It  was Michael Mifsud, the Hungarian defenders were too slow for him.From the newspaper ratings Michael got 9points and I'm sure that if he had just better finishing it would have been 10points for him!  Maltese coach Dusan Fitzel said that Mifsud had a great game and could have scored while Hungarian coach Peter Botzik said I" was impressed by maltese striker Michael Mifsud,He had excellent runs which confused our defenders".

Here are some photos of yesterday's game:

Michael Mifsud's goal in the 2-5 home upset to Bosnia on Saturday may not have had a significant impact on the final scoreline but its importance for the Lillestrom striker should be not be overlooked.

Coming from a purple patch in the Norwegian league, where Mifsud is now firmly established as one of the top foreign players, the 25-year-old's brisk performance and his 86th minute netting provided further confirmation of his ability to deliver at the top level.

His stock in the market has certainly been on the rise in what Mifsud regards as a crucial season, one that will hopefully see him land a lucrative move to a more glamorous league in Europe.

"I'm satisfied with the way this season has fanned out for me so far," Mifsud said.

"It's all down to hard work and commitment. I always give my all during training and games to try and improve.

"From day one this season, I wanted to make a lasting impression both for Lillestrom and Malta. I have come to regard this season as the most important in my career due to the fact that my contract with Lillestrom runs out at the end of November and also because my progress last term was disrupted by a long-term injury."

Lillestrom's bid to win the league has surely derived further momentum from Mifsud's sparkling form as his position as the club's leading league marksman with nine goals illustrates.

Second in the championship with 33 points from 18 matches, Lillestrom are very much in the reckoning for the title but Mifsud envisages a hard struggle.

"We are up there with the top teams but it's a very tight race with only a few points separating the main challengers," Mifsud said.

During the summer transfer window, Mifsud's name was linked with a host of clubs in England and Italy, with teams like Watford, Coventry and Udinese reportedly impressed by his potential as a fast and skilful forward.

Although Mifsud make no bones about his desire to move to a better league, he did not shed much light on his likely destination.

"Lillestrom offered me a new contract last season but I turned it down because my ambition is to join a bigger club," Mifsud remarked.

"There is no cause to rush. I will be a free player after November and that will give me ample time to listen to offers before the January transfer window.

"Some clubs were keen to sign me this summer (Coventry officially made a bid for Mifsud) but their approaches were turned down by Lillestrom. We are fighting for the league and Lillestrom wanted me to stay and help their challenge."

Newcastle were also talked of as potential suitors of Mifsud after his lively display in the first leg of their Intertoto Cup third round tie this summer at St James's Park.

"Those matches against Newcastle certainly put me in the spotlight but every game is a showcase because you never know who might be watching you.

"I have been told that scouts have watched quite a large number of Lillestrom matches this season," Mifsud said.

National team influence

Mifsud also readily acknowledges that his outings for the national team have helped him advance in his career.

"The national team means a lot to me," Mifsud reflected.

"I have always been proud to represent my country.

"I would like to think that my experience abroad has also aided the national team in the sense that I'm more confident in my abilities when I play for Malta."

Casting his mind back to Saturday's 5-2 defeat to Bosnia, Mifsud said: "The result was negative but there were several positive aspects about our performance.

"At least, we tried to be constructive when we had possession and also created a string of scoring chances.

"The good thing is that we no longer resort to defensive tactics in international games. Most of the goals conceded against Bosnia could have been avoided but hopefully, we'll learn from our mistakes. The atmosphere in the squad is OK now and the players are willing to help each other."

Tonight's encounter with Turkey is another massive test for Malta.

"It's another big game for us," Mifsud said.

"Turkey have a great level of technique and like to play fast, flowing football."

Although Malta coach Dusan Fitzel is still in search of his first positive result since succeeding Horst Heese in January, Mifsud had positive words for the Czech coach.

"Mr Fitzel is very smart," Mifsud said.

"He understands the players and knows the game inside out. I also like the fact that he studies opponents in detail."

Although Malta's chances of gaining something from tonight's match are as good as nil, Mifsud has high hopes of an improved performance.

"I'm optimistic in nature," he said.

"I believe in myself and my team-mates. We will work hard to give a good account of ourselves but it will not be easy."

After all the talking about his future and about interests from other football clubs Mifsud is ready to forget everything and do his best to help Malta giving a good performance in Tuesday's friendly vs Slovakkia.This is the last friendly of the Maltese national team before the Euro2008 qualfying begins.In Malta the fans are really optimistic after some good performances in the World cup qualfying(draws against Croatia and Bulgaria) and in some friendlys(0-1 vs Japan).In these games Mifsud was always absent from the squad so we hope that with Mifsud in the squad results can even be better.GOOD LUCK MALTA

Lillestrom's striker Michael Mifsud is attracting the interest of premiership new boys Watford.

                  Teamtalk and News of the world reported that Watford manager Adrian Boothroyd is considering adding Mifsud to the Vicarage Road squad to give the Hornets a different option up front as they prepare to tackle the premiership.

                 Boothroyd was impressed by the 25-year old Maltese striker as he was a constant threat for the Newcastle defence in the first leg of the Intertoto cup with Lillestrom.Magpies boss Glenn Roeder had singled out Mifsud for his great performance.

                Michael Mifsud's contract with Lsk ends at the end of this season.In fact, Lillestrom coach Uwe Rosler had revealed in an interview that the former Kaiserslautern striker has rejected an offer to sign a new contract a couple of months ago.

               When contacted by the maltese main newspaper l-orrizont,Mifsud said "I know nothing about the interest of Watford and  didn't have any contacts with them,at this time of the year there's always alot of speculations and you can't talk when there's nothing concrete.Obviously the game against Newcastle especially the first leg helped me alot to promote my talent .Im happy that these clubs are showing interest in me but till now  I'm still a Lillestrom player and I want to remain concentrated on the next Lillestrom games.My aim is still to help Lillestrom win cup before I leave.We're on the right track but certainly no matter the interest on me will be,I will give my 100% in every game"

A place in next Friday's UEFA Cup second qualifying round draw is at stake today when the 2006 Intertoto Cup climaxes with eleven second-leg ties.

Marsaxlokk, Malta's Intertoto Cup representatives this year, failed to progress beyond the first round but local interest in the competition is still very much alive and kicking after Lillestrom, who have Malta striker Michael Mifsud on their books, reached the third round.

Last weekend, Lillestrom achieved a highly creditable 1-1 draw away to English Premier League club Newcastle United. The 25-year-old Mifsud certainly seized his chance to show his worth on the big stage, turning in a lively performance at St James' Park to earn glowing praise in the international press.

Newcastle manager Glenn Roeder's view that the quicksilver Mifsud is one of Lillestrom's chief danger men, was reinforced in midweek when the Malta striker scored in the 2-1 defeat of derby rivals Lynn Oslo in the Norwegian Cup.

"Lillestrom were well worth their win (against Lynn) - for me, they were clearly the better side," Roeder was quoted as telling reporters after he and his coaching staff watched the game at the Arasen Stadium.

"They used the same group of players that played in Newcastle, although the big lad, Oliver Ocean, was a substitute and didn't play.

"And they took their little lad up front, Michael Mifsud, off as soon as they knew they had the game won," Roeder added.

"To tell the truth, I didn't see anything different from what I saw in the first leg at St James' Park. They had the same three or four strengths - but we will be working on their weaknesses."

Shorn of their leading forwards following the retirement of Alan Shearer and Michael Owen's injury at the World Cup, Newcastle will look to Albert Luque to provide the scoring touch in Norway after the Spanish international struck a magnificent equaliser to deny Lillestrom victory last Saturday.

A crowd of around 10,000 is expected for the game today but Roeder is aware that the chance to outsmart a Premiership side with a European pedigree is motivation enough for the home team.

"Lillestrom were clearly fired up at our place on Saturday, but that is always the case," the Newcastle manager said.

"A lot of their players will have seen that game as a chance to put themselves in the shop window."

Michael and his team mates needs a perfect game on saturday to get a good result against english giants Newcastle.....Here's an interview about tomorrow's game with  Lillestrom fan Torolf Holde

Q: Lillestrom are in the middle of their season at the moment, how are you doing?

We are doing quite well. We are in second place, four points behind Brann, with one game less. However, we ended the first half of the season with only one point in three games against poor teams.

Q: Do you think that by playing through the summer, it can give you any sort of advantage when you play Newcastle in the Intertoto Cup?

Definitely. We think this is our chance to beat Newcastle.

Q: Are there many Lillestrom fans travelling to Newcastle for the first leg?

I believe there will be 100-200 fans travelling to Newcastle.

Q: Are you a fan of the Premiership, or do you think it is an overrated league?

Like most Norwegians, I follow the Premiership more closely than any other foreign league, but I wouldn't call myself a fan. I think it is a bit overrated. The top clubs are very good, however.

Q: What are your thoughts about Newcastle, the club?

I think Newcastle is one of the greatest clubs in England.

Q: What are Lillestrom's strengths and weaknesses? What area of the field are you strongest and weakest in?

This year our forwards and central midfield are the strongest. Our central defence is also quite good. Our weakest point after Christoffer Andersson left for Hannover is probably the right back area.

Q: Which of your players will be most dangerous to Newcastle?

Watch out for Robert Koren, our Slovenian midfielder and playmaker. He has international class. His passing ability is excellent, and he is also capable of scoring goals from a distance. MICHAEL MIFSUD is a small, but very fast attacker. Olivier Occean, a Canadian international, is our top goalscorer and Lillestrom's most expensive player ever (EUR 1 million).

Q: Which Newcastle players (if any) do you fear?

Now that Michael Owen is injured, I don't fear anyone.

Q: Finally, what do you think the score will be at the end of the two games?

Lillestrom will win 3-2 on aggregate (1-1 away and 2-1 at home).

Our thanks to Torolf for taking the time to answer our questions. Enjoy the trip lads and have a safe journey.

Michael Mifsud is fast recapturing the scoring form that made him one of the most lethal strikers in the Norwegian League before a shoulder injury curtailed his participation for the second part of last season.

The Malta forward has taken part in two friendly matches played by Lillestrom over the past week as part of their build-up for the start of the Norwegian season in April.

After failing to score in Lillestrom's 1-1 draw against Moss last weekend, Mifsud, 24, hit four goals in his side's 6-1 defeat of Honefoss yesterday.

Mifsud is in the final year of his two-and-a-half year-contract with Lillestrom who have retained German Uwe Rosler as their coach. Mifsud joined Lillestrom in the summer of 2004 after helping Sliema Wanderers to a league and cup double.

News of Mifsud's recovery from injury and his fine pre-season form is good news for the Maltese national team.

New coach Dusan Fitzel is expected to call Mifsud to his first squad for next month's biennial International Tournament at the National Stadium.

"My recovery is going well," Mifsud, who suffered his injury after colliding with a team-mate, said. "For the past few weeks, I have been training on my own. The league is over here, so I'm in no rush to get back into action but I hope to start pre-season training with the club in January."

Mifsud's injury-related absence from Lillestrom's team seems to have invited speculation that the nippy striker may use the January transfer window to join a Maltese club as he had done two seasons ago when he signed for Sliema after terminating his contract with Kaiserslautern.

Other sections of the media reported that Mifsud has been invited for a trial elsewhere but the player dismissed such rumours as unfounded.

"I know nothing about a possible trial with another club," Mifsud said.

"The only thing I can confirm is that I intend to see out the remaining year of my contract with Lillestrom. I'm happy in Norway.

"A few months back, Lillestrom suggested that we initiate talks to extend my contract but we still have plenty of time to do that.

"My only concern at present is to recuperate from this injury and start playing football again."

                                      Copyright.. times of malta

Lillestrøm SK forward Michael Mifsud was operated on Friday on an injured shoulder which ruled him out for the rest of the Norwegian season.
As reportedly exclusively by Maltasport on Wednesday, the 24-year old Maltese international sustained the injury during a training session in a tackle with one of his side's goalkeepers.
Mifsud who hit the equaliser on Monday in his side's 2-1 away win over Norwegian defending champions Rosenborg had been a central part of German coach Uwe Rösler plans for the title challenge this season.
In fact after Monday's success Lillestrom SK are third in the Premier Division standings with 30 points, five behind leaders Start.
Besides the Maltese international will also miss next week's Malta friendly match against Northern Ireland at the National Stadium, Ta' Qali and the three World Cup qualifiers against Hungary and Croatia next month and Bulgaria in October.

Lillestrøm SK forward Michael Mifsud will be out for the rest of the season after picking up a shoulder injury in training.
The 24-year old Maltese international sustained the injury during a training session in a tackle with one of his side's goalkeepers.
Mifsud who hit the equaliser on Monday in his side's 2-1 away win over Norwegian defending champions Rosenborg had been a central part of German coach Uwe Rösler plans for the title challenge this season.
In fact after Monday's success Lillestrom SK are third in the Premier Division standings with 30 points, five behind leaders Start.

© - Copyright - 2005

Mifsud was injured in training,Let's hope that this is not a serious injury and that he can return to play for Lsk as soon as possibile.From this pictures below we can see that he dislocated his shoulder

  Michael Mifsud helps Lillestrom beat Rosenborg

Malta international striker Michael Mifsud was one of the scorers for Lillestrom as they defeated champions Rosenborg 2-1 away from home.

Rosenborg dominated during the first half but Mifsud notched the equaliser on 61 minutes with a beautiful first timer. He managed to get in front of his marker, hitting a low cross into the top of the net. The Maltese striker fought hard up front, being a constant menace for the Rosenborg defenders.

He was substituted on the 72nd minute after a good game. He was replaced by Arild Sundgot who also managed to score the second goal.

It was the first time in several years that Lillestrom managed to beat Rosenborg in Lerkendal.

Lillestrom are currently joint-third with 30 points, four behind leaders Start.

Copyright from www.maltafootball.com

A great and an inmportant win for Lsk!!!And finally Michael scored again ........After 19min Rosenborg failed a penalty but the goal was in the air because in the 34th minute they scored with Odeegard,the result stayed like that until the halftime but in the 61th minute MIFSUD scored the equilaser.This goal was the turning point of the match infact in the 78th minute Lillestrom scored the winning goal with Sundgot.Now Lsk are currently 2nd with 4points behind the leaders Start...Come on canaris

After the great victory of last week against the leaders Start,it was time that Lillestrom will suffer a bad resultToday Lillestrom lost against Lyn .The decisive goal came in the 60th minute from D. Theorin.Now Lyn are the same points of Lsk

A great result for Lillestrom!!1They beat the leaders Start 2-0.......Now we hope Lillestrom will mantain this current form and push for a european place! The goals  came from P.Strand on the 24th minute and from M.Myklebust on the 90th minute.

Michael Mifsud has received a myriad of compliments so far in his career but perhaps the most significant of all was delivered a few days ago by none other than Uwe Rosler, the Lillestrom coach.

The speedy Malta striker has been making the most of his time in the Norwegian top-flight since joining Lillestrom, one of the most prominent clubs in Scandinavia, from Malta champions Sliema Wanderers in the summer of last year.

Acknowledgement for his positive impact on the Norwegian league was given by Rosler who, in a long interview with Kicker, the popular German football publication, was fulsome in his praise for the 24-year-old forward.

Kicker put the following question to Rosler: "Ex-Kaiserslautern player Michael Mifsud is regarded as the best foreign player in the Norwegian league. Has he developed so much lately or does that say something about the level of the league there?"

Rosler replied: "The standard of the league here is lower than the Bundesliga.

"But Mifsud has come a long way, profiting from the fact that we no longer play kick and rush football. With his pace and agility, he is poison for big defenders. He is very sharp. I fear that we cannot hold on to him."

Since bursting onto the scene as a young, quicksilver striker with the Wanderers when he was only 16, Mifsud has always been hailed as Malta's most promising football prospect. His spell with Kaiserslautern justified the lofty expectations about Mifsud but his return to Maltese football early last year was seen as a backward step for his career.

Scorer of 11 goals in 39 appearances for Malta, Mifsud played an important part in Sliema's title triumph in season 2003-2004 before he grabbed an offer to play in Norway.

News of Mifsud's switch to Lillestrom sparked mixed reactions with cynics doubting whether his career will benefit from his participation in an unglamorous league such as that in Norway.

Vindicated

Yet, Rosler's comments on Mifsud and his status as the best foreign player in the Norwegian league go some way towards vindicating his decision to leave the Premier League.

Having initially opined that a spell in the Norwegian league constituted a better chance for him to capture the attention of other bigger clubs on the continent, Mifsud told The Times yesterday that he is delighted that things have worked out well for him so far.

"Firstly, I am delighted to earn recognition from the Norwegian media as the best foreign player in the top league," he said.

"I am happy not only from a personal viewpoint but also because my reputation here is also good for the image of Maltese football.

"I view these comments as just reward for my determination to do well and overcome all the difficulties that come with living in a foreign country, away from the family."

Rosler's opinion is understandably music to Mifsud's ears.

"Rosler is a young coach and this is his first big experience in charge of a big club," Mifsud remarked.

"I have a good rapport with him and his nice comments in that Kicker interview show that he appreciates my contribution to the team."

This season, Mifsud has scored nine goals for Lillestrom, six in the league and three in the cup competition. Rosler predicts greater things for Mifsud in the future but the Malta striker is in no rush to leave Lillestrom, currently sixth in the Norwegian Royal League with 21 points from 13 games.

"I have another 18 months remaining on my contract with Lillestrom," he said.

"I am not thinking about a move at the moment because I'm enjoying my time with them."

Molde 2 Lillestrom 0 ...............unfortunatly Lillestrom lost and so they have lost their 2nd place,now lets hope for a good result against the leaders Start!!

Tonight at 18.00 Molde vs Lillestrom.......Molde are currently in the 10th place and Lillestrom are in the 2nd place.Lets hope for a good result for Lillestrom and especially for a good game from Mifsud maybe with a goal ;)