And especially with his old side, Melbourne Victory, laying in wait for Western United’s second Melbourne derby in as many weeks at Marvel Stadium this weekend.

Smiling assassin Berisha scored his second goal of the new season last Sunday in a 2-1 loss to Melbourne City at Kardinia Park in Geelong, for his 10th goal in all Melbourne derbies over the years.

But Berisha has no plans to rest on his laurels.

“This game will be a good challenge, but the season is full of good challenges,” says Berisha.“I want to have a good game [against Victory], but I want to help my team. And that’s where the focus is.”

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Berisha, 34, has enjoyed a prolific record in the A-League with Brisbane Roar and Melbourne Victory before this season – 116 goals in 186 appearances for four Championships.

But Western United is Berisha’s 12th team, counting loans, in 16 seasons.

Bearing that in mind, the native of what is now modern-day Kosovo knows a little something about adjustments from going from one club to another, and the tinkering of moving from one club’s set-up and nuances to those of another.

After a six-month stint with Japanese J-League outfit Sanfrecce Hiroshima – where he failed to score in six appearances despite the success he enjoyed with Melbourne Victory – Berisha arrived back in Australia to join Western United with only ten days to prepare.

Complicating matters was the fact that Western United’s first season’s debut match was across the ditch in New Zealand against Wellington Phoenix.

But Berisha responded with a flourish, scoring the lone goal of the match in a 1-0 Western United win.

“It was not easy for me to come in with just 10 days before the season started, but so far I am happy where I am at,” said Berisha.

Berisha hints  his match fitness isn’t where he wants it ultimately to be, given his high standards, but he’s taking that in stride alongside fitting in with a new club and the tactics Western United coach Mark Rudan wants to employ.

“I’m not 100 percent, but I am getting there, and with each game I am getting stronger, better, and understanding this team and how they want to play,” adds Berisha.

“Every week, I am getting better."

He also feels his team around him is getting better from one match to the next.

“We’re disappointed with the [City] game, seeing we were the better team and had our chances to win," he says.

"But we need to focus on [Melbourne] Victory now, and try and bounce back. This is a very important game for us, early in the season, we hope to have a good game.”

In the context of being an expansion side, Western United have enjoyed a good start to the season, four points from their first three games, but Berisha knows that there exists room for improvement, along with every challenge he faces with the club.

“It’s not just one challenge, but there are new challenges every week,” he says.

“It’s exciting to be a part of this club – when you start from point zero, there’s always little problems and challenges to do. But that’s life, and a bit of fun when you’re doing it,” adds Berisha.

“With this club, there’s always new challenges and new jobs to do. I’m really, really happy to be a part of it.”

As for the match against Melbourne Victory, Berisha isn’t sure if or how he would celebrate a goal against that former side of his, but the match in itself does represent different things for him, given how adored he was by Victory supporters in his four seasons at the club.

“I’m very excited with this game ahead of us, and it’s going to be very emotional for me playing against Victory,” he says.

But win, lose, or draw, Berisha feels a new enthusiasm for his game, as well as emphasising his love of playing in front of A-League crowds, remains quite evident to him with the move to Western United.

“I’m very happy to be back in Australia – I’m enjoying my football, and this is why I came to Australia, to keep playing football and enjoy the game,” says Berisha.

With the smile on his face never fading, Berisha hopes to keep pounding in the goals in a setting he absolutely adores.

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