Ross County goalkeeper Michael Fraser swapped the sun of Malta for the milder climate of Scotland last summer and he remains grateful to Manager Derek Adams for sending the text asking if he wanted to come home.
Fraser said: “I have been back for over seven months and it has been great especially with County sitting at the top of the table. I am really enjoying it.”
The 28-year-old had spent seven years at Inverness Caledonian Thistle that ended in a 2009 move to Motherwell however, he moved on a year later frustrated by a lack of games.
Fraser said: “I had never seen myself playing abroad but Malta was a great experience and I am glad I went there. I left Motherwell right at the end of the August Transfer Window in 2010. It had not been the happiest club for me and it was not the best time as I hardly played.”
After leaving Fir Park, Fraser had hoped to find employment in Scotland but that is not how things worked out as he explained: “I helped Montrose out for one game at Albion Rovers but things just never happened after that. The phone never rang after that game. I had no plans to go abroad but that is where I had to go to get work.
“A pal of mine that does some work in getting players to clubs abroad recommended me to Birkirkara as their goalkeeper had just broken his arm. They had played in the Champions Leagues beating FC Santa Coloma in a qualifier before losing to MŠK Žilina so I knew they would be a decent outfit.”
The move worked well with Fraser saying: “I played in over 20 games from going there until the January when I picked up a torn cartilage injury. I made it back into the team before the end of the season and played in their FA Trophy Semi-Final in May which was a great even. However, we lost 2-1 to Florina which was a disappointing way for it all to end.”
The standard of football pleased Fraser who said: “When you consider that Malta is a small country, they support their football well. There is a Premier League of 10 teams and there are 2 divisions beneath that. The game is played at a much slower place due to the heat but the technique and talent is there.
“Mind you, I would worry for some of the players if they came to Scotland as they would be eaten alive by the pace of the game here.”
There was a small Scottish contingent of football players on the sunshine island with Fraser saying: “Ryan Harding was there for my first few months but he left in the January after picking up an injury. He picked up experience playing in the Champions League Qualifiers and I was delighted to see that he is playing with Alloa.
“Richie Hart, who I knew well from my time at Inverness, was with Hibs and Paul McManus and Dean Shields were also there. In fact, Dean came back before going back out for this season.”
Fraser was brought back home by a text message from County boss Derek Adams enquiring what he was doing for the new season and he explained: “I did not know Derek but I had played against him a few times when he was with County and I was at Inverness. I was there for a few years and I must have impressed him.
“He sent me a text asking if I would be interested in coming home and I was. I am originally from Drumnadrochit which sits on Loch Ness so I really was coming home. It is a nice part of the world and my Dad still stays there, so it was a case of coming on a Saturday, bunking down with him for a couple of nights and starting training with my new club and then getting myself a place to stay again in Inverness.”
Fraser summed things up by saying: “Birkirkara was a good experience however, when Derek got in touch, it was an easy decision to make to come back.”
The shot-stopper was only one of a number of new faces at Victoria Park that started training that first day as he explained: “The Manager had brought in a few new players and everyone settled in quite easily. They are a good bunch of lads and of course, I knew Grant Munro from Inverness and Paul Lawson from playing against him when I was with Caley so everything got going quite quickly.”
On the pitch, things settled quickly as well with Fraser saying: “We are having a good season and are sitting top of the League. Our aim is to be there or thereabouts from now on.
“We have been on a good run of results and are now a team playing with confidence.”
Fraser has started all the County games this season and one of the reasons for that is having Joe Malin in the Dingwall squad as well with the duo being strong members of the 'Goalkeepers Union'.
The shot-stopper said: “I have to be on my toes as Joe is one of the best goalkeepers in this division. It is hard being a goalkeeper as only one of us can play and if you are not the one playing, it can be frustrating.”
“Joe and I have a goalkeeping coach that comes in one day a week to coach us so the two of us have to work each other hard at other times. He is a quality player and is champing at the bit for an opportunity, so I cannot let my performance levels slip.”
The weather has put the brakes on County recently and they have only managed to play one League game in the past month although Stenhousemuir were seen off 7-0 in the Scottish Cup in early January.
Fraser said: “This on and off period has been a bit frustrating as it would have been great to keep our momentum going. We may have drawn our last three games but they have been good results as we hit back late against Falkirk and also came back against Dundee.
“They are both good sides and whilst Queen of the South may be at the bottom, they got stuck right into us at their place so to come through these three games unbeaten was good. The First Division is incredibly tight and that is why it was so important that we kept the gap we had on Falkirk and Dundee. Points come and go in this division in fairly dramatic fashion and even when we were eight points ahead at one time, no-one was relaxing.”
County have played three games less than their title rivals however, they will catch up by one this weekend as they face Livingston whereas The Bairns and the Dark Blues are idle as their scheduled game has been cancelled due to Falkirk’s involvement in The Scottish Communities League Cup Semi-Final against Celtic.
Fraser said: “It is good to get a game back or at least it will be if we win it. It will be a really difficult game and Livingston will fancy matching at least the draw they got here earlier in the season. I know a few of their players and they are a good side who will finish this season in a decent position.
“A victory would be great as that will really help our push for promotion. Everyone at County is very grounded in what we can do this season in a very difficult division. The Manager talks all the time about taking things one game at a time and that is the approach we are taking.”
Fraser concluded by saying: “I am glad I came home as there are lots to look forward to.”
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