When Andrew Hogg made up his mind to jump on the Victor Sciriha bandwagon at Valletta FC last summer, he knew that he had just taken on a multi-faceted challenge.

Hogg was not only making the first big move of his fledgling career, he was joining a club with an insatiable hunger to succeed and live up to the expectations of their passionate followers.

There was also the added issue of competition for the team's no.1 jersey as Hogg had to fight for his place with Saviour Darmanin, his former team-mate at Pietà Hotspurs who had established himself as a fans' favourite in his two years with Valletta.

Aged 22 when he inked a five-year deal with the Citizens, Hogg had time on his side, especially for a goalkeeper, but he was determined to show that he had all the qualities needed to be the team's regular goalkeeper.

As in everything, the beginning was something of an uphill struggle but once Hogg broke into the team, he went on to cement his status with a series of top-drawer performances.

Sunday's title clash with Marsaxlokk at the National Stadium provided further evidence, if any were needed, as to why Hogg is now regarded as a colossus in the Valletta team and a serious contender for the no.1 jersey with the Maltese national side.

Having pulled off a remarkable double-save to prevent Marsaxlokk going ahead in the first half, Hogg kept Valletta's heads above water with two other vital interventions in one-on-one situations soon after his team had fallen behind early in the second half.

Hogg's defiance proved crucial as Valletta managed to turn the tables on their opponents with two late goals to seize a clear edge in the title race.

"It was a very important match because Marsaxlokk are our main rivals for the title," Hogg told The Times.

"I'm so pleased that we managed to turn it around after going 1-0 down early in the second half. This victory has taken a bit of pressure off our team but nothing is settled yet."

Although Hogg was keen to stress that Valletta haven't reached the promised land yet, he acknowledged that Sunday's success can only have strengthened their self-belief.

"The manner of our victory in such a high-pressure game has increased our self-confidence," Hogg said.

"Believe in yourselves has been our motto throughout the season and it's paying off."

Valletta, who were without Nigerian forward Frank Temile, were far from their vintage best against Marsaxlokk but Hogg was understandably delighted with his team's reaction.

"Playing against a team like Marsaxlokk is not easy," Hogg said.

"Their performance on the day was good but we showed character. We didn't give up after they scored and fought our way back."

Self-belief is what induced Hogg to relinquish his position as Pietà's undisputed no.1 keeper and accept the stern challenge presented by his move to Valletta.

"I can't say that I didn't enjoy my time with Pietà but I've always wanted to play for a bigger club," Hogg observed. "I've enjoyed every minute of my experience with Valletta so far.

"I'm still relatively young for a goalkeeper. I was eager to move forward but I knew that playing for Valletta was a massive challenge. However, life is full of challenges and I was keen to prove myself at a higher level."

If Hogg's switch to Valletta was widely perceived as a step forward, his return to Maltese football a few years back after a short stint with Italian club Bari was seen as a blow to his chances of making the grade abroad.

While at Bari, Hogg was rated so highly that two football agents flew over to Malta to discuss his future with his family.

For a while, it looked as though Hogg's development had hit a wall as he struggled to find his feet at Pietà but he soldiered on to put his career back on track, in the process catching the eye of national coach Dusan Fitzel and goalkeeping coach Roger Camilleri who are both known to have great faith in the young netminder's ability.

His coming of age in the last two years has triggered murmurs of fresh interest from foreign suitors.

"Playing abroad is still my main goal," Hogg admitted. "I believe I can do it and I will continue to do my best.

"That said, my foremost objective at present is to win the league title with Valletta."

With Justin Haber given permission to skip last month's friendly against Liechtenstein to concentrate on his commitments at club level, Fitzel indicated his growing confidence in Hogg by naming him in Malta's starting line-up.

Fitzel's decision didn't come as a surprise in light of Hogg's performances in the league as well as his commitment in training at Ta' Qali.

Hogg certainly cannot be accused of letting his coach and team-mates down for he turned in a solid performance in what turned out to be a historic night for local football after Malta trounced Liechtenstein 7-1.

That friendly was certainly not the hardest international test Hogg will face in his career but he did what was expected of him and more after saving a second-half penalty by Siena striker Mario Frick.

Hogg spoke positively about the impact Paul Zammit, the Valletta coach, and Fitzel have had on his career.

"Paul Zammit showed a lot of confidence in my abilities by bringing me to Valletta," Hogg commented.

"With the national team, I think I have a good relationship with coach Dusan Fitzel. My target is to win a regular place in the national team and I feel I've got a good chance."

Before ending our interview, Hogg made it a point to thank the Valletta fans for their support.

"At Valletta, the fans are our motivating force," Hogg said. "I want to thank them for their backing."

The Valletta faithful have been singing Hogg's praises for some time now and they will surely bestow more affection on their stalwart if his excellent performances lead their team to the championship. The omens are indeed very encouraging for both Hogg and Valletta FC.

kazzopardi@timesofmalta.com