Brian Said

Brian Said
Personal information
Full name	Brian Said
Date of birth	15 May 1973 (age 51)
Place of birth	Valletta, Malta
Position(s)	Defender
Senior career*
Years	Team
1989–1994	Luxol St. Andrews
1994–1995	→ Birkirkara Luxol (loan)
1995–2001	Floriana
2001–2008	Sliema Wanderers
2008–2009	Marsaxlokk
2009–2011	Floriana
2011-2015	Luxol St. Andrews
Total
International career‡
1989-1990	Malta U16
1989-1993	Malta U18
1992-1995	Malta U21
1996–2009	Malta
2004–2006	Malta XI
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22 June 2013; ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 22 June 2013

Brian Said (born 15 May 1973 in Valletta, Malta) is a retired footballer currently managing Maltese First Division side St. Andrews, and captain of the Luxol St Andrew's Veteran Team, where he plays as a defender.

Brian is tall and strong in the air and can generally compensate for his lack of speed with his ability to read the game. Said is also well known for his contribution to goal scoring, and is often a threat from set pieces.

Club career[edit]

St. Andrews[edit]

Brian Said started his career with St. Andrews, playing regularly in the first team from the 1991–1992 season. Early in his career he was used both as a midfielder and even as a striker.

In total Brian Said recorded 51 appearances with St. Andrews, and scored ten goals.

Birkirkara[edit]

Said spent the 1994–1995 season on loan with Birkirkara, where he made 17 appearances and scored on one occasion.

Floriana[edit]

Next for Said was a move to Floriana in 1995. Now firmly settled in a central defender, his performances eventually earned him a call-up to the Malta national team.

Brian spent six successful seasons with Floriana from 1995 to 2001, where he recorded 119 appearances and scored six goals for the club.

Sliema Wanderers[edit]

In 2001, Said moved to the ambitious Sliema Wanderers. Brian now an integral member of the Maltese national team produced some great performances during his time with Sliema Wanderers, and even became the team's captain, taking over from Sliema Wanderers legend Noel Turner.

During seven successful seasons spanning from 2001 to 2008, Brian made 181 appearances for The Wanderers, and scored 14 goals.

Marsaxlokk[edit]

In July 2008 it was confirmed that Marsaxlokk had signed Brian Said from Sliema Wanderers. It is possible that Said will form a partnership with another former Sliema Wanderers defender, in the shape of Carlo Mamo.

Brian made his league debut for Marsaxlokk on 24 August 2008, where the side played newly promoted Qormi. Said played the full match, in which both sides shared a 1–1 draw.

During one full season with Marsaxlokk, Brian made 24 appearances and scored two goals.

Floriana[edit]

Following Marsaxlokk's relegation to the Maltese First Division, a clause in Said's contract was activated, allowing him to leave the club for free.

On 28 September 2009 it was confirmed that Brian Said had joined Floriana for the second time in his career.

International career[edit]

Said made his debut for Malta in an August 1996 friendly match away against Iceland, coming on as a 87th-minute substitute for Jeffrey Chetcuti, and earned a total of 91 caps (2 unofficial), scoring 5 goals.^[1] His final international was a November 2009 friendly against Bulgaria.^[2]

International goals[edit]

Scores and results list Malta's goal tally first.^[3]^[4]

No	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	8 September 1999	Ta' Qali National Stadium, Ta' Qali, Malta	Republic of Ireland	1–2	2–3	Euro 2000 qualifier
2.	16 February 2004	Ta' Qali National Stadium, Ta' Qali, Malta	Estonia	2–1	5–2	Rothmans Tournament
3.	8 June 2005	Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland	Iceland	1–2	1–4	2006 World Cup qualifier
4.	8 September 2007	Ta' Qali National Stadium, Ta' Qali, Malta	Turkey	1–0	2–2	Euro 2008 qualifier
5.	26 March 2008	Ta' Qali National Stadium, Ta' Qali, Malta	Liechtenstein	7–1	7–1	Friendly match