Maidstone midfielder Kreshnic Krasniqi has told how his home burned down during the Kosovo war.

Krasniqi was just six years old when his family moved to England to escape the conflict.

Fortunately he was too young to remember the war but he’s aware what loved ones went through.

“We moved over in 2000, after the war flared up again,” said Krasniqi, now 26.

“I don’t remember anything, I’ll be honest, but my mum was obviously scared because she ended up losing a lot of family and lots of belongings.

“The house got burnt down down, so it was a bit of a stinky one.

“We came to another country where you don't have anything, you don’t know the language and you don’t have anyone around.

“But seeing what Mum’s done for us gives me a lot of strength. I’ve got to thank her for what she’s done for the family.

"I was six when I came over and my sister was only three, so my mum had to carry a lot, but she pulled through.

“Everything I do is for myself but mainly for her.”

Krasniqi has been back to Kosovo once since moving to the UK but that will change if he achieves his ambition of earning an international cap.

He’d love the chance to play for the country of his birth.

“I’ve only been back once in the last 10 years because of pre-season," said Krasniqi.

“When summer hits we’ve got to train so you either do what you’ve got to do with football or you go and enjoy yourself.

“It’s a hard one sometimes but I am looking to go because I’m trying to get an international cap, so I need to go.

“Last season there was a conversation but most of the boys who play are at higher clubs, so I’ve got to keep working hard.

“If it comes, it comes; if it doesn’t, it doesn’t, but I’ve got to keep striving for it.

“There was a scout at a match who told me he’d been sent over.

“I don’t know how true that was but it gives me more hunger to keep winning.

“It would be a dream come true - everyone wants to play international football.”

Krasniqi joined Maidstone from National South champions Wealdstone in the summer.

He was sent off in his first game, a friendly at Herne Bay, and manager Hakan Hayrettin says the midfielder needs “reining in at times”.

It’s all about getting the balance right, for if you take away Krasniqi’s passion and determination, he isn’t the same player.

“I can be a clown, I can be a hothead, it depends on the day,” said Krasniqi.

“But I’ve got George Elokobi, Scott Rendell and Joe Ellul who are there if I lose my head or I’m out of line, and they string me back in, which is good.

“I just love winning - I’m sure everyone does - but I’m maybe a bit too passionate at times.

“At the end of the day I’m my own biggest critic so if I know I can do it, and I don’t do it, that’s when I lose it.

“I’m glad I got that red card out the way early doors.

"I just think I obviously hadn’t played for a certain amount of time and, not being fit enough, I lashed out and didn’t use my head.”

Krasniqi was back on the bench at Slough last weekend following a couple of weeks out injured.

He’ll be working hard to force his way back into the starting XI and, with Maidstone going well, he's targeting the title medal that eluded him at Wealdstone.

He said: “I’m back and raring to go. I wasn’t at Wealdstone long enough before Covid to get a medal, I believe I had to play six more games.

"But I’m here now and hopefully I’ll get a medal this season. That’s the plan."

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