The Auckland City left back departed for Sweden following an impressive FIFA Club World Cup showing in Japan last December.
Umea coach Stuart Gibson is believed to be keen on offering Hogg, 22, a contract and comes highly recommended by former Auckland City defender Greg Uhlmann, who enjoyed a stint in the Swedish league.
“Umea has a very good set up and the players are of a very high standard comparable to that seen in the A-League in Australia,” Hogg says.
“Everyone at the club has been welcoming and I’m enjoying Sweden.”
Hogg’s optimism belies the fact the country is currently gripped by an Arctic blast that means training is conducted at the club’s impressive indoor facilities.
“We’ve done a lot of fitness testing which I’ve managed to finish second in,” Hogg says.
“It was minus 13 Celsius yesterday. The trial is for two weeks and we have some pre-season games coming up before Umea will take a decision on whether to make a move.”
Auckland City’s ASB Premiership and O-League campaigns remain on track with the team’s only defeat coming in the Club World Cup against J-League champions Kashiwa Reysol. But Hogg’s absence has been noticed with his rampaging forward runs sorely missed.
Hogg isn’t the only Auckland City player to have tried his luck in the professional game in recent weeks.
Sam Campbell signed for Queensland Lions in Australia last week, while midfielder Andreu Guerao has enjoyed a winning start to his career with Dinamo Tbilisi in Georgia.
Hogg says he has kept track of Auckland City’s results by remaining in touch with team-mates back home.
“The Auckland boys have done well considering they’ve just come through a tough spell of three games in eight days,” he says.
“I’m in regular touch with David Mulligan, Ivan Vicelich, Alex Feneridis and Adam McGeorge.”
Both Hogg and Campbell are keen to remain on the radar with selection for New Zealand’s U-23 squad, who will attempt to qualify for the London Olympics, also high on their agenda.
McGeorge and Feneridis are also in contention for possible London 2012 selection under coach Neil Emblen.

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