New coach Miller wants to extend positive trend

Continuing the steady flow of talent filtering from the U-21 squad is Mark Miller's chief priority as he prepares for his official debut as the new coach of Malta's U-21 team this afternoon against Macedonia in Kicevo (kick-off 5 p.m.)

Over the past four years, the U-21s have scaled new heights under the charge of Ray 'Zazu' Farrugia not only in terms of positive results achieved but also players graduating into the senior squad.

Having been given the job as the new U-21 coach, after Farrugia opted to seek pastures new, Miller is eager to extend the positive trend with his new squad.

Although most of the members in his group have yet to break into the first team at their respective clubs, the experience of established players like Birkirkara's Justin Haber, Floriana midfielder Etienne Barbara, Sliema's Kevin Sammut and Antoine Zahra of Hibs should rub off on the younger players who have never played at U-21 international level.

"This friendly will be our first chance to have a look at the new players and perhaps a few others whom I don't know particularly well.

"We have a young squad and my aim is to push and develop the players into the national team. In my group, I have only called players who I believe have a future in football," Miller told The Times.

Miller has brought 18 members to Macedonia but he was only too keen to point out that his U-21 squad is bigger than that.

"I have 28 players training with me at Ta' Qali daily and the idea is not to lose any of them. We have tried to keep together all the promising youngsters who we believe can contribute to the U-21 national team and I want to stress that all of them have a chance to make the squad in the next two years because there is no big gap between them.

"The ones I have left out from this trip are also good players who can make the squad in the next two years but it's up to them to show that they deserve to be called. We have a mixture of experience and youth and I am pleased with the team spirit," Miller said.

This afternoon's game against Macedonia, who were beaten 5-1 in Malta a few years back after they had won the home leg 1-0 in the UEFA 2000 Championship qualifying campaign, will give the likes of Ryan Mintoff, Shaun Tellus, Ian Azzopardi, Jonathan Bondin and Brandon Zammit, players who are virtually new to the U-21 squad, a taste of competitive action at international level.

"We need this friendly to give the players some competitive edge. In the six weeks we have been together, we have only had one match against English side Crewe and on that occasion I was very pleased with the players' commitment and performance. I would be delighted if my players can repeat all that against Macedonia," Miller added.

During his four years in charge of the U-21 squad, Farrugia preached a mantra of pride and the need to play attacking football. Miller is also emphasising the need to put pressure on opponents.

"I want to bring the best out of my players and I want to play attacking football.

"Obviously, we also need to defend well but I want my team to create and take its chances. The emphasis in training is to express ourselves," Miller said.

Sammut captain

Of the established players in Miller's group, Sammut, has been handed the captain's armband but the U-21 coach stressed that the experienced players have been assigned jobs to perform on the pitch.

"I want them to take responsibility, to help the young ones in the team and so far I am very happy with their attitude and commitment and so are the other players," Miller said.

Malta's 5-1 trouncing of Macedonia at the Hamrun Ground is arguably the best result ever achieved by a national selection in a competitive match.

Miller agrees that that result was excellent indeed but added that at U-21 level one cannot judge a team on previous results.

"Macedonia are not as strong as Slovenia but I'm sure they will be tough opponents at home. I mean today there are no easy games. At this level, squads change almost every year and you cannot assess opponents on past results because they tend to field different players.

"As I have already said, my priority is to see what my players are capable of," Miller said.

Malta U-21
(probable formation):

J. Haber, G. Sciberras, R. Mintoff, S. Tellus, C. Ciantar, I. Azzopardi, K. Sammut, J. Bondin, B. Zammit, E. Barbara, A. Zahra.