Fitzel looks to build on Heese's legacy

Malta's football fortunes are now in the hands of a young coach from the Czech Republic.

Dusan Fitzel, three months short of his 43rd birthday was yesterday paraded in front of the media as the MFA's new national coach and Technical Director.

Joe Mifsud, the president of the Malta FA and the person entrusted by the association's administrative board to identify the new national mentor, announced that Fitzel had signed a two-year contract with an option of extending it for a further two-year period.

Fitzel takes over from Horst Heese whose contract as MFA's Technical Director and national coach expired in December. The softly-spoken Czech holds a UEFA Professional Licence and held various roles within the youth sector of the Czech FA over the past eight years.

"Since I was in Malta in the last week of December, I have spent a lot of time trying to gather more information on Maltese football," Fitzel said.

"I am taking up this job with an open mind and it's my wish to have a fair and open relationship with the players as well as the media. I will try to carry out my duties to the best of my abilities."

Describing his new job as a challenge, Fitzel claims to have every intention of building on the legacy left by his immediate predecessor.

Heese will be a tough act to follow for Fitzel after the former wrapped up his reign as Malta coach with positive 1-1 draws against Croatia and Bulgaria in World Cup 2006 qualifiers.

"I know the Maltese players by name. I want to continue with the job started by Heese," Fitzel remarked.

"I intend to work with the players currently forming part of the national squad as I will surely need a month to learn who's who and what they can do for the team.

"My objective is to share my football knowledge and experience with the Maltese players to help them improve their standard of play."

Coaches are known to have their preferred tactical formulas for the teams they are in charge of.

In the first months of his second two-year coaching tenure, Heese dedicated most of his energies to reshaping Malta's defensive set-up, doing away with the traditional sweeper system in favour of a four-man rearguard.

Fitzel, who enjoyed the best years of his playing career with Czech club Dukla Prague, is a disciple of the four-in-line defence but has made it clear that his tactical plan for Malta will depend on the players at his disposal as well as the strength of the opposition.

"I prefer a four-man defence but I also like to create a system that best suits the abilities of my players," Fitzel said.

"I need to assess the players here and see who can play where before I begin to work on tactics."

Asked if there were any teams he would like Malta to avoid or be drawn against in the European 2008 Championship qualifiers, Fitzel simply answered: "I would like to get a team we can beat."

The draw for the 2008 European Championship qualifiers will be made on January 27 in Montreux.

Dr Mifsud gave an overview of how the MFA went about its task of appointing Heese's successor.

"We knew that Horst Heese's contract was due to expire at the end of 2005," the Malta FA chief said.

"In the period March/April of last year, we held discussions with Carmel Busuttil, then assistant coach, with a view to promoting him to national coach but these talks failed to lead to an agreement.

"Following this development, it was decided to postpone the national coach's issue until the start of the new season.

"On the back of the positive results recorded by the national team in the final stages of the World Cup qualifying programme, we offered Horst Heese a two-year extension to his contract but he declined. Heese was adamant to quit football coaching at the end of his contract with the MFA.

"At this stage, the MFA began its search for a new coach and established a set of criteria which candidates had to satisfy to be considered for the job.

"These criteria dictated that the new national coach should be qualified at the highest level, has experience at national teams' level and in coaching education and has the right credentials to build on what we have achieved during Heese's time.

"Obviously, the successful candidate also had to accept the financial conditions offered by the Malta FA."

As Fitzel's contract with the Czech FA was to run out at the end of last year, the MFA approached him and he in turn accepted the invitation to visit Malta for talks.

Dr Mifsud said: "Fitzel had a long conversation with Heese and the latter declared himself satisfied with the technical capabilities and the communication skills of the Czech coach."

"I must also say that Fitzel made a lot of questions about the MFA, Maltese football and the facilities here to make sure that he will have the right infrastructure and support to perform his duties to his satisfaction."

Dr Mifsud also made mention of the fact that Fitzel's appointment as the new national coach had the approval of the association's Executive Committee.

The members of the MFA's top forum had their first opportunity to meet the new national coach at the Centenary Hall yesterday evening before Fitzel was introduced to the media.

Fitzel will make his debut as Malta coach in the biennial International Tournament, to be held at the National Stadium between the last week of February and beginning of March.

Fitzel fact-file

Born: April 15, 1963, Bojnice.
Nationality: Czech Republic.
Marital status: Married; two children.
Licence: UEFA Professional.

Career As Player
1983-92: Dukla Prague (Czech Rep.).
1992-94: EPA Larnaca (Cyprus).
1994-95: Chmel Blsany (Czech Rep.).

Career As Coach
1995-98: Slavia Prague youth sector.
1998-2005: Head Youth and U-21 assistant coach of Czech Republic national teams.

Career With Czech FA
1998-99: Head coach U-18.
1999-2000: Head coach U-19 and U-20.
2000-2001: Head coach U-18.
2001-2003: Assistant coach U-21.
2003-2005: Head of National Teams Department.
2005: Head coach U-18.

Achievements
1999: 4th in UEFA U-18 Championship.
2000: 2nd in UEFA U-19 Championship.
2001: 7th in FIFA U-20 Championship.
2002: 1st in UEFA U-21 Championship in Switzerland as assistant coach.