Fitzel keen to hide Malta's strengths from Moldova

National coach Dusan Fitzel is expected to pick two different teams for Malta's matches against Moldova and Georgia in the International Football Tournament, to be played at the National Stadium between February 25 and March 1.

With Malta's opening fixture against Moldova being Fitzel's first since he took over the reins of the national team last month, it seemed sensible to assume that the Czech will send out his strongest XI. This won't be the case on Saturday.

Speaking at a news conference at the Centenary Hall yesterday, Fitzel left no-one in doubt as to his intentions to include several youngsters in Malta's initial line-up against Moldova.

"After Malta and Moldova were drawn in the same group for the Euro 2008 qualifying campaign, our meeting here has become more special," Fitzel said.

"We will try to hide some aspects of our team from our opponents as I'm pretty sure they will do the same. I will use the younger players for the first match but I intend to field my best team when we play Georgia."

Fitzel called a provisional 26-man squad for the MFA-organised tournament which will be contested by three teams instead of the usual four following the pull-out of Libya.

Malta's participation in this biennial competition will allow Fitzel to run the rule over his new charges, especially the four who play overseas.

The established trio of Michael Mifsud (Lillestrom, Norway), Justin Haber (US Quevilly, France) and Luke Dimech (Chester, England) are due to arrive on Sunday evening but Andrei Agius, the 19-year-old midfielder who is on the books of Italian Serie A club Messina, reported for his first training session with Fitzel earlier this week.

Of the original roster of players released by Fitzel on Sunday, Marsaxlokk goalkeeper Reuben Gauci, Hibs defender Adrian Pulis and Shaun Bajada, the Marsaxlokk midfielder, have been ruled out with injuries.

Sliema Wanderers' flank defender Alex Muscat and Kevin Sammut, of Marsaxlokk, have been added to the squad.

Injury had kept Sammut out of action for nearly two months but the Marsaxlokk midfielder looks to have regained his fitness and his performances during training this week convinced Fitzel to award him a recall.

Fitzel still has doubts on the the physical condition of Claude Mattocks and Jonathan Bondin, both of Valletta.

Gilbert Agius, the Malta captain and most-capped player in the squad with 87 appearances, described the International Tournament as a useful opportunity for the new coach to enhance his knowledge of the Maltese.

"I think the national coach will exploit this tournament to experiment with new players," Agius said.

"Our squad is largely made up of interesting young players who are at the outset of their international careers. My hope is that the national team continue to build on the positive displays we gave in the final stages of the World Cup qualifiers."

Encouraged to divulge his initial views on Fitzel's work, Agius said: "The coach has brought some new faces in as well as others who were not in the squad in the latter part of Horse Heese's time (goalkeeper Mario Muscat and William Camenzuli).

"It is only understandable that Mr Fitzel has his own ideas about the team."

Hibs midfielder Andrew Cohen, another member of the Maltese squad, echoed his skipper's wish that Malta's performances remain on the upward trend.

Istanbul meeting

Joe Mifsud, the president of the MFA, touched on the outcome of the summit between representatives of the seven teams in Euro 2008 Group C, held last week in Istanbul.

The match schedule for qualifying was sealed by a draw after seven hours of discussions failed to produce an agreement.

"I believe we can be satisfied that Malta will start and finish this qualifying trek with home matches," Dr Mifsud remarked.

Dr Mifsud added that Malta's preparations for the Euro 2008 qualifiers, which also include home and away matches against Greece, Turkey, Norway, Bosnia and Hungary, will not be restricted to the International Tournament.

The regular training sessions at Ta' Qali aside, the Maltese squad will have a training camp between the end of July and beginning of August before playing a friendly away to Slovakia on August 16.

Also present for yesterday's press briefing were representatives from the International Tournament's co-sponsors, namely Coca-Cola and Multiplus.

Wilfred Camilleri, of General Soft Drinks Ltd, authorised bottlers of Coca-Cola products in Malta, said that the local company grabbed the opportunity to utilise the benefits offered by Coca-Cola's partnership with FIFA.

Besides GSD's support for the International Tournament, Camilleri announced a new World Cup-themed initiative with the MFA.

"After the tournament, GSD will launch its Coca-Cola FIFA World Cup campaign in which a novelty limited edition of full sleeve branded 30ml Coca-Cola bottles will be produced for the occasion," Camilleri said.

"Thanks to this project, the public will be able to collect six different branded bottles featuring six Maltese international players."

MFA to form FUTSAL team

The creation of a FUTSAL national team will be given priority by the MFA over the coming months, Joe Mifsud, the Malta FA president, announced yesterday.

To this end, local football's governing body, with the collaboration of FIFA, will hold a four-day seminar on FUTSAL coaching and refereeing at the Corradino Pavilion between March 30 and April 2.

Dr Mifsud said that the MFA will monitor the local scene in its search for a coach to guide its team but quickly added that foreign candidates will be considered if Maltese coaches don't have the required qualifications.