Bogdanovic back in squad

Daniel Bogdanovic's exile from the national squad came to an end this week after the Marsaxlokk forward was asked to join Dusan Fitzel's initial 22-man group for this month's Euro 2008 Group C qualifiers against Moldova and Greece.

Malta coach Fitzel confirmed the news yesterday during a press conference at the Centenary Hall, Ta' Qali.

"Daniel Bogdanovic has been selected to form part of the national squad," Fitzel said. "He attended his first training session on Monday and will be considered for the final squad of 20 players."

Bogdanovic, who played 16 times for Malta, has been missing from the national team set-up for more than three years. His last appearance was in a 4-0 friendly defeat at home to Poland on December 11, 2003.

This season, Bogdanovic has been in outstanding form, scoring 25 goals in 22 matches. He is on course to breaking the all-time scoring record in the Premier League of 32 goals, achieved twice by Danilo Doncic.

His excellent contribution to Marsaxlokk has convinced Fitzel to hand him another opportunity to his international career. Fitzel will announce his 20-man squad today.

If Bogdanovic is included in the list it would be an ideal birthday gift for the Marsaxlokk player who will be 27 next Monday.

Fitzel said he is highly concerned with the physical condition of several established players ahead of Saturday's match against Moldova.

"Things are not looking very good at the moment," he said.

"There are players struggling with injuries and we still have to check their fitness.

"Goalkeeper Justin Haber is down with flu, Peter Pullicino is struggling with a shoulder injury and Andrew Cohen is doubtful because of knee trouble. Gilbert Agius has not recovered yet from the injury sustained in Sunday's match against Marsaxlokk."

Besides that, Fitzel has the unfit Steve Wellman, Ian Ciantar and Terrence Scerri out of the equation. The Czech coach said he had given the players all the time needed to recover but today he will have to define his squad for Moldova.

Malta's last outing in the Euro 2008 qualifiers was the memorable 2-1 win over Hungary at the National Stadium. Victory over the Magyars and the 1-1 draw with Austria last month had changed the way the other teams will look at Malta, Fitzel said.

"We know others have taken notice of our good results of late. No doubt, they will be extra careful now," he said.

"Moldova are tough opponents so we have to approach this match with the right mentality. It will be a difficult test but I expect full commitment from the players as always."

So far, Moldova have lost against the three strongest teams in the group - Greece, Norway and Turkey - and drew against Bosnia.

"I don't know much about their game plan," Fitzel said, "but I'm sure they will be looking to beat us to move off the bottom place."

Meanwhile, MFA president Joe Mifsud said the MFA was assisting Melita Cable in its efforts to acquire the rights for Saturday's Euro qualifier in Moldova for a live transmission on Melita Sports and the following day on a free-to-air channel.

Dr Mifsud also said that for the home qualifier against Greece on March 28, young nursery players will enter the stadium free of charge.

U-21 friendlies: Ideal test says coach Miller

Mark Miller's U-21 team will also be boarding the flight to Chisinau tomorrow as on Friday they play a friendly against Moldova in the first of two warm-up matches in the space of a week.

On Tuesday, they play Sweden in another friendly at the Hibs Ground.

"The matches against Moldova and Sweden are excellent opportunities for us to gauge the team's potential against two completely different schools of football," Miller said.

"This double header also gives me the chance to see how the players adjust to different opponents in such a short period of time. In the UEFA Championship campaign most of the fixtures were grouped in double headers, so this will be an ideal test for us."

Miller has two new players in his 18-man squad - Hamrun Spartans forward Steve Meilaq and Ryan Camilleri, the Pietà Hotspurs defender.

The 2007/09 schedule of the U-21 Championship qualifiers had to be sorted out by UEFA after delegates from the five countries in the group, namely, France, Wales, Romania, Bosnia and Malta, failed to reach an agreement.

Malta will start its campaign in the first week of June with a double fixture - vs Wales (away) and Romania (home). They end with an away match against France in September 2008.

Fitzel's squad

Goalkeepers: J. Haber (Mar-saxlokk - 17 appearances, 0 goals), A. Hogg (Pietà Hotspurs - 2-0), M. Muscat (Hibs - 60-0).

Defenders: I. Azzopardi (Floriana - 21-0), R. Briffa (Birkirkara - 15-0), L. Dimech (Marsaxlokk - 46-1), J. Mifsud (Msida - 0-0), B. Said (Sliema - 69-3), K. Scicluna (Birkirkara - 6-0).

Midfielders: G. Agius (Valletta - 97-8), R. Bajada (Sliema - 6-0), G. Mallia (Birkirkara - 46-4), J. Pace (Marsaxlokk - 8-1), P. Pullicino (Marsaxlokk - 17-0), K. Sammut (Marsaxlokk - 14-0), G. Sciberras (Marsaxlokk - 8-0).

Forwards: E. Barbara (Birkir-kara - 12-3), D. Bogdanovic (Mar-saxlokk - 16-1), A. Cohen (Hibernians - 16-0), M. Mifsud (Coventry City - 45-12), A. Schembri (Mar-saxlokk - 6-2), I. Woods (Sliema - 24-1).

Miller's U-21 squad

Goalkeepers: M. Falzon (Hamrun Spartans - 1 appearance 0 goals), M. Montfort (Valletta - 4-0).

Defenders: A. Agius (Martina, Italy - 23-0), S. Bezzina (Valletta - 6-0), R. Camilleri (Pietà Hotspurs - 0-0), J. Caruana (Hibs - 7-0), T. Farrugia (Msida SJ - 4-0), J. Grioli (Valletta, 2-0).

Midfielders: E. Agius (Hibs - 6-0), M. Bartolo (Hibs - 10-1), D. Falzon (Valletta - 15-2), P. Fenech (Msida - 17-0), R. Fenech (Hamrun Spartans - 6-1), J. Vella (Hibs - 2-0).

Strikers: E. Herrera (Pietà Hotspurs - 2-0), S. Meilak (Hamrun Spartans - 0-0), A. Scerri (Marsa - 4-0), I. Zammit (Valletta - 11-1).