Fitzel agrees two-year extension to MFA deal

Dusan Fitzel will stay on as Malta coach and MFA technical director until 2009 after agreeing a two-year extension to his initial contract which was due to expire in December.

The heartening news that Fitzel has given his nod to a new two-year deal was divulged by MFA president Joe Mifsud during a news conference at the Centenary Hall yesterday.

"The renewal of Fitzel's contract was a priority after my re-election as president of the MFA," Dr Mifsud said. "After a series of talks last month, we have come to an agreement with Fitzel to extend his contract as national coach and MFA technical director until the end of the 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign."

In the light of Malta's improved showings and results on the international stage since Fitzel succeeded Horst Heese as national coach in January last year, local critics and fans had hoped that the Czech mentor would remain in charge of our national selection beyond the end of his current contract.

However, the much-acclaimed progress of the national team was not the decisive factor behind Fitzel's decision to prolong his association with Maltese football.

"With regards to my position as national coach, I honestly believe that the team has performed to the maximum of its potential for much of the last 18 months," Fitzel said.

"In my capacity as MFA technical director, I have overseen the introduction of a number of new projects. As most of this initiatives are still evolving, I decided to stay for another two years because I want to finish the projects that I started."

Earlier, Fitzel had outlined the progress of Malta's preparations for Saturday's clash with Turkey.

"I didn't have much time to work with the players due to holidays and the clubs' commitments in European competitions," Fitzel said.

"On the positive side, I was very satisfied with our training camp in Slovakia. We then played a friendly away to Albania and, as is so often the case after a long break from international commitments, the team didn't play well and lost 3-0. Nonetheless, the friendly in Albania was a useful test for the qualifier against Turkey."

Turkey are third in Group C, level with Bosnia and Norway on 13 points, five behind leaders Greece. Malta have four points from seven matches, two adrift of Hungary.

An added concern for Fitzel is the restricted playing time enjoyed by the majority of the foreign-based players in his 25-man squad.

"Justin Haber (Haidari FC) lacks competitive practice due to the late start of the leagues in Greece," Fitzel remarked.

"Luke Dimech is the only player who has figured regularly for Macclesfield so far. Andrè Schembri's appearances for Eintracht Braunschweig have been as a substitute and much of the same applies for Michael Mifsud at Coventry."

Fitzel's erstwhile serene demeanour changed when he began to talk about Daniel Bogdanovic, the former Marsaxlokk striker who reportedly joined Italian Serie C1 side Foggia late last week.

"I don't know where Bogdanovic is," the Malta coach lamented. "He contacted me four weeks ago, telling me that he was still determined to join a club in Italy or England.

"I told Bogdanovic to keep me informed about his intentions but he failed to do this. For me, Bogdanovic is no longer a national team player."

Quizzed about the possibility of calling Udo Nwoko to the national squad, Fitzel said the Nigerian-born forward, who is now on the books of Portuguese first division club Leixeos, is not yet eligible to represent Malta under FIFA rules.

"Nwoko has obtained his Maltese passport but he has already made one appearance for Nigeria's U-23 team," Fitzel said. "The MFA must reach agreement with the Nigerian FA over Nwoko's status for him to be eligible to play for us."

Meanwhile, Malta's U-21 team will resume their UEFA Group 10 qualifying campaign with a double-header, starting with an away match against Bosnia Herzegovina on Saturday. The following Wednesday the U-21s, who lost 1-0 at home to Romania in their opening qualifier, host France at the National Stadium.

Mark Miller, the Malta U-21 coach, was full of praise for the commitment shown by his players during their one-week training camp in the Czech Republic and in the 3-0 defeat to Portugal in a friendly.

"We had a fantastic training camp in the Czech Republic," Miller reminisced.

"The friendly in Portugal was good for us, given that we have a competitive home match against France next week.

"Against Portugal, our players faced some world-renowned stars like Nani who is now at Manchester United. It was a great experience for the lads."

For the qualifiers against Bosnia and France, Miller must make do without Msida defender Tyrone Farrugia who is suspended.

Jonathan Caruana and Steve Bezzina have rejoined the squad after both missed the training camp in the Czech Republic while Floriana's in-form striker Christian Caruana has been recalled after a long absence.

Maltese squads

National coach Dusan Fitzel's provisional 25-man squad for Saturday's Euro 2008 Group C qualifier against Turkey and the friendly against Armenia on Sept. 12:

Goalkeepers: O. Borg (Birkirkara - 0 appearances, 0 goals), J. Haber (Haidari, Greece - 20-0) A. Hogg (Valletta - 2-0), M. Muscat (Hibernians - 63-0).

Defenders: I. Azzopardi (Sliema - 25-0), R. Briffa (Sliema - 19-0), L. Dimech (Macclesfield - 43-1), J. Mifsud (Valletta - 1-0), P. Pullicino (Marsaxlokk - 17-0), B. Said (Sliema - 74-3), K. Scicluna (Valletta - 11-0), S. Wellman (Marsaxlokk - 17-1), A. Xuereb (Hibernians - 1-0).

Midfielders: G. Agius (Valletta - 102-8), R. Bajada (Sliema - 7-0), C. Frendo (Marsaxlokk - 2-0), G. Mallia (Birkirkara - 53-5), J. Pace (Marsaxlokk - 12-1), K. Sammut (Marsaxlokk - 17-0).

Forwards: E. Barbara (Sliema - 16-3), A. Cohen (Hibernians - 17-0), M. Mifsud (Coventry City - 49-12), T. Scerri (Hibernians - 5-0), A. Schembri (Braunschweig, Germany - 11-2), I. Woods (Sliema - 27-1).

Mark Miller's Malta U-21 squad for the UEFA U-21 qualifiers away to Bosnia on Saturday and at home to France on September 12:

Goalkeepers: H. Bonello (Sliema - 2-0), M. Falzon (Hamrun Spartans - 1-0), M. Montfort (Pietà - 7-0), L. Woods (Ware FC, England - 0).

Defenders: A. Agius (Igea Virtus, Italy - 27-0), S. Bezzina (Valletta - 9-0), S. Borg (Mosta - 0-0), J. Caruana (Hibernians - 10-0), C. Failla (Hibernians - 16-0), C. Gatt Baldacchino (Mqabba - 3-0), E. Herrera (Pietà - 6-0), D. Pisani (Floriana - 0-0), K. Spiteri (Birkirkara - 1-0).

Midfielders: E. Agius (Hibernians - 10-0), M. Bartolo (Sliema - 14-1), D. Falzon (Valletta - 19-3), P. Fenech (Birkirkara - 21-0), R. Fenech (Hamrun Spartans - 9-1), J. Mintoff (Mqabba - 0-0), T. Paris (Birkirkara - 1-0), D. Zarb (Mqabba - 2-0).

Forwards: A. Buhagiar (Floriana - 6-0), C. Caruana (Floriana - 2-0), S. Meilak (Hamrun Spartans - 4-0), I. Zammit (Valletta - 15-2).