Joseph Scerri, Fgura
Better sports facilities needed
Melita FC recently inaugurated newly laid turf on its football ground, a €1 million project for the use of the nursery and first team. The project, commemorating the 75th anniversary of the club, includes a full-sized, 11-a-side football pitch, a gym, a full lighting system, extension of bar and restaurant and a car park.
As I was watching a feature on TV about the project, the miserable resources at the disposal of other football clubs came to mind. One of these is without doubt the St George's FC of Cospicua, the island's pioneer football club. While the club's first team has to travel to nearby Marsa for their training, the nursery teams, set up recently by some dedicated volunteers on their personal initiative, make use of two small five-a-side pitches owned by a private company. About 100 boys are registered in the nursery teams and they have to share a few hours to make use of these facilities. Apart from this the club has to pay to make use of the Marsa ground.
This without doubt amounts to a high degree of discrimination between one club and another.
Everyone is highly conscious of the big social problems which the Cottonera area is burdened with. On the one hand we talk of using sport to divert these youngsters from bad habits, and on the other we do not dedicate the resources to achieve this.
I am well informed that the new Verdala school in this area is to be equipped with a high standard gym and a full size football ground. Will these be put at the disposition of St Georges FC? Some years ago a new sports complex was built in Cospicua with no preference being given to our youths in the form of waiving of charges.
Is the Cospicua local council conscious of this historical city's needs? And what about the MPs representing the second distict? The MFA should do its own bit to help this historical club. Something has to be done now.
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Joseph Scerri
May 16th 2008, 22:00
Although I live in Fgura I am a Cospicua born citizen. Dear Mr. Pisani World war 2 has destroyed everything in the Cottonera area which was a gem in every sense . The devastation which this war has brought is still felt to this day although over 60 years have passed. Families had to move from this area not to return back and instead families with social problems have taken their place. This city is carrying a stigma and it is hard to find a sponsorship for our sport clubs and on the other side parents of these children cannot even afford to pay for the subscribtion of their children and here is the duty of the authorities to help. The government and the MFA should HELP.
Liam Kelly
May 16th 2008, 20:08
Just to say i think the sports facilities in Malta are fantastic....first class.
When living in Scotland, we had to choose between the grass public parks, filled with dogs dirt, or pay extortionate amounts of money to play on a poorly surfaced sports ground, which there are very few of. Indeed recently, they have been closing many of these such facilities.
In Malta, i've played on some fabulous surfaces, at fair prices; Tarxien, Luxol, Melita, Qormi, Santa Venera, infetti...Living in Birzebbuga i admit there are a lack of facilities, but its not too much trouble to head up to tarxien.
steve compagno
May 16th 2008, 19:28
I agree with Mr.Scerri that it would be nice to see such facilities not only in St.Georges but in EVERY locality. Hasn't Mr.Scerri realised that the locality where he lives (Fgura) doesn't even have such good facilities? Projects are "on the way" but apparently they seem to have stalled. When I want to play a 5-a-side, I have to go either to Zabbar, Tarxien or Paola. So many people say "Fgura is a Young Locality" because it is full of young people? In all honesty, these young people of Fgura have NO facilities to practice some sports, do a bit of jogging in their locality.
Marc Pisani
May 16th 2008, 14:16
Mr. Scerri,
Whilst I understand and sympathise with most of your comments I think that it would be fair to mention that the project was heavily financed by the parents of the children who attend the club (in the form of subscriptions). Also, the club was able to finance the project as, instead of spending vast amounts of money on players’ and coaches’ wages, they chose to invest their and their sponsors' money on facilities.
My point here is that most clubs should stop paying low level players to play football and instead invest that same amount of money in their nurseries and facilities. Melita's policy has proven successful as, besides having a first team that is mainly made up of home-grown talent, the club has managed to invest heavily in top-level facilities.
Angelo Chetcuti
May 16th 2008, 10:35
I can only sympathise. Birżebbuġa is another case in point where residents have been putting up with promises for decades. The nursery (one of the founding members of the Youth FA) uses a 7-a-side pitch whereas the parent club has to do with a non-standard-size pitch in Ħal-Far.
We still seem to consider such basic facilities as some kind of bonus or luxury. Governments, bot central and local, need to understand that these facilities are a must and that citizens expect to have them.