Reinvigorated Bajada eyes further progress for club and country

Birkirkara's morale is sky-high after their last-gasp 3-1 victory over Valletta improved their prospects of producing a sustained challenge for the Premier League title.

Pre-season forecasts tipped Birkirkara for a leading role in the race for the championship but consistency, or rather the lack of it, had raised serious doubts about their capability of keeping up with the likes of Hibs and Valletta.

The fluctuating form of their players, especially the senior ones, did not help to allay scepticism about Birkirkara's title mettle but amid all the highs and lows the Stripes have experienced so far this season, Shaun Bajada has rarely had a disappointing game.

"Ours has been an up-and-down season," Bajada, whose crossing ability set up Birkirkara's opening two goals against Valletta, told The Times. "We have not been consistent but we've also turned in a string of strong performances that vindicated our potential to compete with the top teams.

"This was certainly the case in Saturday's win over Valletta. We stayed focused throughout the 90 minutes but we need to be doing that on a regular basis, not just against leading sides."

Blessed with fine technique and an exquisite left foot, Bajada was bracketed among the brightest prospects of Maltese football when he was still coming through the youth ranks of Floriana FC.

A lucrative move to Marsaxlokk in 2004 was seen as an excellent opportunity for Bajada to fulfill his potential but this failed to materialise as the Gozitan winger struggled to hold down a regular place in the team.

A loan spell with Msida St Joseph in the second half of the 2006-07 season brought Bajada the first-team action he so badly craved and needed. But Bajada's career really took off when Birkirkara coach John Buttigieg signed him from Marsaxlokk in August 2007.

In a short time, Bajada not only became an automatic choice for Birkirkara but also moved national coach Dusan Fitzel to award him a call-up to the national squad last year.

Bajada is delighted with his progress but was quick to pay tribute to his team-mates and coach.

"My move to Birkirkara has certainly befitted my career," he said.

"I'm pleased about the consistency of my performances in the last two seasons and for this, I must thank my team-mates and the coach.

"I'm happy at Birkirkara and this feel good factor has definitely spurred me on to greater efforts. Playing regularly for Birkirkara and keeping my place in the national squad has given me lot of confidence."

Bajada's transformation from a bit-part player at Marsaxlokk to a mainstay in the current Birkirkara team speaks volumes of his character. Up to a few years ago, some critics and coaches were not convinced that Bajada had the physical attributes to match his natural talent but the 25-year-old has certainly proved his doubters wrong.

When it was put to Bajada that his career appeared to have stalled after he joined Marsaxlokk, he replied: "Marsaxlokk had a strong and competitive squad at the time. Furthermore, different coaches have different ideologies and different opinions on players.

"Brian Talbot (one of Bajada's former coaches at Marsaxlokk) has told me several times that I'm doing well for Birkirkara but perhaps, when I was with Marsaxlokk, I was not suited to the strategy he chose for the team.

"Nevertheless, the most important thing is never to lose confidence. Despite all the difficulties I encountered, I retained faith in my abilities and I'm pleased that my efforts and sacrifices are being rewarded."

Bajada has been mostly used as a wide midfielder for Birkirkara this season but Fitzel prefers to play him at left-back.

Not that Bajada is flustered by having to adapt to different roles for club and country.

"There have been occasions when I played at left-back for Birkirkara," Bajada remarked.

"For me this is not an issue. I'm prepared to play wherever the coaches ask me. For the national team, I've been mostly deployed in defence. Against foreign teams, I feel more at ease playing at left-back because it gives me more of a chance of getting the ball and trying to use it to push the team forward."

Born and bred in Gozo, Bajada is one of a handful of players from the sister island to make the grade for the national team.

"I feel proud and privileged to be part of the national squad, especially as I'm from Gozo," Bajada, who has played seven times for Malta, said.

"Playing for the national team is the ambition of all players.

My aim had always been to represent the country and my appearances for the national team have only increased my motivation to retain my place in the side. That and helping Birkirkara win more honours in domestic football are my two greatest challenges."

Looking ahead to Malta's World Cup qualifiers at home to Denmark on Saturday and away at Hungary four days later, Bajada said: "When we played with Hungary last October, we only lost 1-0 and I felt we were not inferior to them. Denmark were in a class of their own when they beat us 3-0 in Copenhagen but we're now facing them at home and that changes the whole scenario.

"I'm always optimistic about our chances of gaining a positive result when we play at home. To this end, I urge the fans to come and support us on Saturday."