MFA president issues warning

The Malta FA would not shirk from taking disciplinary action against clubs who breach its regulations on the release of players to train and play for the national teams.

This stern warning was made by Joe Mifsud, the MFA president, in response to the stance taken by Valletta FC vis-a-vis the national squads' training scheme.

Addressing a news conference at the Centenary Hall yesterday, Dr Mifsud initially refrained from naming the club that had incurred his ire for their vehement opposition of the training scheme but his comments left no-one in doubt that he was referring to Valletta.

"There are regulations in place about the obligations of players that are called to train and play for the national teams," the MFA president said.

"If players are impeded from attending training, we can take disciplinary action against their club and anyone who incites the players to break the rules. Some might think that the system in Maltese football is that the league and national team are apart but they are wrong."

The national teams' training policy, whereby the members of the senior squad are required to train with the national coaches in the first three days of the week, has come under scrutiny in recent months amid increasing calls from coaches and presidents of some of the leading Maltese clubs to overhaul the system.

Three clubs, namely Hibs, Birkirkara and Sliema Wanderers, have reached agreement with the MFA and national coach John Buttigieg to make significant adjustments to the schedule but Valletta, who have the bulk of national team players, have yet to give the accord their seal of approval.

Under the agreed deal, the players will have four sessions with the national squad every week - Monday morning, Tuesday morning and evening and Wednesday morning - but Valletta, who have launched their own professional training scheme, are against sending their players for training with the MFA coaches on Wednesday mornings.

"From the discussions we've had, I think that our coaches are very reasonable and they understand the needs of the clubs," Dr Mifsud added.

"However, they also have an obligation to safeguard the interests of the national teams. I honestly hope that we will not come to the point where we have to take disciplinary measures against our clubs but if rules are broken, we will have no option but to proceed against them.

"I understand that a foreign coach in particular may not be interested in our national team but, on the other hand, we can also tell him that we don't need his advice.

"And if we issue a permit or a licence for a coach to work here, he's under our jurisdiction. Regardless of whether he agrees or not, the rules of the governing body of Maltese football have to be respected."

It transpires that Valletta players were instructed not to report for training with the national squad last Wednesday, a move that incensed Dr Mifsud.

"It was the first and last time (that players have been barred from training with the national squad)," Dr Mifsud claimed.

"If it happens again, we will file charges against Valletta. Their coach (Dutchman Ton Caanen) told us that we don't have a vision for the progress of Maltese football and on the same day, our U-17 team beat Holland in Andorra. This doesn't mean that we are better than the Dutch but the result showed that progress is being made.

"Valletta must abide by the rules if they want to compete in our league."

Describing the set-up at Ta' Qali as the best in Malta, Dr Mifsud highlighted the benefits of the training scheme.

"The first thing the MFA did when it decided to launch the professional scheme was to build the training grounds," Dr Mifsud said.

"We also have a clinic and gymnasium because the rehabilitation of players from injuries is a key area in football.

Club's scheme

"Recently, the debate on the merits of the training scheme intensified. One of our clubs is saying that they want to introduce their own professional scheme but being professional entails much more than having a full-time coach.

"They are telling us that we're not doing things the right way. In Malta, everything is organised by the MFA and I accept that it's not easy to perform the dual role of organiser and arbitrator but our work is driven by a desire to improve Maltese football.

"Twenty-five years ago, the MFA made a pledge to do everything in its capacity to ensure that our national teams compete with honour in international football. At the time, it was established that we had to train our best players on a professional basis to improve the level of our national team while keeping the clubs' interests in mind.

"The scheme was temporarily interrupted in 1996 because I had been given the wrong advice.

"After many years, we have two Maltese coaches in charge of the national team, John Buttigieg and Carmel Busuttil. Both have had an excellent playing career and they have the experience and knowhow to take the team forward.

"Next week, Buttigieg will commence his Pro Licence coaching course in Coverciano and Busuttil will follow suit. The MFA also has its own medical team and this year we have engaged the services of a physical trainer (Luca Pagani).

"We're adamant that, as far as our national teams are concerned, we want them to be adequately prepared."

Meanwhile, Dr Mifsud insisted yesterday that the MFA were still negotiating with the German FA (DFB) to arrange a friendly match between the two nations before next year's World Cup.

Reports in Germany last week quoted Wolfgang Niersbach, the DFB general secretary, as saying that Germany will play a friendly against Malta in Aachen shortly before the World Cup finals.

Asked to comment on these stories, Dr Mifsud replied: "We're still negotiating (with the DFB). It looks like that they have taken it for granted that the friendly is on but we're still in talks."