Malta players weighing up their options

The national team players showed up for training at Ta’ Qali this week but they have yet to reach agreement with the Malta FA over the new financial remuneration package.

Last week, the members of the Malta squad informed the Malta FA that they had decided not to turn up for practice with the national coaches until their differences with the association over the removal of training allowances had been cleared but further talks on Thursday prompted the players to soften their stance.

With the Euro 2012 Group F home qualifier against Greece on March 26 fast approaching, the players reported for training at Ta’ Qali on Monday and Tuesday.

Insiders told The Times that the players had hoped that their move would serve to underline their willingness to find a solution as well as to get their preparations for the Greece match back on track.

The players’ initial stand to skip training inevitably irked the MFA’s top brass but president Norman Darmanin Demajo announced on Thursday evening that he had had constructive talks with three senior players about the issue.

Darmanin Demajo said that the players’ delegation had agreed in principle with the association’s concept to stop training allowances but, among other things, they requested a rise in match fees.

“My wish is that they (the players) understand what we’re trying to say and be part of us,” Darmanin Demajo told the MFA Council meeting last week.

“It’s easy to be drawn into rivalries. They accepted our stance in principle as long as we revised the line-up fees (for the 18 players in the squad on matchday).

“The players made the first important step at the start of the meeting by admitting that they may have made a mistake by not showing up for training. I don’t want bad feelings between the fans and the national team players.”

Another meeting between Darmanin Demajo and the national team players was held on Tuesday evening. The MFA president told the players that the association was prepared to increase the line-up money for the 18 players on the teamsheet on matchday as well as the performance bonuses but stood firm in his stance over the removal of training allowances.

Although the players are understood to be satisfied with the proposed fees, they reiterated their disagreement with the MFA’s position to offer financial incentives to only the 18 players who make the final squad for an international match.

They believe that all the players who form part of the national squad, and therefore train at Ta’ Qali, should receive some sort of compensation but at Thursday’s Council meeting, Darmanin De-majo made it clear that he was firmly against this proposal.

The MFA president argued that the new scheme was primarily aimed at pushing the players to strive hard to get better results and to intensify competition for places in the squad.

The players are now expected to further discuss the issue before deciding whether to accept Darmanin Demajo’s proposals.

The Times has learnt that the players, who are eager to maintain a united front, have promised to make a decision by Monday.

As the players weigh up their options, Malta coach John Buttigieg will be hoping for a swift resolution to this stand-off as he bids to step up the squad’s preparations for this month’s difficult encounter with Greece.

Malta are still looking for their first point in Group F after losing their opening four qualifiers.

The team’s gutsy performance in the 0-0 draw in last month’s friendly match against Switzerland ought to have raised the players’ morale but the training benefits’ row has somehow taken the gloss off that commendable result.