Buttigieg cautiously optimistic as Malta seek to ruffle Greek feathers

With Greece engaged in a two-pronged duel with Croatia for top spot in Group F, Malta know they will have their hands full when they take on the Greeks this evening but coach John Buttigieg is backing his players to rise to the occasion.

“This is our second home game in this group,” Buttigieg told reporters at the Grand Hotel Excelsior yesterday.

“Greece are one of the favourites to qualify, they are one of the top two teams. It’s going to be a difficult game but we’ve prepared well for it. The players have been giving their all in training and I believe this is a good period for the team to tackle this game.

“I’m confident that we can produce a good performance and gain a good result.”

For Malta to end a dismal run of four straight defeats in the Euro 2012 and upset the more-quoted Greece, who are second in the group with eight points, our players must step up their game by several notches.

Surely, Malta can take heart from their positive showing in the 0-0 friendly draw against Switzerland last month. It is often argued that competitive matches are a different kettle of fish compared to friendlies but Buttigieg begs to differ.

“We had some good moments against Switzerland, especially in the first half,” he remarked.

“I don’t agree with suggestions that friendlies are easier than competitive games, for me there is no difference between the two.”

Buttigieg has a 19-man squad at his disposal.

Roderick Briffa’s injury-related absence from Valletta’s last two games raised question marks over his participation in the Greece game but Buttigieg has retained the right-back in his squad.

“The condition of Roderick is good,” Buttigieg said.

“He missed the last two games for his club but his fitness has improved a lot.”

The decision to keep 19 players instead of the usual 18 suggested that Buttigieg was prepared to wait until the last minute to make a decision on Briffa’s fitness but the Malta coach dismissed such claims.

“This practice of choosing 18 players is a thing of the past,” But-tigieg observed.

“We have a home match and I believe we should have a wider base because players can get injured in the final days before the game. Having a squad of 19 players is better. And if Roderick is part of the squad, then he is 100 per cent fit.”

Typically, Buttigieg offered no clues as to his first-team selection but he did say that there may be some changes from the Swiss friendly.

His midfield options are strengthened by the return of John Hutchinson, of Central Coast Mariners, and Valletta’s Ryan Fenech while Sheffield United forward Daniel Bogdanovic is also back after a hamstring strain had kept him out of the Switzerland friendly.

Hutchinson is expected to reclaim a starting role in central midfield alongside either Gareth Sciberras or Jamie Pace.

The two main contenders for the wide midfield roles are Shaun Bajada and Andrew Cohen with Bogdanovic also in the frame while Andre Schembri and captain Michael Mifsud will spearhead our attack.

At the back, Andrei Agius and Jonathan Caruana are certain to fill the two centre-half roles with Carlo Mamo set to be confirmed at left-back. Briffa remains the prime candidate to man the right flank but if he is declared unfit to start, Edward Herrera will probably take his place.

“We have other players who can play at right-back,” Buttigieg said.

“If Roderick can’t play, our options will be fewer but Edward Herrera is one of the players who can fill that position.”

Ferencvaros keeper Justin Haber should retain his place in goal after his penalty heroics against Switzerland.

Since Malta concluded their 2010 competitive commitments with a 3-0 defeat to Croatia in November, the attention of Buttigieg, assistant coach Carmel Busuttil and the other members of the technical staff has been mainly on Greece.

Malta FA technical director Robert Gatt travelled to Athens last month to monitor Greece’s performance in a friendly against Canada (1-0).

“Greece have a good blend of experienced and young players,” Buttigieg said.

“Their leading players turn out for clubs in the top European leagues.

“Also, some of the members of their 2004 European Champion-ship-winning squad are still there but they have introduced younger players as well.”

According to Gatt, Greece turned in an up-and-down performance against Canada.

“Greece showed three different moods during that game,” Gatt said.

“They looked casual in the first half, made a tactical change in the second and then had a 20-minute spell when they put intense pressure on their opponents.”

Training issue

For a number of weeks, the training benefits’ issue threatened to hinder Malta’s preparations for today’s qualifier but Buttigieg hailed his players’ efforts to concentrate on the game.

“The training issue was a distraction but the players showed true professionalism as they put it behind them and gave their maximum in training,” Buttigieg said.

Mifsud agreed with his coach, saying: “We have forgotten what happened (training allowances dispute) and we’re fully focused on this game.”

Like Buttigieg, the Malta captain is also targeting a spirited showing this evening.

“Greece are a strong side but we’ve prepared well for this game,” the Qormi striker, who turns 30 next month, said.

“We will take to the field fully determined to give our best and hopefully get a good result.”

Previous encounters

Euro Championship

11-10-1970 Malta-Greece 1-1
18-06-1971 Greece-Malta 2-0
23-02-1975 Malta-Greece 2-0
04-06-1975 Greece-Malta 4-0
31-10-1990 Greece-Malta 4-0
22-12-1991 Malta-Greece 1-1
28-03-2007 Malta-Greece 0-1
17-11-2007 Greece-Malta 5-0

Malta (probable)

J. Haber, J. Caruana, C. Mamo, G. Sciberras/J. Pace, A. Agius, J. Hutchinson, R. Briffa/E. Herrera, M. Mifsud, A. Cohen, S. Bajada, A. Schembri.

Referee: Michael Weiner (Germany).
Kick-off: 8.30 p.m. – National Stadium.