Darmanin Demajo calls for end to ‘part-time’ mentality

Norman Darmanin Demajo wants the Malta FA and clubs to increase their efforts in pursuit of more professionalism in the coming years.

The Malta FA president used his end-of-season speech at the last Council meeting, held Monday evening, to highlight the association’s work in the past year and its objectives for the future.

“We must strive to become more professional at club level,” Darmanin Demajo said.

“Clubs have the responsibility to ensure the upkeep of their facilities and improve marketing. They must think long-term and not limit focus to the next game.

“The MFA is committed in helping clubs become more professional. The next step is for them to employ full-time administrators and we are prepared to offer financial assistance.

“The MFA must also become more professional.

“The modus operandi of the association is sometimes tedious and bureaucratic. This is a big entity and it can’t be run on a part-time basis.

“It entails a lot of work and without the input of people like Bjorn Vassallo (the CEO), we wouldn’t have done the work we have.”

The MFA chief insisted that the part-time mentality at the MFA had to stop and revealed that they are considering payments to club officials who attend council meetings.

“We must recruit more people full-time,” he said.

“Also, in future, we will consider giving an allowance to council members.

“I don’t think it’s appropriate that meetings start at 7 p.m., after a day’s work. We should meet earlier in the afternoon and council members would receive compensation for taking time off from their daily jobs.”

Darmanin Demajo explained that the MFA has been working relentlessly to support the clubs.

“I don’t like to indulge in eulogies on what we’ve done in the last year,” he said.

“We have focused on our principal duty which is to be of service to Maltese football and we’ve been fulfilling our promises.

“In the first year (of Darmanin Demajo’s presidency) our top priority was to implement the infrastructure project. We have assisted clubs to install artificial turf pitches across the islands and there is more to be done.

“Only a few clubs still lack adequate facilities. To me, the upgrade of clubs’ training facilities was crucial for our sport to move forward and this is why, soon after my election, I rushed to the bank to secure a loan for this project.

“Besides, we have also restructured the MFA’s existing loans with Bank of Valletta.”

More funds

Darmanin Demajo announced that the government has promised to inject more funds into the MFA’s budget for facilities after successful talks with Kunsill Malti għall-iSport and representatives of the Good Causes Fund.

“The authorities have pledged to top our facilities’ fund by €2m,” Darmanin Demajo said.

“That will take our global budget to €15m. We’re trying to help as much as we can. We’ve spent a lot of money to assist clubs but our mission really is not to make profit when some clubs are still struggling to play the game.

“The MFA’s yearly accounts will confirm this. Although our financial performance has been very good this year, we have invested a lot elsewhere.

“It’s been a year of frenetic development. We’ve also re-vamped the Technical Centre and provided new premises to the Youth FA.

“One of our objectives for the coming years is to take football to regional stadiums.

“We also want to step up the development of Level 1 and 2 pitches. Works are on-going at the Ħamrun and Hibs grounds and my dream is to build a new stadium in the south of the country.”

Marketing is a key area the Malta FA will be striving to boost in the coming year.

“We have to look at our marketing in order to generate more revenue for the development of our game,” Darmanin Demajo said.

“Apart from the sponsorship deals for our main competitions, we are also endeavouring to find sponsors for the national team.

“We’re investing a substantial sum of money to install an LED advertising system at the National Stadium and a big screen to replace the existing scoreboard.

“We’re looking to expand our marketing opportunities.

“On the international front, I’ve met old friends and established new contacts.

“We have an excellent relationship with UEFA president Michel Platini, general secretary Gianni Infantino and deputy Theodore Theodoridis.”

MFPA’s recognition

Vassallo said that discussions with BOV and Maltco to extend the sponsorship agreements for the national leagues and KO competitions are progressing well.

“Both BOV and Maltco have indicated their willingness to renew contracts,” Vassallo revealed.

Monday’s Council meeting was also marked by a long, open discussion on the request of the Malta Football Players’ Association (MFPA) to be recognised by the Malta FA.

The MFA’s Members Status Committee decreed that the MFPA’s proposed statute is not in line with MFA’s rules, mainly due to the players body’s alignment with a trade union.

The MFA have now appointed a committee to hold further discussions with the MFPA on the best way forward.