Balzan’s Ciscaldi back from Sydney stint

Silvan Ciscaldi, the Balzan Youths FC nursery technical director, has just returned from a four-week stay in Sydney where he was guest coach at the Milan Soccer School in New South Wales, Australia.

Ciscaldi collaborated closely with Andrea Icardi, a former Rossoneri player, who is the coaching director of the Milan Soccer School in Australia, and Riccardo Tummiati who until recently was the AC Milan U-14 coaching director.

“It was a really fantastic experience. The level of coaching at the academy in Sydney is very professional and extremely high and I have learnt many new things,” Ciscaldi said on his return to Malta.

“Working with the likes of Andrea Icardi and Riccardo Tummiati was truly a wonderful experience. I cannot wait to put what I learnt there into practice at the Balzan nursery.”

Thanks to the ongoing support of Balzan Youths FC honorary president Anton Tagliaferro, the Premier League newcomers are always hoping to increase the level of coaching at their youth system.

“Anton Tagliaferro is very keen to see the nursery develop into a professional youth organisation at Balzan and thanks to his assistance we’ll be able to put together some competitive junior teams next season. This is a clear sign of the ambition of our club to stay in the Premier League in the seasons to come as we introduce players from within our fold for the future,” Ciscaldi added.

“In fact, we are putting things in place to see our best players travelling to Italy in the next 12 months. They will get the opportunity to compete in tournaments with the Milan team from Sydney who will be playing in European tournaments.

“In addition Tummiati has recently been appointed youth head coach at Serie B side Gubbio and has also agreed for our club to send young players in Italy for trials.

“Indeed, this will be a very exciting opportunity for our youth players.”

Balzan, meanwhile, will be hosting youth tournaments at their new training facilities this summer and will also hold trials for new recruits in September.

“The club has significantly strengthened the coaching staff at our nursery through the appointment of Rodney Bugeja and Charles Muscat, two experienced youth coaches to help raise the level of our young players,” Ciscaldi revealed.

“I would like to thank various people, particularly Anton Tagliaferro, Balzan Youths FC president George Borg and Peter Cipriott for giving us these opportunities and their support for the good of the nursery.”