These are rosy days for Maltese waterpolo and recent success should lead towards a brighter future.
This is the main message the Aquatic Sport Association of Malta (ASA) president Joe Caruana Curran and national coach Karl Izzo conveyed when they addressed a media conference in Tal-Qroqq, yesterday.
The event covered the recent extremely good results in the Euro Championship, the tournaments in Ireland and the Commonwealth Championship, followed up by the triumph of the Under-16 national team in the EU 8 Nation Brno tournament last week.
Caruana Curran said that it was very satisfying for Malta to play 19 matches in the space of almost seven weeks, during which they won 15 and only lost four, twice each to France and England.
“The Commonwealth Championship provided a great experience for our team and now we plan to go to Australia to take part in the next edition. We hope to find the means to cover the expenses of this venture,” the ASA head told reporters.
“The players under their coaches did Malta proud.
“They were disciplined in the water and out of it during the championship in Aberdeen.
“The gold medal match was a challenge we relished and in the end we bowed out with heads held high.”
Caruana Curran said that it was then the turn of the junior national team to uphold the prestige of Maltese waterpolo in Czech city of Brno.
“Our team’s triumph must be put into its proper perspective in the sense that we were playing against bigger nations and facing teams whose players were a year older and physically stronger,” Caruana Curran noted.
“We will continue looking towards wider horizons when we participate against elite countries. Our aim is forward-looking and this is one reason why we decided to extend by a further two years the contract with coaches Karl Izzo and Anthony Farrugia.”
ASA secretary, Marco Manara, reiterated that results were deserved reward for the national team’s efforts in these past months. He thanked the Maltese community in Scotland who found time to attend the Aber-deen matches and give their support to the Maltese players.
“We are indebted to them and also to the parents who accompanied the boys in Brno,” Manara said.
“This gives us much needed impetus and more encouragement to continue with our commitments.”
Izzo’s views
National coach Izzo reviewed the matches played in the Aberdeen tournament, stressing that his team played against far bigger nations, in particular New Zealand and South Africa, both of whom have made significant advances in their game in recent years.
“We then faced a strong England team with 10 of the 13-man 2012 Olympic squad. Steve Camilleri’s absence and some unwelcome decisions by the referees in the final did not help our cause, but we reached our goals and did better than expected when clinching the silver medal,” Izzo said.
“Most of the components of the team are in their mid-twenties and this is an adequate base for adding new elements to our squad.”
He mentioned Matthew Zammit who “stood out as the best goal-scorer in Aberdeen, Niki Lanzon who was an exemplary captain with his all-purpose play, other influential players like Jordan Camilleri, Michele Stellini, Mark Meli and goalkeeper Alan Borg Cole.
“All the others rose to the occasion,” he added.
Izzo was also full of praise for the junior national team.
“We have a bright future and we aim to take part in more tournaments for juniors as well as for seniors,” he said.
In the end, Izzo also showed his appreciation towards the association and its officials, the players, the clubs and the media for their support.