The Malta FA Council yesterday turned down a request from Trevor Templeman, a footballer, to start legal proceedings against Marsa-xlokk FC but president Norman Darmanin Demajo vowed to pursue the matter further in the hope of finding a solution.
The former Sliema Wanderers midfielder is claiming that Marsa-xlokk’s insistence in demanding a hefty transfer fee for his services, according to the MFA transfer guidelines, is preventing him from moving to another club despite being out of contract.
Templeman’s contract with Mar-saxlokk expired last year but, according to MFA regulations, the club are still entitled to a compensation fee if he moves to a new team.
It now appears that none of the interested parties are prepared to meet the southseasiders’ demands.
While admitting that the MFA transfer regulations are anomalous, Darmanin Demajo said the association can’t approve a request that goes against its statute. His stance was supported by the Council.
“We have to be seen to be fair,” Darmanin Demajo insisted, des-cribing the transfer parameters as “ridiculous”.
“We have reached a point where clubs prefer to buy foreigners be-cause local ones are expensive.”
Adrian Delia, the Birkirkara FC council member, enquired whether Templeman can seek remedy for his problem through Malta FA mechanisms.
The MFA president took it upon himself to look into the matter in the hope of ending the impasse.
Other matters
• George Mallia has initiated legal action against Qormi over unpaid wages (around €11,000). Qormi have notified the MFA about the court case as the association had previously declined Mallia permission to sue the club.
As Mallia’s legal action constitutes a violation of the MFA regulations, the case has been referred to the Disciplinary Board which is likely to suspend the former Malta midfielder.
• The Malta FA Council upheld a request by Sliema Wanderers to field a team in the women’s football competitions.
The Sliema squad will be mainly made up of players who turned for Fgura United last season after the latter club withdrew their team from the league.
• The Malta FA have lifted Udo Nwoko’s suspension after the Nigeria-born forward resolved his dispute with Premier League club Hibernians.