Johann Said, the former president of Premier League club Floriana, has expressed his surprise at the comments made by Malta FA president Norman Darmanin Demajo on Monday.

Speaking during a meeting of the MFA Council, Darmanin Demajo said that Said had instituted legal action against the association in relation to the garnishee order he had issued against Floriana.

Darmanin Demajo called on officials to act diligently when dealing with individuals who promise to pour money into a club only to burden it with debts which they then seek to recover through legal channels.

“I was truly surprised when MFA president Norman Darmanin Demajo, (who I have always considered to be a serious and respectable gentleman), released aggressive and inaccurate comments in my regard during the last MFA Council Meeting,” Said said in his statement.

“I would have thought that Mr Darmanin Demajo, having been served with the relative court order as early as November 2012, would have, if at all, refrained from commenting until after the independent decision of the court, seeing as the matter is currently ‘sub-judice’.”

Said claimed that, regardless of the pending financial issues he has with Floriana, who won the FA Trophy under his presidency in 2010, the city and the football club will always remain close to his heart.

“Whilst I reserve to make further comments after the court decision is delivered, I assure Mr Darmanin Demajo that, notwithstanding any issues that I may have in connection with the collection of monies due to me or to my business, I was born in the city of Floriana, and have always had, and will always have, the city and its football club close at heart,” Said concluded.