Giovanni Tedesco’s last coaching job in Maltese football may have left him with a sour taste but his premature exit from Birkirkara has done nothing to dampen his respect and affection for our country.

The 43-year-old readily acknowledged that his 20-month stint in Malta was the ideal launchpad to his coaching career which took an unexpectedly positive twist this week after the Italian was appointed coach of Serie A club Palermo until the end of the season.

“It’s also thanks to Malta that I’ve managed to land a job as coach of a Serie A club,” Tedesco told Times of Malta.

“I had the opportunity to start my coaching career at a Maltese club, Floriana, thanks to Riccardo Gaucci.

“Birkirkara’s positive performances in the Europa League also helped to raise my profile.

“The people of Palermo know me because I grew up in the city and also played for the club for four years. However, without the experience I had in Malta, I would not be here.

“Maurizio Zamparini (the Palermo club president) also referred to Birkirkara’s victory over West Ham United in the UEFA Europa League when we were discussing terms.

“Gaucci also spoke positively about me and all these factors contributed to my appointment as Palermo coach.

“On Saturday, I will make my coaching debut in the Serie A and Malta has played a big part in all this.”

The first reports that Palermo had approached Tedesco to become their first-team coach surfaced on Monday afternoon with the Sicilian club later confirming his appointment via a statement on their website.

“Zamparini offered me the job for the next six months because (Guillermo Barros) Schelotto has some problems with his coaching licence,” Tedesco said.

“Schelotto is currently not allowed to sit in the dug-out during games, so the president asked me to step in. I’m working with Schelotto during the week and, on matchdays, I will lead the team from the bench.”

Tedesco, who took charge of his first training session as Palermo coach on Tuesday morning, knows some of the club’s senior players from the final years of his playing career.

“I’ve played with and against some of the players in the Palermo squad,” Tedesco, who called time on his long playing career in 2010, said.

“(Michel) Morganella joined the club when I was there and I played many times against Enzo Maresca. I’m also acquainted with the goalkeeper, Stefano Sorrentino.

Almost two months have passed since I lost my job at Birkirkara and I still can’t understand the club’s decision but football is like that

“The lads have given me a warm welcome but the most positive thing is that this group of players are willing to work hard.

“They are also open to new concepts of training.”

Palermo are 14th in the Serie A, level on 24 points with Udinese whom they beat 4-1 last Sunday.

Tedesco, who takes his team to Carpi on Saturday, said his top priority is to secure Palermo’s place in the Serie A.

“Our no.1 objective is to make sure of our Serie A status as soon as possible,” he said.

“Achieving this goal early would give us tranquility which is important because we have a young squad here.

“My aim is to give the talented youngsters in our squad the chance to showcase their abilities but we need to be careful because the Serie A is a very difficult championship.”

Tedesco’s rapid elevation to Serie A coach, something Floriana president Gaucci had predicted after working closely with the former Palermo and Perugia midfielder during his time in charge of Floriana, makes a return to Maltese football highly improbable, at least for the foreseeable future.

Although Tedesco is determined to prove himself in the Serie A, he remains open to the possibility of coaching in Malta again in the future.

“I felt at home in Malta,” he said.

“It was a new experience for me but I liked it. Almost two months have passed since I lost my job at Birkirkara and I still can’t understand the club’s decision but football is like that.

“The numbers were on my side by the club decided to make this choice.

“When I had the meeting with Dr (Adrian) Delia, I told him that I accept their decision but I don’t agree with it.

Valletta rivalry

“But, my stay in Malta was a positive experience because the people showed me respect, independently of my job as a football coach.

“In Malta, I felt appreciated as a person. It goes without saying that in life, you can’t be friends with everyone.

“As for the controversy surrounding my comments about Valletta, these were intended to tease their fans but it was not because I had something against them, far from it.

“I was just trying to spice up this rivalry but in a positive way because football thrives on these things.

“Mind you, I think the Valletta supporters will miss me because they spent the whole match taunting me when Birkirkara last played against them.

“But, I have a lot of respect for Valletta as a club.”