Young Maltese players are currently training under the supervision of experienced youth coaches from Serie A club Lazio during a Summer Camp which the local Lazio supporters’ club are staging at the ground of Xgħajra Tornadoes.
Felice Pulici and Gianfranco Oddi, who helped the Rome club to the Serie A title in 1973-74, along with renowned youth coach Volfango Patarca are conducting the one-week training camp which is open to players aged eight to 17.
Patarca, who also works for the Italian Football Federation, has good knowledge of youth football in Malta as he has been here several times in the past with a view to unearthing promising players.
“I’ve been visiting Malta since 1999 and I have always maintained that you have some very promising players here,” Patarca, who has nurtured the talent of top players like Milan defender Alessandro Nesta, told reporters yesterday.
“Watching some youth matches in Malta last year, I must say that I was impressed by the skill of some players. Honestly, I think that Maltese youngsters aged 16 and under are by no means inferior to what we have in Italy.
“Unfortunately in Italy, the clubs no longer give youth football the attention and importance it deserves with the result that we are struggling to produce top-quality players. From what I have seen here, I believe that, in a few years’ time, Malta could produce better players than Italy and that is credit to the work being carried out by the local nurseries.”
Patarca also said that, during his visit to Malta last year, he was struck by the potential of Pietà’s Bulgarian midfielder Bedri Ryustemov, who has Maltese citizenship. Ryustemov also had a training stint with Lazio’s U-17 squad last season.
Edward Psaila, the president of the Lazio Supporters Club Malta (LSC), is delighted that the Serie A club are staging their second summer camp here but lamented the lack of feedback from local nurseries.
“We have sent an invitation to all football nurseries in Malta to take part in this event but unfortunately, only two clubs have accepted to participate, Xgħajra Tornadoes, who are also providing us with the training facilities, and Sta Luċija,” Psaila said.
“Nevertheless, we have players from all parts of Malta taking part in this Summer Camp and we have no doubt that the expertise of the Lazio coaches here will be of huge benefit for the progress of our participants.”
The Summer Camp got underway yesterday. Pulici, a former Lazio and Italy goalkeeper, is overseeing the training for the 12 goalkeepers taking part in the camp.
The last session is scheduled for Saturday after all the participants will be given a certificate of participation.
Psaila also revealed that the Lazio coaches will select a group of players from this training camp who will be given the opportunity to participate in a tournament organised by the youth section of the Serie A club.
For his part, Pulici said the organisers intend to invite players with hearing problems to join the Malta Summer Camp next year.
“It is our intention that, from next year, our camp will also be open to players who have a hearing disability,” Pulici, who is secretary of the Italian federation for deaf athletes, said.
“In the past years, I’ve worked a lot with players and athletes who suffer from a hearing disability and sport has given them an opportunity to integrate better in the society.”