Coach Pietro Ghedin addressing the media yesterday. Photo: Domenic Aquilina

Malta coach Pietro Ghedin has described the new training arrangement for the national squads as “a game to be won” rather than a “lost battle” as he reaffirmed his readiness to co-operate with clubs for the benefit of Maltese football in general.

The decision to stop the three weekly sessions of the national squad in favour of a new system whereby players will report for training with the Malta coach around eight to 10 days before an international game, has inevitably overshadowed the build-up to tonight’s friendly against Faroe Islands.

“It’s an agreed choice,” Ghedin said of the new training module.

“I have a great rapport with the coaches of the clubs, particularly those who provide the bulk of players for the national squad. I keep regular contact with them.

“In the 18 months I’ve been in this job, I’ve noticed that the level of intensity in training tends to go down a bit when we’re preparing for a friendly.

“Maybe there is less motivation. We have been looking for a different working concept, a different experience and the clubs prefer to have it this way.

“I’m curious to see how it will work. I don’t think this (decision to ditch the old training scheme) is a lost game, it’s just a new story, a new game that is yet to be won.

“I’m going to be present during training of the clubs and maintain contact on a regular basis.

“My intention is to give my contribution to this new training system... we have to be united.

“I’ve accepted this agreement voluntarily but we still need to assess its pros and cons.”

Earlier, Ghedin had touched on the benefits of the previous training scheme, saying that the weekly sessions enabled players to bond as a group.

Describing the training scheme issue as a “double-edged knife”, Malta midfielder Andrew Cohen still needs some convincing that the new arrangement will benefit the squad.

“It’s a double-edged knife,” Cohen said.

“With the national team, we had a good set-up with medical staff and excellent recovery facilities.

“The clubs have their valid reasons for wanting their players to train with them as, given that we were away on Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday is usually an off day, we often joined our club-mates for training on a Thursday.

“But, thanks to the national team training scheme, I believe that we’ve gained a lot of benefits whereas the new system could have many disadvantages because most clubs don’t have the same set-up and resources that the association has.”