Gudja United’s ambitions to play in the Premier League received a significant boost yesterday.
Angela Perez, a distant relative of Real Madrid president Florentino Perez, was unveiled as the woman behind the football management agency whose financial muscle and football expertise will help take Division One outfit Gudja to a higher level.
Negotiations between Solo Football and Gudja United FC led to an agreement whereby the two parties have pledged to forge close ties with a view to bolstering the club’s technical staff as well as the team.
Although Ms Perez’s precise role in the new admini-stration is yet to be defined, it was clear yesterday that her football company will be given a very prominent role in the running of the Gudja team.
George Caruana, the club’s treasurer was visibily enthusiastic as he spoke of their efforts to lure a person of Ms Perez’s stature to their fold.
“Our rise from Division Three testifies the giant strides made by Gudja but our objective is to climb the final step of the ladder one day. We want to make our team competitive enough to challenge for promotion in two years’ time,” he told reporters.
“With that objective in mind, we got engaged in negotiations with Ms Perez.
“We needed the help of foreign experts to improve our standards and organise the club. Today we are laying the foundation stone to embark on a very ambitious project and introduce our own semi-pro-fessional scheme,” Caruana added.
Ms Perez’s involvement in Gudja United will cover the technical sector.
“Her extensive contacts in the world of football should grant the team a good set of foreign players,” Caruana said.
“The coach will also be picked by her football agency as well as the rest of the backroom staff which will include a techincal director, a goalkeeping coach and a physical trainer.”
Ms Perez said Solo Football already have plans in store for Gudja United.
“This project is long-term and more discussions will take place in the next few weeks with the aim of shaping the future of Gudja United,” she said.
“Our football company acts as an intermediary for players and coaches in football. We have a crop of players with limited space in Italy who are ready to ply their trade here.”
Asked about the Solo Football deal with Qormi FC, Ms Perez said: “Our organisation is big enough to cater for both partnerships in the Maltese league.
“We have forged similar deals in Spain and Germany before so this won’t be a problem.”