Pietro Ghedin is the prime contender for the Malta coaching job after the MFA Executive Committee yesterday backed a proposal to offer the role to the Italian.
The Exco’s decision has all but cleared the way for Ghedin’s re-appointment as national coach as it is understood that he has already had preliminary talks with the MFA over the matter.
As reported in The Times yesterday, Ghedin’s visit to Malta earlier this month to conduct a two-day seminar for women’s coaches provided some food for thought as it came during a time when the MFA had stepped up their efforts to earmark the best candidates for national coach, a role left vacant since John Butti-gieg’s dismissal in October.
It is believed that Ghedin’s positive response to the MFA’s initial overtures encouraged the association to propose him as their preferred candidate for the job, also in light of his familiarity with Maltese football and vast coaching experience.
MFA president Norman Dar-manin Demajo has made no sec-ret of his preference for a foreign coach to take charge of the national team for the upcoming 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign but he also recognised the disadvantage of appointing someone who knows very little about Maltese football.
These considerations have been given a lot of weight by the MFA as shown by their initial courting of Dusan Fitzel who was Malta coach between 2006 and 2009.
After the Czech declined the opportunity to take over for a second time, the MFA intimated that they were keen to appoint an Italian mentor.
Initially, Giancarlo Camolese, who coached Torino among other clubs, was seen as favourite but his chances receded once Ghedin, who coached both the Malta senior and U-21 teams between 1992 and 1995, entered the frame.
It is believed that the MFA are hopeful of concluding talks with Ghedin in the next few weeks.
In the meantime, MFA tech-nical director Robert Gatt, who is known to enjoy a very good relationship with Ghedin, is overseeing Malta’s preparations for the friendly match against Liechtenstein today week.
Provided that the MFA reach an agreement with Ghedin, currently responsible for Italy’s women’s national team, his first match in charge is likely to be another friendly international, away to Luxembourg on June 2.
It also emerged yesterday that the MFA have settled the compen-sation payment to Buttigieg and his former assistant Carmel Busuttil after their contracts were termi-nated prematurely last year.
However, the Exco maintained that Buttigieg and Busuttil remain suspended until they withdraw the judicial protest they had filed against the MFA in January.
Meanwhile, the Malta FA is also believed to have discussed the television broadcast rights deal for the home international matches of the Maltese senior and Under-21 teams.
PBS, the sole bidders for this contract, are expected to be con-firmed as TV rights holders for the national teams’ matches until October 2013.