Malta may be one of the minnows of European football but this hasn’t prevented several foreign coaches from expressing their interest in taking charge of our national side.

The Malta FA are in the process of drawing up a shortlist of candidates for the national coach’s job after the association’s Executive Committee last month unanimously agreed to terminate the contracts of John Buttigieg and his assistant Carmel Busuttil.

Several foreign coaches have since taken the opportunity to send their CV to the Malta FA.

The Times has information that the number of hopefuls, mostly from European countries, who have written to the MFA runs into double figures.

The identity of the applicants is being kept under wraps but it is believed that the list includes some established coaches on the Euro-pean scene.

Before Buttigieg was given the job in July 2009 by then MFA president Joe Mifsud, Malta had a succession of foreign coaches.

Sigi Held, a stalwart of the West Germany team in the 1960s and 70s, and Milorad Kosanovic, who has had spells in charge of Red Star and the Under-21 side of Serbia and Montenegro, were perhaps the most high-profile names to lead the team in the last two decades.

Norman Darmanin Demajo, the Malta FA president, has made no secret of his inclination towards a foreign coach to guide the national team but he also promised to consider all options.

Over the past two weeks, a host of coaches have been linked with the job. Many believe that Ray ‘Żażu’ Farrugia should be seriously considered for the job after leading Malta U-21 to a series of positive results in the current UEFA Championship.

Rumours are also rife that Dusan Fitzel, who was at the helm of the national team from 2006 to 2009, is being lined up for a return as Malta coach. Fitzel currently works as technical director for the Czech FA.

Brian Talbot, who led Hibs and Marsaxlokk to Premier League titles, has also been mentioned in local football circles as a potential replacement for Buttigieg.

However, Darmanin Demajo’s comment that he’d prefer a foreign coach “with no baggage” to take charge of the national side would appear to exclude those who have worked here in the last decade or so.

Whatever the MFA’s intentions, one thing is certain... there is no shortage of candidates for the Malta coaching job.