Maltese star striker Michael Mifsud should be stripped of the captain’s armband since he is currently not playing for a club, according to the Malta Football Association chief.

In an interview with The Sunday Times today, Norman Darmanin Demajo says: “If the leader of your team isn’t playing there’s something missing. So in my opinion, you shouldn’t be the captain.”

Mr Mifsud, Malta’s all-time top scorer and a former Coventry City player, has only been contracted to a club for two of the past 20 months.

Mr Darmanin Demajo says he is baffled by the 29-year-old player’s decision to turn down contracts from foreign teams.

“Football moves fast. It doesn’t wait. So yes, it pains me, it worries me and it saddens me that a player with Mifsud’s talent doesn’t have a club,” the new MFA president says.

In a candid interview, Mr Darmanin Demajo also tears into the national team scheme, and says the Ta’ Qali centre should not be the elite territory of a few arrogant coaches and officials who abuse their power.

Mr Darmanin Demajo says he has no animosity towards rival Joe Mifsud, the former MFA president he ousted last August. However, he says that Dr Mifsud subjected him to “10 years of exile” from the association after he made a series of allegations about him.

He also makes it clear he would definitely not propose Dr Mifsud if he were to seek re-election to the Uefa executive committee.