Michael Mifsud should be stripped of his captain’s armband, 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 last 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. Football doesn’t wait. So yes, it pains me, it worries me and it saddens me that a player with the talent of Michael Mifsud doesn’t have a club,” the new MFA president says.

In a candid interview with Herman Grech, 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 people 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 recalls that Dr Mifsud subjected him to ‘10 years of exile’ from the MFA after he made a series of allegations about him.

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

Watch excerpts of the interview by clicking the link above. Read the entire interview in today’s edition of The Sunday Times.

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20101205/interview/more-than-just-a-game