Experienced defender Brian Said is among seven players who have been omitted from Malta's 18-man squad for tomorrow's friendly against Liechtenstein at the National Stadium (kick-off 7.30 p.m.).
National coach Dusan Fitzel divulged the names of the players who failed to make the cut during a news conference yesterday, saying their exclusion owes to a number of factors.
Said and Sliema team-mates Ian Azzopardi and Roderick Bajada, Hibs' veteran goalkeeper Mario Muscat and attacking team-mate Terence Scerri and Marsaxlokk's Peter Pullicino and Steve Wellman are out of the frame after all had been named in Fitzel's provisional squad..
Marsaxlokk's Cleaven Frendo has pulled out of the squad after picking up an injury in his side's 2-1 league defeat to Birkirkara on Sunday. His withdrawal prompted Fitzel to hand a recall to Birkirkara's George Mallia.
"There are many factors behind my decision to leave these players out of the squad," Fitzel said. "Azzopardi and Wellman have been dropped because they are not playing regularly for their clubs whereas Pullicino and Scerri have been injured lately."
Fitzel sees Malta's encounter with Liechtenstein as an opportunity for our team to gauge their standard against a fellow small nation that has achieved significant progress in recent years.
New faces and tactical variations took precedence for Fitzel last month when Malta took part in the bi-annual International Tournament along with Armenia, Iceland and Belarus. Malta beat Iceland 1-0 but lost the other two matches against Armenia (0-1) and eventual winners Belarus (0-1).
Fitzel declared himself pleased with Malta's performance in the International Tournament. "Our performance in the tournament was generally positive and I hope that we keep up the good work in the friendly against Liechtenstein."
Fitzel observed that the sequence of last weekend's matches should have been reversed as the bulk of the national team players were involved in Sunday's Championship Pool games.
Malta captain Gilbert Agius said: "We are preparing for this friendly in a very serious manner. Many people might be thinking that Liechtenstein are a weak side but we have to be realistic and not forget that we are also a small nation."
Yesterday's news conference was also addressed by Louis Agius. The co-ordinator of the South End Core supporters' group called on all Maltese football lovers to rally behind the national team.
Tomorrow's friendly is Malta's last at home before the start of the World Cup 2010 qualifiers. In the last week of May, Malta will face Austria away and on August 20, the national team will play another friendly, away to Estonia. Malta kick off their World Cup Group One qualifiers with a home match against Portugal on September 6. The other teams in Malta's group are Sweden, Denmark, Hungary and Albania.
Malta squad
Goalkeepers - O. Borg (Birkirkara), A. Hogg (Valletta).
Defenders - R. Briffa (Sliema W.), L. Dimech (Macclesfield), J. Mifsud, K. Scicluna (both Valletta), A. Xuereb (Hibs).
Midfielders - S. Bajada, G. Mallia (both Birkirkara), U. Nwoko (Leixoes), J. Pace, K. Sammut (both Marsaxlokk), G. Agius (Valletta), R. Fenech (Hamrun Spartans).
Forwards - E. Barbara, I. Woods (both Sliema), A. Cohen (Hibs), M. Mifsud (Coventry).