Birkirkara’s excellent results in the Europa League appears to have strengthened the Premier League club’s resolve to move towards a full-time, professional approach.
Adrian Delia, the president of Birkirkara FC, told a news conference that one of the club’s chief targets is for their players to be professional not only in their behaviour, on and off the pitch, but in every aspect.
“Our target is to work on a professional basis,” Dr Delia said at the presentation of the club’s new signings, namely Serbian trio Dejan Djordjevic, Predrag Jovic and Srdjan Dimitrov, Croatian defender Bruno Marotti, veteran midfielder Shaun Bajada, defender Steve Bonnici and youngsters James Brincat, a midfielder, and goalkeeper Andreas Vella.
“To achieve this aim, you need a strong administration but I can say that we are not far from becoming a professional club.
“We have already changed the way our players train, increasing the sessions from four to seven to eight on a weekly basis. We want professional players not just in terms of how they behave but in every sense where they are full-timers who only concentrate on football.
“This is our objective.”
Dr Delia derived great pride from Birkirkara’s historic achievement in reaching the third round of the Europa League, a run that is expected to boost the club’s coffers by €675,000, minus travelling costs.
After overcoming Bosnian side NK Siroki Brijeg (aggregate 3-1) and Hearts, of Scotland, (2-1), Birkirkara bowed to Russian team Krasnodar, losing 6-1 on aggregate.
“Despite the financial muscle of Krasnodar, the gap was not as big as the final scoreline suggests and this fills us with courage for the future,” Dr Delia said.
The Birkirkara president said the transfer campaign began last January when the club established the core of its current squad.
“During the summer, we made other additions to their group,” Dr Delia said.
“We also confirmed our faith in the technical staff, led by coach Drazen Besek.”
Dr Delia said that, although Birkirkara played a leading role in the campaign to increase foreigners, and still believe that local regulations should conform with those of FIFA, the signing of four Maltese players – Bajada, Brincat, Bonnici and Vella – underlines the club’s faith in Maltese talent.
While expressing satisfaction at the club’s successful attempts in convincing Gareth Sciberras, the team’s “exemplary captain” to renew his contract, Dr Delia explained the reasons behind Rowen Muscat’s absence from the Europa League games.
Dr Delia said Muscat has a long-term contract with Birkirkara but since his loan agreement with Italian side AC Pavia ran out on June 30, he began his pre-season later than his team-mates and this precluded him from the Europa League games.
He added that Muscat is being reintegrated into the squad but insisted that it’s up to the coach to decide on technical matters.
Besek, who succeeded Giovanni Tedesco last December, declared himself pleased with Birkirkara’s opening to the 2016/17 season.
“We have started the season in a good way. We can be happy with how we played in Europe and also with our performances in the first two league games,” the Croatian said.
“We have changed the team from last year and I think we have built a good squad.”
Birkirkara have maximum points after their first two league outings. They play against Ħamrun Spartans on Sunday.