It has not been plain sailing for John Arne Riise since his involvement at Birkirkara, but the former Liverpool defender is optimistic that his players can finish the season on a high and reach the goals set by the club.
Riise was appointed as sporting director of Birkirkara in January but since their first match in 2019 – a 0-0 draw against Balzan – the Norwegian has been in charge of the team in the absence of Paul Zammit, who was excused from his coaching duties by the club.
In six matches, Riise bagged two wins – a 3-0 win over Pietà Hotspurs in the Premier League and a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Ħamrun Spartans in the FA Trophy.
The club is currently seventh on 30 points, five adrift of third-place Gżira United. While they are still in the hunt for a top-three finish in the league, the Stripes are looking at the FA Trophy as an alternative route to Europe.
Today they face Mosta in the quarter-finals and Riise is determined to reach the semi-finals.
“The FA Trophy is very important for us because it is one of our objectives for the season while it can guarantee us European football for next season,” Riise said.
“It will be another opportunity for me to get to know the players more because I am still trying to implement my system.
“I have frequently changed my selections because it is important to see where my players fit better in order to get the best out of them.”
Asked on his impressions on Maltese football, Riise said that he was surprised with the level of the game.
“When I came here, I had no expectations,” Riise explained.
“I saw some good things, because there are some important players, particularly Maltese, but things can be better and done in a more professional manner.
“Overall, it is a tough league because it seems tight and every team can be difficult to beat, but until my players keep responding well to my demands, things will be fine for us here.”
Riise boasts an impressive CV at club level and having been part of some top clubs across Europe, namely Liverpool and Roma, he made sure to share some of his knowledge from the elite leagues to his players at Birkirkara.
“When I came here I made it clear to the players what I expect and what I do not tolerate,” Riise explained.
“I think the players are now understanding me better and it will be important for them to finish the season in the strongest possible way.”
Among the players Riise can bank on, there are five new signings that has already featured in some of Birkirkara’s games, including Malta internationals Andrew Hogg and Clayton Failla, and Serbian defender Nikola Vukanac, midfielder Johann Bezzina and forward Maurizio Vella.
Birkirkara’s technical director, Michael Valenzia, explained that the acquisitions made were to improve the team immediately.
“These signings will help us to give this team an identity while providing us a solid foundation for the future.
“We also brought in a couple of Bahrain players who have joined us to gain more experience and we look forward to be involved in similar deals where we can explore more talents from across the world.”
Club president Frank Zarb refused to comment about the situation of coach Zammit.
“Honestly, I prefer not to comment about this situation out of respect towards Paul Zammit and towards Birkirkara,” Zarb explained.
“We are currently negotiating together and we hope that in the near future, there will be a solution to this situation.”
Foreign coaches
In addition, Valenzia replied to the criticisms that were raised lately about the fact that foreign coaches are taking the jobs that Maltese coaches would deserve due to their license or level of experience.
“Honestly, if we do not want experienced individuals such as Riise in our movement, then might as well we do not continue to work in football,” Valenzia said.
“Since joining us, Riise has been helpful with his suggestions and tips on how to improve our squad