Malta FA committed to delivering key football projects

The Malta Football Association is fully committed to delivering a series of technical projects which are at the heart of the Association’s strategic plan for the next eight years. At the last meeting of the Association’s Council, held on Monday, Malta FA President Bjorn Vassallo gave a detailed update on the progress of on-going discussions and efforts to lay the foundations for these projects. Vassallo told the assembly that an overhaul is needed to raise the standards across the board as far as Maltese football is concerned. He reiterated the Association’s resolve to implement these ambitious projects, namely the creation of a professional club in the Italian Lega Pro, the formation of the Inħobb il-Futbol Foundation, and the introduction of a defined footballing philosophy for all national selections. “We need to create a national identity and for this to happen, the introduction of a unified football philosophy for our national teams and the local game is essential,” Vassallo said. “This philosophy will be defined by the national coach who will be in charge of the entire technical sector. He will be the head coach.” The Malta FA President explained that the tactical and technical blueprint will be adopted by the national Under-21, U-19 and U-17 teams. The football philosophy of the Maltese sides – seniors and youths (16 to 19 years) – taking part in the Italian Lega Pro will also be aligned with the national teams’ philosophy to ensure that the players at all levels are familiar with all aspects of the system. Vassallo, who was responsible for all European Member Associations during his working spell with FIFA, explained that these plans are based on best practices successfully adopted in other countries. “The support of the Government is very important for projects of this magnitude, hence we look forward to engaging also with the clubs, Member Associations and other important stakeholders in order to have the entire football movement united behind this crucial technical project,” Vassallo added. “These initiatives are intended to give a new dimension to Maltese football with the ultimate objective being to improve the standards of our national teams and better the overall rankings.” LEGA PRO CLUB PROJECT The Malta FA President expounded on the plan to enter a professional club in the Italian Lega Pro. “The main aim is to compete at a higher level and create the right conditions for our up-and-coming players to make that crucial switch from part-time to full-time professionals,” Vassallo said. The Malta FA is also in the process of conducting a study to assess the impact the introduction of a professional team and a youth side in the Italian Lega Pro will have on the local competitions and clubs. Vassallo reassured the clubs that the Malta FA will be pursuing discussions on this matter with all the key stakeholders in the appropriate fora. “Things won’t happen overnight, this process will take time and requires hard work and expertise, but I’m comforted by the knowledge that there is a concrete plan and it will be implemented,” Vassallo concluded. MAIN POINTS • The national coach will be responsible for drawing up a unified football philosophy for national teams at all levels • The technical and tactical approach of the proposed professional club competing in the Italian Lega Pro must be aligned with that of the national team to ensure consistency • The Head of Football Development within the newly-created Inħobb il-Futbol Foundation will co-ordinate the implemenation of the football philosophy and other technical guidelines in the younger age-groups – 11 to 16 years within the three regional hubs • The work of the Inħobb il-Futbol Foundation will revolve around the following pillars – a schools programme, greater accessibility to football and a talent optimisation strategy, an enhanced pathway from grassroots to elite football (development), and coach education