On Wednesday the Maltese contingent taking part in the forthcoming Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia, will be departing the island on a mission set to confirm the advancement of Maltese sport in the last few years.

Quite rightly, the Malta Olympic Committee President, Mr Justice Lino Farrugia Sacco, and the MOC Director of Sport, Pippo Psaila, have maintained their positive mentality. Both said they were convinced that the Maltese will definitely improve on their performances in Manchester, saying that they were sure the Maltese would obtain good results.

But while Psaila seems to be convinced that Malta will get more than the one medal won in Manchester four years ago, and even improve its colour, Farrugia Sacco said he would be glad to see not only the Maltese anthem being played, but also Maltese athletes getting good results, including new national records.

In some cases, I tend to agree with them and just hope that their forecast will be right. I know that our athletes, especially those resident in Malta, have been going through a lot of sacrifices to prepare themselves well for this event.

As Psaila said last Thursday, they now only have to focus on the event to be able to maintain their full concentration.

Of course, our main hope lies on young shooter William Chetcuti who will again be Malta’s flag bearer.

I do not wish to put any pressure on this undoubtedly talented athlete, but his performance will be closely followed in Malta and Gozo. I am sure that every sports lover will be looking forward to see William maintaining his current good form in the Double Trap event to finish on the centre of the podium. He has the talent and the guts required for such world class events. He has already proven himself and this is, perhaps, one other occasion where he can claim the top spot among some of the world’s best on his own merits.

But it is not only Chetcuti who will be carrying the onus. Psaila said that all the athletes were talented and had qualified on their own merits. However, I do not expect all to fare as well as he has predicted.

For example, I am sure the basketball girls will find it difficult against top class opponents. Let me make myself clear. I am not expecting any victory for these courageous girls. However, this will be a great experience for them, having qualified on their own merits. What I expect of them on such an occasion is strong commitment and determination that should lead them to encouraging performances.

Even swimmer Angela Galea is aware of the strong opponents in the pool. Yet, I am sure that she will be rewarded for her incessant training with what she herself expects from these Games - a new national record in the 200m butterfly event.

That is what the MOC means when it says that our athletes should be able to maintain the improvement shown in recent years, hopefully by landing more than the one medal won in Manchester.

Here’s wishing all our athletes a memorable Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.

The MFA, the tournament and Dusan Fitzel

The Malta Football Association should make a complete re-think on whether it should continue organising the international football tournament every two years.

The one just finished confirmed that it is not at all popular with the fans. In fact, on the three days of the tournament, there must have been fewer than 1,000 who paid their way through the turnstiles to watch the three matches. No doubt, it was poorly attended, even the two matches involving Malta.

Moreover, the fact that the two countries invited to take part in the tournament came over with their ‘Minor’ string does not reflect well on the organisers who should have made it clear that this is unacceptable, especially vis-a-vis the paying spectators.

One might say that Moldova were expected to bring over a young squad in view of the fact that we have been drawn together in the same European Championship qualifying Group.

But, in my opinion, this is no good excuse. That championship is still far away and it is more than probable that there will be changes to both national team squads until the matches arrive.

This tournament was also the baptism of fire of new coach Dusan Fitzel who has started his era with two home defeats.

It is still too early to make assessments about his tactics and plans. I was the first to have commended him for having made some call-ups which would have been unheard of until a few months ago.

One of these was that of William Camenzuli who returned to the squad, also playing the first 45 minutes against Georgia.

At the end of the match, Fitzel frankly said that the Birkirkara strongman was not up to international level and that would be his last appearance in the national team.

It was a strong declaration by the coach which, in my opinion, was not fair on the player. I agree with the Czech coach that Camenzuli was not up to standard in the first half, but may I ask who in the Malta team was up to standard in that very poor first half against Georgia? In all fairness, it was not just Camenzuli (and Mattocks) who should have been substituted. The whole team, including Justin Haber, Gilbert Agius, Luke Dimech, with the exception of Michael Mifsud, should have been labelled as lacking international level.

I am not in any way, acting as a defender for Camenzuli, but it is a fact that he has not been given time enough to be able to express himself, even though I will be the first to concede that the player needs to polish up his act.

After all that is why the coach is employed by the association. If a player needs help, it is the coach who should turn him into an ‘international’ player, the way he wants him, and not just repeat what former coach Horst Heese said about the same player and part company with him as was the case with Camenzuli.

The coach also said after the first match that he was shocked with the physical condition of the players. Yet, on Wednesday, just four days after the opener, they were running like demons in the second half - till the very end. I would like to know what happened. Do not tell me that those who played on the first day were, in their majority, not the same players who were in action on Wednesday. Simply because, all 25 players in Fitzel’s squad train together.

Moreover, these two matches confirmed that we lack players of a certain calibre in midfield. Of course, Stefan Giglio of Sliema was missing. And although I do not think he would have performed any miracle, however, I think he would have been more than useful alongside a talented player such as Gilbert Agius is, who was ploughing a lone furrow in that forgettable first half against Georgia.

I just hope that Fitzel will soon realise that we cannot afford to keep some of our best players out of our squad unless there is a valid reason.

Fitzel, of course, had to continue working with the same players he inherited from Heese, but this does not mean that a player who had been disciplined in the past, is not forgiven.

I also firmly believe that the time is ripe for the new coach to make his own selection. He should never be influenced by any other member of his coaching staff at Ta’ Qali.

He is the MFA coaching supremo and, as such, he should take the decisions without fear or favour.

Henry Brincat

Sports Editor

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