Ray ´Zazu´Farrugia has been promoted by the MFA to the post of assistant national coach to Pietro Ghedin. Farrugia has been the national Under 21 coach since January 2011 although he had also occupied the post in previous years. His substitute was also named yesterday. He is Silvio Vella, the former Rabat and Malta national team player. Vella has occupied the post of assistant to Farrugia for the Under 21 side, and was also the national U19 coach.
These announcements were made yesterday by the Malta Football Association CEO Bjorn Vassallo during a press conference at the Ta´Qali na- tional stadium. Vassallo said the MFA has already been working towards Euro 2016 which will be the first finals with 24 teams. He said the MFA had already met the Premier League Clubs Standing Com- mittee and an agreement has been reached on the training schedule of players selected to join the national team squad. Vassallo said that Malta´s opponents in the Group, that is, Norway, Croatia, Italy, Bulgaria and Azerbaijan, make it an interesting group, especially with Italy, the top attraction, and Croatia who also figured in the World Cup finals in Brazil. He also referred to the recent unexpected defeat against Gibraltar saying that the match had arrived at a time when the players were enjoying a period of rest (six weeks) – the first after five years.
GOAL card MFA Marketing Officer Norman Saliba yesterday announced details about the ticketing concept for the forthcoming Euro 2016 qualifiers. He said that there will be the sale of a number of GOAL cards whereby discounted prices for Malta´s home matches will be another incentive for the public to attend matches. It will mostly be on the same lines as the system used for the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, but this time the MFA intends to build further on its Fan Loyalty programme.
Through this scheme, the public will be able to save €40 on the costs of single match tickets for the matches at Ta´ Qali, if a GOAL card is bought. The new scheme is addressed to incentivise further those who bought GOAL cards for the World Cup qualifiers as well as the younger spectators for their overwhelming response to the MFA´s invitation to participate in the Reach Out Campaign on the occasion of the recent UEFA Under 17 finals. The incentives will include a 10% dis- count to previous GOAL card buyers, a reduction on the price for all types of children´s GOAL cards, a reduction in the prices of children´s single match tickets for seats both at the Millennium and South stands of the National Stadium. GOAL cards and single match tickets for children are now also avail- able for West Stand seats.
The sale of these GOAL cards started yesterday and continues till 31 August. Tickets for the Malta-Norway and Malta-Italy matches will be out for sale on 9 September. Malta´s home matches programme is as follows: v. Norway on 10 October, v. Italy on 13 October, v. Bulgaria on 12 June 2015, v. Azerbaijan on 6 September 2015 and v. Croatia on 13 October 2015. The first match in the programme is scheduled for 9 September in Croatia. On 4 September, Malta is to play a friendly match against Slovakia in Geneva, Switzerland, from where, three days later, the group will travel to Zagreb for the match against Croatia.
Saliba also said that GOAL card buyers could win fantastic prizes such as one of five season tickets for domestic matches, one of five signed national team shirts, a one-year free member- ship at the National Stadium swimming pool, a GOAL card for one´s partner, a chance to have one´s photo taken with the national team squad and a free Stadium tour for the family. For the GOAL card, one may apply on- line by visiting www.mfa.com.mt. One can also go personally to the offices of the MFA, Floor 2, Millennium Stand, National Stadium, Ta´ Qali, between 9am and 7pm.
The offer is valid till 31 August or stocks last. Euro GOAL card prices are as follows: Adults: at West Stand (Enclosure) €90, Millennium Stand €50 and South Stand €30. For children (Under 12) it will be €45, €25 and €10 respectively. Match day sales v. Italy: €50 at West Stand, €30 at Millennium Stadium, €20 at North and South Stands. For the matches against Croatia, Nor- way, Bulgaria and Azerbaijan, prices will be the same, that is €20 at West Stand, €12 at Millennium Stand, €10 at North Stand and €8 at South Stand.