The Hockey Association of Malta (HAM) have announced they have reappointed Pieter Bregman as coach of the National team. Bregman will lead the team at Malta's next competitive engagement that will be in the European Hockey Federation (EHF) EuroHockey Championship III in Gibraltar next summer (28th July - 3rd August 2019) and Bregman is aiming for a positive result. Malta will play in pool B with Croatia, Portugal and Slovakia. Pool A is composed of Gibraltar, Lithuania, Turkey, and Switzerland.

"We will aim for a top 4 position in the European league in July next year," he said. "We have to try and move up one level, which will make European competitions more interesting for our clubs and the Maltese National team."

This will not be an easy task but Bregman is already looking to start with the preparations for the competition. He will be drawing up squad of 26-28 players with training sessions to start in January and subsequently building up towards the summer competition.

Facing Portugal, Slovakia and Croatia will not be an easy task, but Bregman has no doubt that with the player's positive attitude and commitment, and support from HAM, Malta will be able to move up from the 21^st place in the Official EHF Ranking for Senior Nations.

Bregman wants to contribute to lift the profile of hockey on our shores and a successful competition will help to raise the game's profile locally he said, "The game needs more youths to come into our clubs to make hockey more appealing to the sporting public."

Gordon Mifsud, the newly elected HAM President, said that he no doubt that the National team players will be doing their utmost to advance the local game both abroad and in Malta. Despite its limited resources, HAM will be doing its best to ensure that the squad will have best possible preparations for the tournament.