Hockey national coach ANTHONY TABONE is, perhaps, on the verge of calling it a day. This all-round sportsman has certainly followed in the footsteps of his father Frankie, who had, in fact, been a top footballer and coach in his heyday. Anthony always had football at heart, but he fared much better in other sports, particularly hockey, where, before becoming national coach, he was player coach of top division side White Hart. He thinks local sportsmen and sportswomen lack total commitment, which is one main reason why Malta always plays second fiddle in the international arena. During a career spanning over 40 years, Tabone took part in various sports before finally
concentrating on hockey for the past 28 years. Here he tells his story to Henry Brincat
Tony Tabone has dedicated most of his sporting life – 28 years – to the game of hockey. Yet in his younger years he was a keen all-round sportsman as he practised eight sport disciplines with commitment and dedication.
He always had football at heart, but unfortunately, he never made it to the top. “I was unlucky in many aspects. For example, when I was at Qormi, my father was the coach and when the committee used to tell him to include me in his first string, he would always reply that I was still too young. On other occasions, there was favouritism and I had to play second fiddle to others. But I still enjoyed my playing days, although I had to cut short my career in this game and concentrate on hockey because of the various injuries I suffered,” he said.
He started playing football at St Aloysius College where, from the second year onwards, he was a regular in the senior football team. Later, this continued at Stella Maris College, where he finished his studies. He was also a good sprinter, but excelled mostly in field events.
“I did well in the long, high and triple jumps, the shot and the discus. I never raced long distances. Those days, despite the lack of facilities compared with those available today, I think there was a brilliant crop of athletes who would have done much better today,” he said.
Tabone won his first ever medal when still an 11-year-old. “We used to play football on a cemented area in front of what is now Il-Piazzetta near Ghar id-Dud. Norman Rossig-naud organised us into a team and we entered a seven-a-side league at the Rudolph Street Youth Centre. Our team name was White Sharks and we won that league. The reward was a little gold-plated medal which I still very much cherish today,” he said.
When he grew older, he joined Melita in the Second Division (today’s first), and later went to Qormi where his father Frankie was the coach.
Tabone also recalls one big day during an athletics meeting when he took part in seven events, winning them all, including the relay.
He recalled: “In our schooldays, we used to look forward to Sports Day. It was something special and we used to prepare ourselves for such occasions. I had another memorable race as anchorman in the relay at the MAAA championships, running for the Stella Maris College Team. Athleta Juvenis had a fantastic team and Atalanta SC dropped their baton on the third changeover.
“As the team’s last runner, I started around 10 yards behind the Athleta runner. I had been injured the previous week after falling badly on my ankle and my father had done his very best to get me back into shape. On the day, I surpassed my expectations on the Marsa track. I ran hard. It was my fastest stage ever and I managed to just pip my opponent at the post. My colleagues on the way were Oswald Spiteri, Tony Demicoli and Joe Debattista,” he said.
He also enjoyed taking part in the annual Christmas Flipper race together with his brothers Frans and John. He won the event both as a junior and as a senior. He said: “On one occasion, I almost beat Chris Dowling, certainly one of the strongest swimmers ever produced by Malta. He was powerful. Racing alongside him, one could feel him, taste him and just hope for the best.”
He also had a spell as a waterpolo player with the Sliema minors and reserves, where he was coached by the late Budgy Dowling. “The team included such subsequent stalwarts as Tony and Paul Fava, T. Camilleri, Denis and James Dowling and Tony Nicholl. On one occasion, I was told by Budgy that I had to play in goal. I was stunned. It was a crucial match against Balluta, who had remained unbeaten for a whole two years.
Yet we emerged 3-2 winners at the Sirens Pitch,” he said.
Tabone added that he had also played waterpolo for the Army team, with whom he won a final against St Angelo, whose ranks included several Sirens first division team players. With the Army he also took part in rowing events as the No. 6 man, just behind the coxswain. “I stopped rowing because I became overweight. But I enjoyed those two years. My hands still suffer from that punishment, but it was well worth it,” he added.
But it was hockey that provided him with his most satisfying moments. “I won eight league titles and eight cups with White Hart. We also won various other competitions. I won the Player of the Year in 1981/82. The only thing which eluded us was the Super Cup. We were there in the final several times, but we never managed to win it,” he remarked.
He also had some good and bad moments with the national team as its coach since 1995. “I remember we have beaten teams like Cyprus, Greece and Morocco in the European Champion-ships. I was also surprised to be asked for an interview by a sports reporter while the team was in Egypt on the occasion of the inauguration of an artificial surface pitch there. We were beaten 10-0 by Egypt, although they had to wait till the 26th minute to open the scoring. But we managed to beat Morocco 4-1. It was a great honour for us to have taken part on that occasion. Today, I can say we have improved, but we still lack power and speed. The artificial turf pitch at Corradino has provided us with a chance to become more competitive. Now I think it is time to offer my place to someone else.
“I think I have done enough for the national team,” he added.
Among Tabone’s most memorable moments are the Player of the Year award and the first championship win with White Hart. Another great moment, that he will never forget, was that relay race already described above.
Among the most disappointing moments in such a career: the fact that White Hart have seen the Super Cup eluding them every time ranks as his number one. “It’s like a jinx. We have always missed out on that Cup – the only honour we have not won,” he said.
Anthony Tabone – a profile
Date of birth: 15 May 1947
Education: St Aloysius and Stella Maris Colleges.
Work career: He started his career at the age of 19 with the Testaferrata Group of Companies at St George’s Park, St Julian’s. In 1974, he joined Estate Management Letting Agency which later became known as it is today, Britannia Services Ltd, mostly known in Malta for its extensive travel services. Today he occupies the post of executive director of the company.
Sporting career: Since he was a young kid, he always had sport at heart. Strangely enough, his first interest at St Aloysius was gymnastics, in the able hands of Mr Micallef, the sports master at the College in those days. He also liked to play football and take part in athletics meetings. In football, he had played for the St Aloysius senior team since he was in his second year at the college, and followed this up when he continued his studies at Stella Maris College. In athletics, he was at his best in field events, but he also did well as a sprinter. In football, he never reached the top. He played for Melita in the second division, as well as Qormi when his well-known father, Frankie, was their coach. He took part in rowing events for the Army team and also took part in swimming as well as waterpolo events. In swimming, he was very keen on participation in the annual Christmas Flipper race, which he won on some occasions, even in austere conditions. In waterpolo he also played for Sliema reserves when their coach was the late, great Valletta player Budgy Dowling. He also used to play squash, which he describes as the best sport to keep anyone fit – he still plays two or three games a week. In 1964, he was introduced to hockey while a member of the Territorial Army and started playing the game on a rough pitch at the barracks situated at Fleur-de-Lys under the charge of Lt Leo Vassallo Cesareo. Until last year he was still a regular player with the White Hart team, and he has also played a full match this year.
Coaching career: He was appointed national coach in 1995 and is probably in his last year. He has also coached the White Hart team for several years.
Honours: Won the hockey League and Cup on eight occasions each, always with White Hart. He was also named Player of the Year in the 1981-82 season.
Pastime: He has become a wine-maker. And he is good at it – in fact he also has his own vineyards.
Family: He is married to Victoria née Callus and they have three children: Paula, who is the mother of two, Peter, a very keen footballer, and Francesca. His father was none other than the famous Frankie Tabone and his mother was Eveyln née Borg. Frankie was a well-known footballer (strong fullback) with Floriana and Sliema (pre-war days) before he joined Birkirkara as a player-coach. He later became famous for producing and coaching the Floriana Ajax side that ruled the roost in the early 1950s.