MFA president Dr Joseph Mifsud yesterday made a passionate appeal to all Malta supporters to behave well and give their all-out support to the Malta team next Saturday at Ta’ Qali, when it faces mighty Turkey in a European Championship qualifier.
Dr Mifsud said the match date coincided with the day Malta had won over the Turks in the Great Siege of 1565. “Although we commemorate that date with pomp, this football match is not a battle, and neither a war. We welcome the Turkish team in Malta as well as their fans who will number over 500. We will be showing them respect as we have done to others in the past. There should be no insults on Saturday. Everybody has the right to support his or her own team and Turkey are no exception,” he said.
He reminded everyone that UEFA is strict on the organisation of these matches. “In one of our last matches, we received a fine of Lm5,000 because of the firing of two petards. It is not only against the laws of the country to indulge in such action, but it is also against the UEFA rules,” he said.
Earlier Dr Mifsud said the Malta team had been preparing since early August for this match and tomorrow week’s friendly against Armenia. “We have been to Slovakia for a training camp and also played a friendly in Albania. Now comes the moment of truth. We are aware of the great enthusiasm for the match. Tickets for the South stand are selling rapidly. We expect it will be sold out before Saturday. And I appeal to all those attending Saturday’s match to buy their tickets from the authorised outlets before the day of the match so that there will be no problems on admission into the Stadium on Saturday,” he said.
The MFA president also announced a new deal which has been agreed upon with national coach Dusan Fitzel. “He will be staying with us till the end of the next World Cup qualifying campaign,” he said.
He said the draws for the next World Cup will be made on 25 November, that is, soon after the end of the Euro 2008 qualifying matches.
Dr Mifsud also spoke about the commitments of the other national teams at Under 21, Under 19 and Under 17 levels. He said the Under 21s will be in action in European Championship qualifiers in Bosnia (next Saturday) and against France at Ta’ Qali on Wednesday 12 September.
The Under 19s will be playing in a mini tournament in Italy alongside Italy, Croatia and Montenegro between 10 and 15 November, while the Under 17s will be playing a mini tournament in Estonia, alongside Estonia, England and Portugal.