Maltese Australian player Simon Gerada is considering whether to play for Malta again in the future.
Gerada, who has represented Malta on several occasions at the Small Nations Games and at the world championships, told The Malta Independent that he wants to end his career where he had started it. He said: “I would like to end my career where I started it, that is number one in Australia. People there have forgotten that I was the best before I left to play for Malta.”
Gerada added: “Representing Malta has been great. The MOC and the MTTA gave me the possibility to continue my career when I thought it was all over. It was hard coming from Australia where we have all the resources, but under the circumstances, I think we all did very well. However, it is becoming really tough and I must seriously consider my future. I consider competition at the Small Nations Games as one of the toughest. We play some 30 matches during that week and every match counts for a medal. I always think of playing for myself in these last years of my career. Having won two golds, three silvers and three bronze medals at these Games, I think I have done quite well for Malta.”
“I must thank the Malta Olympic Committee, especially the president, Mr Justice Lino Farrugia Sacco, Pippo Psaila, Joe Cassar, Marie Therese Zammit and David Azzopardi, as well as Malta Table-Tennis Association president Joe Borg Cardona, who I consider as an absolute legend of the game in Malta. I would also like to thank the press and all the Maltese athletes for having always welcomed me among their ranks,?he said.
Asked when he would announce his final decision, Gerada said he would inform the local table-tennis association and the MOC.
Gerada, who at present is the head salesman of an IT Training Provider firm, is currently in Melbourne, Australia. Soon, on 24 January, he will be playing a friendly against a Chinese youth team player and then another against an up and coming Australian youth. He said: “I will teach them both a lesson.”
Gerada said he will obviously be missing a lot of things if he decided to quite the Maltese national team.The Maltese know how to eat. We always had a good meal after big matches or tournaments. The Small Nations was not much to my liking because it was really hard work and it provided me with a lot of pressure. What I did not like most was the fact that they counted my medals before I even arrived to join the squad. I never had fun taking part in those tough Games. However, I think I managed to instil some professonality among a few of the sports people in tiny Malta,” he added.
Asked whether a decision to quit the Malta team meant that he would be forfeiting his chance to play international table-tennis in future, Gerada said: “No, you will have to wait and see.”
Meanwhile, contacted yesterday, MTTA president Joe Borg Cardona would not confirm that Gerada might quit the Malta team. “We have had some discussions, but in so far as we are concerned, there is no decision yet and we are still hoping to convince him to continue his playing relationship with us.