Valletta president Victor Sciriha (photo) has admitted that he is working on a three-year plan to fulfill his ambition of turning Valletta FC into a professional club.

This, he thinks, is the only way forward if the club wants to boost its financial income, through Champions League participation, of course.

Sciriha made no secret of his dream. He wants to strengthen his side, make new signings to have a wider squad and then turn his players professional, totally involved in full time football.

Thus Valletta can become competitive in the Champions League and capable of qualifying from the preliminary round where revenue then increases.

He said that the present state of local football is ridiculous when clubs have to pay more in fines than receiving gate money.

Asked whether he would try to make pressure on the MFA to include more foreigners in his line-up, Sciriha emphatically said: “No. I believe three is enough, but these have to be of a standard well above that of local players. And I also believe that the locals will be happier to play professional football with just a small addition to their present salaries.”

Sciriha also said that one other priority was the building of a complex for Valletta FC which will definitely be outside the city. “There is no place for such a complex in Valletta,” he said. “But there are other options, perhaps at Marsa, where with government help, we would development a piece of land which we have already earmarked for our needs,” he added.

It is an ambitious target, of course, but coming from the words of a determined man like Victor Sciriha, who won back-to-back championships with two different clubs, it cannot be taken lightly of course!

The City president also confirmed a news item published on the club’s website that the club had voted in favour of Floriana in the latter club’s case concerning the UEFA licence in front of the MFA Council. “Rivalry apart, we thought it was only fair to give our rivals a sporting chance.”