Our good friend Stephen Calleja wants to drag out this non-story (Floriana FC and professionalism, TMID 27 July). If this is so then so be it – even though we have much better things to do.

It is clear that Mr Calleja took umbrage at our last sentence where Floriana FC stated “that perhaps it would have been more professional of The Malta Independent if they had sought Floriana’s comments before rushing to the press and printing what turns out to be a figment of someone’s imagination.”

We are now informed that Mr Roberto Duo knew that the team was training on the day in question at the Melita grounds – something which was missed out completely in the first report. What is very clear and is a figment of someone’s imagination is the statement that Floriana FC “abandoned a Floriana FC player”.

We repeat that Mr Duo is not and has never been a Floriana FC player. He was only attending some training sessions with the squad. Mr Duo was given full instructions of where to attend for training and like all other players had to make his own way there.

We regret that Mr Duo got lost especially since he could have easily asked one of our other players to pick him up from Qawra, something which is quite normal with all our other players. It was Mr Duo’s decision not to ask and it was therefore his responsibility to appear for training at the appointed time and place.

The decision on who can or cannot train with the team during the pre-season is solely the responsibility of Mr Roddy Collins, our Irish manager coach. During this period there are always a number of “other” players who are allowed to train with the first team but this does not make them Floriana players nor does it give them special privileges like providing transport to the training grounds.

Indeed our officials are not necessarily conversant as to who is attending training with the senior squad as this is a matter for the manager coach during the pre-season.

It is indeed true that Floriana has been without honours for many years – something which is not pleasant for us at Floriana – however this might have nothing to do with being or not being professional, especially in Maltese football, but may have more to do with how much money a club has at its disposal.

Once more we repeat that it would have been better for Mr Calleja to get a reaction from Floriana rather then rush to print a non-story.

Dione Borg

Secretary

Floriana FC