Sliema Wanderers president Steve Abela and club coach Stephen Azzopardi yesterday confirmed that the national coach, John Buttigieg, and his assistant, Carmel Busuttil, had turned down a request by Sliema Wanderers to meet them the past few days.

Abela said Sliema had requested the meeting - over the position of the national team players - not to confront the duo, but to open a discussion to try and help the club solve the problems which they continually face when their players are away from the club on national team training, that is, three times a week.

He added: “We were never given that opportunity. I was disappointed and totally surprised with their attitude. I have always considered them both as good friends. We were not told why our request had been turned down.”

Coach Azzopardi said his president had arrived before him and it was Abela who faced the two national team coaches. “When my president was turned down, I simply thought it would have been unethical for me to ask to be allowed to discuss the issue myself with them,” he said.

Abela also said he believed that even Valletta had requested a meeting on the same lines with Buttigieg and Busuttil, but did not know what was the outcome of their request.

Valletta provide nine players to the national team squad and Sliema six. The two teams face each other in an important league match next week when the competition resumes after the stoppage due to the alleged corruption allegations which led to the demotion of Vittoriosa Stars and Marsaxlokk from the Premier League to the First Division. Marsaxlokk’s appeal still has to be heard, and decided, probably this week, before the competition resumes.

Commenting on the stoppage, Azzopardi said it had affected everyone and all the clubs. He said: “From our part, we had been trying to reach our first targets for the season, but I must say I have been disappointed by the MFA’s Council decision. In my opinion, they have tried to solve the fixtures’ problem by penalising the clubs who were not involved in the corruption allegations. In fact, there will be no holidays at Christmas and the New Year this time round. Sliema have only stopped one week from the end of last season till the beginning of this one. It is a shame. We are all human beings and it seems as if no consideration was ever given to this thought. Even the foreign coaches and players will be hit hard by such a decision. Will they have a chance this season to go and see their families back home?” he asked.

Azzopardi said he would have preferred to have midweek fixtures rather than cancelling the two weekends at Christmas and the New Year.