Sliema Wanderers are expected to start training in the new Tigne complex in the coming weeks and will be doing their best to strengthen the squad with new foreign players in January. This was revealed during the launching of the Sliema Wanderers 2010 calendar which was held at the Le Meridien St. Julian’s Hotel and Spa on Friday.
This ‘new concept’ calendar continues to convey the professional vision that the club is making in its effort to market the Sliema Wanderers brand. Modelle International have been entrusted with the job and Bernard Pollacco was the photographer. Twenty-four pages show all the players in the squad in different poses in dinner jackets and casual wear together with president Steve Abela and photos depicting the three competitions won by Sliema in 2009 – the U*BET FA Trophy, the BOV Super Cup and the Sliema Wanderers Centennial Cup.
As part of the launch of this calendar, Sliema will be holding an activity at the Le Meridien St. Julian’s on Saturday 12 at 20:30. Players, technical staff and committee members will be attending this event. All supporters are welcome to attend. An after-party will be held at Caesar’s House VIP Room for which players will be attending as well.
Calendars will be on sale from the club premises at €10.
Meanwhile the Blues should start training in the new Tigne complex in the coming weeks after the completion of works. MIDI will be handing the complex to the government and then the latter would hand the keys to the Wanderers through the Kunsill Malti ghall-Isport.
President Steve Abela said that with the availability of this new complex together with the restructuring currently taking place at the nursery, Sliema could attract once again young players who had decided to leave to join other nurseries.
The Sliema president admitted that the club is currently considering the signing of new foreigners with the only player sure of retaining his place in the squad being Romanian defender Lucian Dronca.
Coach Stephen Azzopardi said that a team cannot afford having foreign players who are not good enough to make it to the starting line-up.
Azzopardi said that after an excellent finish to last season and a most positive start to this season, the team went through a bad patch. He said that the last game against Floriana was one of the best for the Blues but the dismissal of Clifford Gatt Baldacchino, cost them two points.
Steve Abela emphasised that Miguel Ciantar, who was loaned to Msida St. Joseph, is still part of the club’s plans and said that younger players in the squad could be loaned out to other clubs in order to gain valuable experience before returning back with the club.
He said that the club was currently undergoing a restructuring process where the nursery was being upgraded and indicated that younger players who do not have much first team place at the moment might be loaned out to other clubs to improve their playing experience.