Milan youth coach to visit Balzan Youths, Santa Lucia

Balzan Youths FC will be hosting three young players from the Milan Academy in Sydney for training in December and January under the watchful eye of experienced AC Milan youth coach Elio Garavaglia.

Garavaglia will travel from Milan where he has been based and working with the likes of Fabio Capello and Franco Baresi, for these last 20 years,. At present, Garavaglia is the assistant to another Milan great, Filippo Galli, who is in charge of AC Milan’s Primavera squad.

During his stay in Malta, Garavaglia, a former Italian professional player, who came through the AC Milan youth system, will assess the three teenagers from the Australia Academy, one of whom is of Maltese origins, and will also take charge of all the Balzan Youths FC and Santa Lucia FC teams before returning to the Milan fold in late January.

One of these three boys will fly to Milan for two weeks and train at Milan’s youth centre with the AC Milan Under-13 sqaud.

Australia-based Anton Tagliaferro was the one who put together the AC Milan – Balzan Youths FC link. Tagliaferro, who is a former Balzan Youths FC player, is the AC Milan Academy director in Australia. He is currently Honorary President of the Division One club.

Tagliaferro will accompany the boys to Malta after receiving the go-ahead from AC Milan’s youth head of coaching Filippo Galli. They will be arrive in Malta on November 27.

“Thanks to the close connections that I have enjoyed with AC Milan over the last decade, I am hoping to be able to do many more things like this in Malta in future between my two favouite clubs – Balzan Youths FC and AC Milan,” said Tagliaferro.

Balzan Youths FC will soon inaugurate their new facilities, complete with a new synthetic turf pitch, at their club.

Those interested in joining the clubs’ youth sector may obtain more details by phoning nursery officials : Frank Monreal (Balzan Youths FC) on 7961-7721 or Paul Sammut (Santa Lucia FC) on 79730023.