MFA approaches Dušan Fitzel

MFA president Norman Darmanin Demajo revealed that the association made a formal approach for Dušan Fitzel to return as Malta national coach during a meeting which was held last month.

Speaking during a meeting of the Council which was held on Tuesday, Darmanin Demajo said he and the Head of International Department Joe Cassar met the former national team coach in the Czech Republic while officials and coaches from the six teams who will be playing in Group B of the 2014 FIFA World Cup met to decide on the fixtures.

Fitzel is currently the Technical Director of the Czech Football Association and also holds another important role at UEFA.

The MFA president praised Fitzel and said that during the meeting he could only confirm what he had been told about the Czech coach – an intelligent person who had a good relationship with all.

Darmanin Demajo said that Fitzel did not rule out the possibility of being interested in filling the vacancy of Malta national team coach. He said that Dušan Fitzel, as a person who knows the local situation very well, would be a preferred candidate for the post should he express the interest to return as Malta national team coach.

If not, as from January, the association will consider all possible options and a final decision would be taken by the Executive Committee after a discussion.

Fitzel stepped down in July 2009 for medical reasons after leading the Malta national team for three years and a half.

As regards the friendly match in programme against Liechtenstein on February 29, MFA Technical Director Robert Gatt will take the role of care-taker national coach. The squad will be selected in January.

The association has just announced that Physical Trainer Luca Pagani has been offered a new thirty-month contract. He will not only be in charge of the national team but will be supervising physical training across the board, even at youth level and clubs.

Meanwhile the MFA president announced that the association met John Buttigieg and Carmel Busuttil, whose contract as national coach and assistant national coach was terminated in October, in order to settle the financial matter. The meeting between the two parties was described as cordial.