Gzira United presented their new coach Paul Zammit during a press conference at the Ozo Group Business Centre in Qormi on Friday.

Zammit replaced Giovanni Tedesco last week after the two parties had mutually agreed on the termination of his contract. In fact, despite a promising start with a shock elimination of Hajduk Split in the UEFA Europa League, Gzira lacked consistency in the BOV Premier League and are currently fourth – six points behind leaders Floriana – and were eliminated from the FA Trophy.

Paul Zammit signed a two-and-a-half year deal which will keep him at the club until the end of season 2021/22.

Gzira president Sharlon Pace said the choice of Paul Zammit as their new coach enables the club to move closer to professionalism. As from next season, Zammit will be working with the club on a full-time basis together with the Team Manager, the Club Administrator and the Kit Manager.

Pace admitted that once results were not coming their way, decisions had to be taken. He said that with the appointment of Paul Zammit as a new coach, the club has an experienced coach who led other clubs to winning major honours as Gzira United aim to lift a major honour within the next three years.

Paul Zammit said that choosing the offer by Gzira was not easy after he was also offered a job with the Malta Football Association in the Foundation Inhobb il-Football. However he opted to join Gzira as he believed in the club’s vision and also because he preferred being involved in the day-to-day coaching and competitive matches week in week out.

The new Gzira coach said he based his choice on three different binaries – the club has grown and has a solid long-term plan; the talent in the squad and the respect that the president and the club administration have towards the players.

Zammit said that his main focus will be on the coming months. He said that if the club failed in reaching the targets they had set in summer would have repercussions and therefore it made sense to focus on the rest of the season and then, together with the club, see the way forward for the next two years and the Maroons’ long-term project as the club aims to strengthen its structure.

The former Valletta and Birkirkara coach said that it was not easy to join a club mid-way through the season but was satisfied with the group of players at his disposal and both the players and technical staff made his life easier. He said that he did not want to make many changes, considering that the technical staff had did a good job, adding that he believed in the qualities of the physical trainer Antonio Romagnolo.

Zammit revealed that he would involve more Andrew Cohen who he believes that although he is important as a player, he could contribute more. The Gzira coach added that he would be working hand in hand with Cohen, Romagnolo and and the goalkeepers’ coach.

Paul Zammit said the first objective was to be consistent and to find the team’s identity but this would only be achieved one game after another. Once the team regains consistency, they would focus once again on the club’s preset targets.

Meanwhile Ozo Group have extended their partnership with the club another year.

Ozo Group CEO Fabio Muscat said that since their first partnership with Gzira United four years ago, they had seen the club going from one strength to another achieving fantastic results both locally and in European Football and therefore they were not just proud of such achievements but they also feel that they have been an integral part of such success.