Mangia pleased with team spirit and players’ commitment

Day two of the training camp in Austria for the Malta National Team: the team base in Bad Kleinkirchheim gives the perfect setting for the team led by Coach Devis Mangia to stay focused on the preparations as the first scheduled friendly match gets closer.  

On Sunday, Malta will face Northern Ireland. Albeit being a friendly encounter, the boys in red will be vying to maintain the positive momentum managed in the last months through positive performances. 

Speaking to Sky Sports UK on Friday, Malta head coach Devis Mangia spoke highly of the endeavour of his players so far. 

Photos: Copyright www.stephengatt.com/Malta FA

Asked about the key players in his team, Mangia replied, “This is not about individuals but as a group we are doing all our efforts to improve and increase the quality in our game in sync with the game philosophy we are trying to adapt in our pursue to improve Malta’s National football team and the level in general of Maltese football. 

“Physically my players are possibly not 100% since the Maltese league was prematurely terminated due to restictions by health authorities, it is a well known fact in football that there is a massive gap between training and the intensity of the 90 minutes during a game. 

“Having said that, I am truly pleased with the spirit and commitment of my boys not only here in Austria but also in the previous weeks leading to this training camp when training restarted gradually back home,” Mangia concluded. 

Zach Muscat, Steve Borg, Matthew Guillaumier and Paul Mbong have missed this trip through injury while Luke Gambin stayed in the UK due to club commitments. 

The match at Klagenfurt’s Wörthersee Stadion between Malta and Northern Ireland will be played on Sunday at 18:00hrs and will be live-streamed on tvm.com.mt/sports

Photos: Copyright www.stephengatt.com/Malta FA