Thinking big

Malta may be one of Europe's smallest nations but coach Ray Farrugia insists with Domenic Aquilia a small-time attitude is holding local players back. From UEFA.com

One of Malta's most respected footballers, Floriana FC product 'Zazu' spent much of his career in Australia before returning to Malta to join Naxxar Lions FC. When he finally hung up his boots at the age of 42 years and three months, he was the oldest player to have appeared in the Maltese Premier League...Now 50 and running his Zazu football academy while working as technical director at Marsaxlokk FC, Farrugia is convinced Malta is capable of producing top players - but fears players' attitudes are hindering them from enjoying professional careers away from the island. "It is very simple," he told uefa.com. "Youngsters who want to play at the top level must make sacrifices. If this mentality keeps on in our players, then I am sorry to say they will never achieve their ambitions. They have to accept that you have to give up certain things in life to succeed."..

"The thinking in Malta has always been the same: that, coming from a tiny country, we Maltese have to know our limits," he said. "That is not true! We have as much talent as other countries. The only difference comes with the club set-ups - we are amateurs while other countries are full-time professionals. "If our clubs do not take full professional status then we will lose a lot of youngsters between the ages of 15 and 18," he went on. "We do not have the necessary facilities to train youngsters - without good facilities and a well-planned structure we cannot produce enough good players."... One thing in particular has given 'Zazu' reason to believe. A 15-year-old who has trained at Farrugia's academy, Miguel Ciantar, recently had a trial with Italian giants AS Roma. "I am seeing a lot of progress among my youngsters and this makes me even more determined to carry on," he said. Should Ciantar manage to make the grade outside Malta, it could be the big breakthrough that changes Maltese football forever.