Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/887355
maltatoday SUNDAY 15 OCTOBER 2017 News 11 Approved and issued by HSBC Bank Malta p.l.c., 116, Archbishop Street, Valletta VLT1444. HSBC Bank Malta p.l.c. is licensed by the MFSA to conduct investment service business and is enrolled as a tied insurance intermediary of HSBC Life Assurance (Malta) Ltd. Subject to account opening criteria. 98923-10/2017 The HSBC Premier Mastercard is not only about new looks. It now includes contactless technology which lets you pay for everyday small items without the need for cash or the need to enter your PIN every time. The HSBC Premier Mastercard also gives you access to Mastercard's World programme which offers exceptional benefits related to travel, dining, shopping and other services you've come to expect from your Mastercard. Find out more at hsbc.com.mt/premier Goodbye cash, Goodbye cash, Goodbye cash, hello contactless hello contactless hello contactless payments with payments with payments with the HSBC Premier the HSBC Premier the HSBC Premier Mastercard Mastercard Mastercard football in general," Zammit says. These countries, he notes, have invested in improving youth foot- ball and supporting youngsters to play in foreign leagues. It is these factors that help foster good play- ers who then perform well at na- tional team level, he adds. Zammit believes the improve- ment has to happen at club level by ensuring teams have strong structures. "Youth leagues have to improve and young players en- couraged to play abroad and the improvement in national team performance will just be the cher- ry on the cake," he says. Former international player Carlo Mamo, secretary general of the Malta Football Players Asso- ciation, shares his sentiment. He says the main problem is the level of football in the domestic league. Mamo says the slow pace of the domestic game allows play- ers enough time to think with the ball, a luxury that does not exist in the faster paced international scene. "I know this also from experi- ence. International football is a different ball game altogether and that is where we suffer," he says. Mamo says part of the solution is to have more Maltese players playing abroad in leagues with a faster tempo. But he believes more has to be done to improve the league level in Malta. "The national team has stag- nated and there appears to be little will to improve the domes- tic league from where players are drawn," Mamo says. While domestic clubs have upped their level, it evidently has not been enough to reflect pro- gress at national team level. And with smaller countries leapfrogging Malta the road looks steeper than it ever was. ksansone@mediatoday.com.mt Paul Zammit: Youth leagues have to improve and young players encouraged to play abroad Tom Saintfiet Journeyman Belgian tasked with Malta job is cautious about 'Icelandic' ambitions LITTLE-KNOWN Tom Saintfiet has seen his fair share of footballing projects. Only last December, the Belgian was tasked with the reins of Trinidad and Tobago, but that stint lasted little more than six months. He held other short stints with the world's sporting invalids… Bangladesh and Togo national teams earlier in 2016, Malawi in 2013, surprisingly Nigeria in 2012; Ethiopia in 2011; Zimbabwe and even Namibia in 2008-2010 and the Qatar U-17s. Saintfiet is not as pricey as others and his control of the English-language makes him internationally mobile. On Friday, he told Cristian Muscat of Illum that he has had a long-term ambition to work in Malta. "I think Malta fits my idea about football and I think we can grow a lot," Saintfiet said. "My work here is not only to focus on the senior national team but also on the coaches, youths, scouting and the football school. I will be working on the development of football here but I hope for long-term results for the national team." Saintfiet is aware of the limitations of the underperforming national team he is taking over. "We'd like to win games… but that won't happen in the short-term. There will have to be changes. But the ambition must be to get good results against similar nations like us and decent results with bigger nations." He knows that Iceland's success story was built in the development of its youths and their export to European leagues. "Iceland had a lot of professional players abroad and the whole national team plays in the European leagues. It's a long-term project. Iceland developed its youth team. In the 80s and 90s Malta won against them, but since then the team has changed." And yet, Saintfiet points to a cultural chasm separating the two teams. "It's not something we can just copy. It's also cultural, the difference between the Nordic mentality and the southern mentality. We have to use our qualities, our plus points, but also recognise our minus points, and develop those to become competitive. Other small countries who have become competitive must be our example." Tom Saintfiet: Belgian manager has a record of short stints with footballing minnows