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These were the closing words of Dr. Joe Mifsud's speech on Monday evening during the last Council Meeting of the Association for the year 2009/2010 prior to the Association's Annual General Meeting of Saturday 7th August 2010.
As is customary, during the last meeting of the second highest organ within the MFA, President Dr. Joe Mifsud addressed the Council Members held at the Centenary Hall, Ta' Qali. Whilst rounding up the Association's activities of the last year, Dr. Mifsud touched base on the forthcoming elections due to be held during the AGM in a few days.
One of the items on Monday meeting's Agenda was the approval of the delegates and their substitutes. These represent their Member Club or Member Association during meetings of the Association. The last item on the Agenda was the President's address.
Starting his speech by wholeheartedly thanking all the Council Members for attending and positively participating in the 14 Council Meetings held during this year, Dr. Mifsud stated that since some years now the function of the Council has changed for the sake of efficiency. However, the Council remained very important in the work of the Association since it is both a policy-making body as well as the legislative body within the Association. This year was no exception and the Council started the year with some very important decisions following the decisions regarding corruption cases which had happened during the previous season. Furthermore the Council had amended several regulations and enacted new ones, including a Code of Ethics for the persons officially working in football. Two items regularly on the Council's Agenda were ‘Recommendations/Decisions of the Executive Committee and ‘Reporting of Matters'. In these two items information about the decisions of the Executive Committee and of other Boards of the Association was given. During the last item on the Agenda (also a regular one at all Council meetings) the Council members could speak about any matter they deemed fit.
Dr. Mifsud stated that the fact that for all the posts for the officials of the Association there were more nominations than places available proved that there is big interest in the Association's work. This is due to the good work done by previous administrations. This work was complemented by that done by the members of the different Boards and Committees of the Association as well as by employees who worked in the administrative and technical fields. Another very important sector was the Refereeing Sector. The President said that without the cooperation of all these the Association could not have carried out the huge work carried out during the last year. The human element is always present and this is why he made it a point to apologise to anyone who may have felt that he was shown lack of respect by him or by the MFA staff.
'Fully aware of your support and of the majority of the Members of the Association I am confident that I will be re-elected. But I need the right people around me. So I urge you to give me the people whom I can trust and in whom I have full confidence'.
Dr. Mifsud said that throughout the years he had always put his own and the Association's integrity as his top priority. This is what has made the Malta Football Association one of the most creditable institutions in the country to the extent that the Association has always found many avenues open including the banks when approached to provide it with financial credit.
Speaking on the various National Teams, Dr. Mifsud said that this was also a year of commitment for most of the National Teams which were involved in FIFA and UEFA competitions. Creditable performances against very strong opposition of the National Teams, Senior, Under-23, Under-21, Under-19 and Under-17, which this year managed to qualify for the Elite Round of the Under 17 UEFA competition for the first time ever. The Women's Team failed to make the desired improvements. The Futsal Team continued with its preparations for its competitive commitments next year.
The referees and assistant referees had performed well.
In the Coach Education Sector this was yet another year full of commitments during which the Association, in conjunction with UEFA, besides the usual courses, organised a new course leading to a Diploma in Football Physical Training.
Of paramount importance this year was the Project for the Improvement of Sports Facilities of Member Clubs and Member Associations. Dr. Mifsud stated that the Association was all out on this project which saw artificial football pitches mushrooming throughout the islands. This is automatically luring much more children and youths towards the game. A €2 million grant received from UEFA was more than doubled with a bank loan of €2.5 million that was very swiftly approved by the Bank. The MFA will be embarking on the second phase of this project in the early months of 2011. ‘We will resume our work on this project with the same momentum, immediately after the UEFA HatTrick 3 is approved at UEFA EXCO later this year and by the UEFA Congress in the first quarter of 2011'. Having five high-level stadia, namely Ta' Qali National Stadium, Centenary Stadium, Victor Tedesco Stadium, Hibernians Stadium and the Gozo Stadium is top on Dr. Mifsud's agenda and he promised his continuous support towards achieving this goal in the shortest time possible.
High-level International friendly match in Malta
Dr. Joe Mifsud reiterated that during season 2010/2011 the National A Team will play an international friendly match on home soil against one of the most highly-ranked national teams. Funds coming from international the TV and Advertising rights of this match will be used for the benefit of the Members of the Association. Starting from season 2010/2011, each Member club, as well as the MFCA, MFRA and The Youth F.A. will at the end of each season receive €5,000. Furthermore, during the same period, the MFA will pay for the referees and assistant referees officiating at the competitive matches of the other seven (7) Member Associations. The contract of this high-level match will be signed in September 2010.
Re-surfacing of the National Stadium Pitch
Part of the money of this match will be going towards the strengthening of the natural grass at the National Stadium, Ta' Qali, with synthetic material. This will provide a smoother surface and will allow more matches to be played even in bad weather conditions.
Dr. Mifsud reiterated that, achieving all this would not have been possible for him if it were not for the continuous support he received from his fellow colleagues, the three Vice-Presidents, the General Secretary and the Treasurer of the Association although he did not agree with the latter's decision to contest the post of Vice-President during the forthcoming elections since he is challenging one of the incumbent Vice-Presidents. ‘Since I still feel healthy, I still believe that I still have a lot to offer to Maltese football at national level and in the international sphere'.
‘I wish once again to you convey to you my thanks and appreciation for your work for football during the past year. Please convey also my thanks to your partners and the other members of your families for the time you have spent away from them to dedicate time for the benefit of football and thus depriving your loved ones from your presence'.
Concluding his speech Dr. Mifsud thanked also members of the different MFA Boards and Committees, the MFA staff members, the Presidents, the other officials and the other Committee Members of the Member Clubs and Member Associations, the officials and Administrators of the Football Nurseries, the referees, the coaches, the media, the supporters and last but not least, the protagonists of the game, the players for all the work of all these did for the benefit of Maltese football during the year 2009/2010.
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