MFA AWARDS ORGANISED ON NATIONAL SCALE

With several entities organising separate football awards evenings in recent years, the Malta Football Association has long felt that this duplication needed to be done away with. To this end discussions were started some months ago to have the event streamlined into a single one organised on a national scale.  New regulations were approved by the MFA Council as to the several awards for the year, the principal one being the Footballer of the Year Award. Voting for this award will be conducted by a panel consisting of 12 Premier League clubs’ captains and coaches, the MFA technical director, the national and Under 21 teams’ coaches and 11 journalists. The lower divisions’ best players will be selected by the captains and coaches of the respective clubs while the women’s best player will be voted for by the captains and coaches of the 14 women’s teams, the MFA technical director and the women’s national team coach. There will also be changes in the selection system for the junior and youth leagues best players and for the best coach and foreign player, whilst a panel of journalists will short-list the ten best goals for the ‘Goal of the Year’ award, with the public having a say via televoting in choosing the best goal. As from this year there will be a new award. This will be the ‘President’s Award’ which will be decided by the MFA president. The recipient will be a person or persons which in the opinion of the MFA’s top official deserves to be recognised for an outstanding contribution to the game. The draws of the BOV Premier League 2013-2014 will be a new element featuring during the Awards Night. Details of the MFA Awards event to be held on June 14 at the MFCC, Ta’ Qali, were given by the MFA Chief Executive Officer, Bjorn Vassallo, during a Press Conference at the Centenary Hall, Ta’ Qali,  on Monday morning. Mr. Vassallo also went on to thank the people behind the organisation of the other awards events held in recent years for understanding that there was no longer the need for the duplication of similar activities. These being Ms. Louiselle Vassallo (Broadcast Manager – Media.Link Communications) and Messrs George and Christian Micallef (Co-Producers – Replay Gala Night), as well as Mr. Sandro Micallef and Mr. Alan Cutajar (Events Services), Co-producers of the Malta Football Awards. Other speakers were the MFA head of Legal Department, Dr Chris Bonnett, Anton Attard, Public Braodcasting Services CEO and artistic director of the event, Peter Busuttil.  The list of the finalists in the various categories of the MFA AWARDS 2013 was announced during the Press Conference     MFA Footballer of the Year Failla Clayton - Hibernians  Fenech Paul - Birkirkara  Haber Justin - Birkirkara  Herrera Edward - Birkirkara Sciberras Gareth - Birkirkara         Coach of the Year  Mizzi Clive - Tarxien Rainbows Woods Michael - Hibernians Zammit Paul - Birkirkara      Best Young Player of the Year Farrugia Jean Paul - Hibernians Kristensen Bjorn - Hibernians Muscat Zach - Birkirkara      Best Foreign Player of the YearBueno Daniel Mariano - Tarxien RainbowsCoronado Igor - Floriana  Mendoza Alejandro - Birkirkara     BOV First Division Best Player Beu Erjon - Lija Athletic  Kooh Sohna Raphael Alain - Pieta' HotspursMicallef Lydon - Vittoriosa Stars     BOV Second Division Best PlayerAgboebina Osi Lucky - St. George's Britto Rodrigues Mauricio Osmar - Zebbug RangersTabone Alan - Zebbug Rangers     BOV Third Division Best Player Milutinovic Marko - Marsaskala Schembri Lee Joe - Sirens  Thomas Timothy - Senglea Athletic     BOV Women's League Best PlayerCarabott Ylenia - Hibernians Cuschieri Rachel - Birkirkara Theuma Dorianne - Mosta      Best Youth League Player Bezzina Johann - Hibernians Cini Yenz - Valletta  Cremona Llywelyn - Valletta