sport today

‘Strengthen the squad with a couple of new players and we can survive’

THE PREMIER LEAGUE WILL BE HARD AND OBVIOUSLY OUR MAIN AIM IS TO STAY THERE. IT IS NOT GOING TO BE EASY, BUT KEEPING THE PRESENT SQUAD TOGETHER WHILE SIGNING A COUPLE EXPERIENCED PLAYERS COULD MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE. LIJA ATHLETIC COACH, PATRICK CURMI, SPOKE TO RAY ABDILLA ABOUT LIJA’S CHANCES OF CONTENDING WITH THE BIG BOYS.

"Yes, I truly believed during the final stage that it was finally going to be our year. This was they had had during the first round. I also saw great commitment and motivation in my players.

"It was definitely the hardest campaign during my three year experience with Lija Ath.in this division and the promotion gives us great satisfaction, especially when one considers that there were bigger clubs that had fought for this promotion."

When speaking to SportToday, Patrick Curmi spoke about his side’s determination and its quest to win promotion in one of the hardest leagues on the island. Regarding the few consistent sides in Division 1, he added that this is a question that is normally asked because results in this division are so unpredictable

"In my opinion, this is because all the teams are of the same level and on any given day, they can beat each other. It is more a case of equality than that of inconsistency."

Regarding the change of fixtures over the last couple seasons, when many of the matches were being played on a Sunday morning, Mr Curmi explained, "I simply do not agree. It is true that clubs have gained financially from this situation, but it is not right to bring the players to the club at seven in the morning and play the game at nine. There is also the chance that some players stay late during the night."

He also contends that the level in Division 1 is improving, with the majority of teams registering quality players. Young talented players are also being enrolled from Premier clubs to contribute to this division.

Regarding the difference between Premier and Division 1 clubs, Curmi thinks that the first three challenging clubs in Division 1 can compare well with the teams fighting in the Premier League’s relegation pool. One also has to consider that the promoted clubs can register three foreigners.

In terms of Division 1 tactics, where most of the matches are played on small grounds, the Lija coach said that this is a very complicated question to answer. Tactics is a combination of so many things. When a coach prepares his game tactics, he has to bear his players, opponents and yes, also the pitch in mind.

"For a small club, taking into account defending tactics, I would surely prefer to encounter the big teams in the Victor Tedesco or Kordin stadia. It is true that Ta’ Qali is larger, but I honestly think that this is more a psychological effect. A point in case is that, while the Victor Tedesco and Kordin stadia are of nearly the same total area, Kordin gives one the impression that it is much larger, this in view of the larger boundary area than that of Hamrun."

Regarding the best sides in Division 1, Mr Curmi said that, apart from Marsa and Lija, there were other good teams - namely Qormi and St Patrick’s.

Mr Curmi explains that, apart from being well organised and having a good style of play, Lija this year had a bunch of motivated and united players - a group that any coach would envy.
However, not many seem to notice the quality of Division 1 players. And according to the Lija mentor, there were several good players this year.

Marsa undoubtedly had a great player in Slavchev, while a player that really impressed him was St Patrick’s Alan Galea. Meanwhile, the young and talented Lombardi, Luxol’s Liam Mangion and Adrian Farrugia of Tarxien all had an outstanding season. However, a player that Patrick has always wanted in his team is Victor Schembri of Qormi.

Regarding the Lija set-up for the new season in the Premier League, Mr Curmi said that, first of all, they should do their utmost to retain all those players who wish to stay with the club next year. Then, they will try to strengthen the squad with one or two more players.

"We are so eager to do well next year. Well, it is still very early but, like all other clubs, we have contacts. The amazing part is that we had a surprising positive response from a good number of talented players that wish to join our team.

In my opinion, although we are small, Lija has left a very good impression, not only on the game itself but also through its administration."

Mr Curmi said that he agrees with the present Premier League format. “With this format, smaller clubs have more chances to survive. And this is what we are going to try to achieve next year.

"We have to be on solid ground. It is true that it is going to be difficult, but we are very optimistic. If we can recreate the atmosphere of last year, anything is possible. Last year with this team we managed to perform well against Premier clubs in friendlies and in other competitions. We only lost 3 –2 against Floriana in the Centenary cup and lost with penalties against Rabat in the trophy. With some adjustments we can create surprises."

When asked about which Division 1 side had given him a hard time, the coach said that all of them were hard nuts to crack. Every game is like playing a final and everyone gave Lija a good game.

He adds, “For me, a team that was very well organised was St Patrick’s. Marsa and Qormi, as was expected, were also in the limelight this season.

When asked to give a line-up of the First Division, excluding Lija players, this is what Mr Curmi had in store. Taking into account a 3 – 4 – 3 system:

GK: Alex Camilleri (St Patrick’s)
Back Three: Liam Mangion (Luxol); Slavchev (Marsa); Darren Vella (St Patrick’s)
Midfield: A.Galea(St Patrick’s); S.Farrugia (Marsaxlokk); V.Schembri (Qormi); R.Cassar (St Patrick)
Forwards: U. Ogbodo (Qormi); I. Stefanovic (Marsa); I. Tarak (Marsa)

Although Lija were always fighting for promotion Division 1 is so close that if you lose a match you can find yourself fighting against relegation. Amazingly, Mr Curmi was sometimes preoccupied with such an occurrence.

"Oh yes, practically every time we lost a game,” he answers, “The Division 1 League is so difficult that when you lose a game, you have to start thinking about relegation and when you win, the following game you find yourself challenging.

“We had a negative patch at the end of the first round and at the beginning of the second. During these games I thought that we had lost it again."

Regarding the difference in tactics between the Premier League and Division 1 football, Lija’s coach added that there is a large difference, as there are more tactics and talented players in the Premier Division.

"But in my opinion the gap between organised first Division clubs and the so-called smaller clubs in the Premier Division is definitely decreasing."

Regarding the sides that will challenge for promotion to the Premiership next season, Patrick said that it is very difficult to predict. He believs that clubs like Qormi, St Patrick’s and Marsaxlokk will surely be in the front line for promotion. There will also be Rabat, who will try to make an early return with the elite. The surprise, however, could be Balzan, who are well coached and have a very good set up.

Regarding his earlier days when he was a youth, Patrick said that he used to be a Floriana supporter. He would go to the Gzira stadium with his uncles to see the great Floriana players in action.

Patrick was crazy about Willie Vassallo and Louis Arpa. Then in his late teens he started to support his home village - Hamrun.

"I started my coaching career at the age of 29 with Hamrun . I had great days there and I could never forget the founder of the Hamrun Nursery, and a close friend of mine, the late Tony Bajada. He was my inspiration to continue coaching. He helped me to make it to the top. I had coached all the categories with Hamrun Nursery and finally thanks to Lolly Aquilina during 1995/96 season, I was engaged to coach the U18.

"During the 1997/98 season, after a string of bad results and this time thanks to Victor Tedesco, I was given the chance to express myself in top football by coaching the first team for the latter part of the season. Afterwards my experience with Lija started in the 1998/99
season.”