"Winning the title is not out of reach" - Keith Fenech

New Valletta midfielder Keith Fenech is eager for the season to start. Joining Valletta from Birkirkara, Keith believes he made a move in the right direction. After considering quitting the game, the former Rabat star told RAY ABDILLA that he believes that the citizens have as good a chance of winning the title just as Sliema, Hibernians or Birkirkara

By Ray Abdilla

"Finally I am a Valletta player. They have been courting me for several seasons and finally I am playing with the most consistent side of the past decade. At one time I even considered quitting the game for good. I was still 24 but did not want to play in the First Division anymore.

"I could not believe I was not a Premier Division player anymore. It was a devastating blow for me to lose the relegation decider against Naxxar Lions a couple of season ago. Marsa were interested but then Birkirkara came with an offer I could not refuse."

Those were the words coming from Keith Fenech, a former Rabat and Birkirkara midfielder. Although last season was not one of his best, he's definitely one of the best prospects on the island. So desperate was he a couple of seasons ago that he had told MaltaToday that he might quit football if no Premiership club came in for him.

Fenech had said that Rabat was fine, but he felt that his future lay at the top levels of the game. He played for six seasons in the First Division and knows how tough and competitive it is but there's no comparison with the Premiership.

"Playing under Dennis Fenech is a step in the right direction. I played for him when I used to be a Mellieha player. He coached me for more than three years." Keith said.

He told MaltaToday that the Stripes coach Stephen Azzopardi believed in him and wanted to keep him with the squad. But committee members wanted him away. Birkirkara decided to put him on the transfer list.

Valletta played a friendly match against Birkirkara and Keith made his debut for the citizens. He played a very good match for his new club. He made two goals from Gilbert Aguis in Valletta's 4-2 victory. Just after the match the Stripes spoke to him again and told him that they are ready to offer him a new contract. But having already given his word to Valletta that he would sign for them, B'Kara were just wasting their time.

Fenech still speaks abut his Rabat days and said that he still cannot believe the 4-1 mauling from Naxxar Lions on the last day of the season. He said that the 3-3 draw in the first round of the relegation pool also against the Lions was the reason for their downfall. An early 3-1 lead and letting Naxxar equalise in the last few minutes were the reasons for Rabat’s downfall. A win on that day would have meant that the Magpies would have been practically safe.

The former Mellieha midfielder said that luck was never on Rabat’s side this season and that they had to rely too much on player-coach Ziya Yildiz.
With only one foreign player permitted to play in Division 1 things look more bleak and although there are some good players from the Under 18 knocking on the door, it is not going to be easy.

Fenech said that it's a pity that at Rabat players are sold and not bought. He said that around 33 players has been sold during the last six years.

Keith keeps himself in good shape and when he is playing he rests and prepares for the match like a true professional. The week of the match he doesn't go out and only eats pasta and vegetables and drinks milk. On the day of the match he eats pasta and if it's a Sunday he first goes to church. In fact he never misses mass.

Regarding the coming football season which kicks off next Saturday he said that a fight is expected between Hibernians, Valletta, Sliema and Birkirkara in what promises to be one of the most interesting Championships for years.

"Although we lost some players, we have made up for them by signing a few good ones like Bogdanovic and the Bulgarian who arrived in Malta recently." Fenech said.

Regarding the Premier League format he said that he is in favour of the present format but he doesn't agree with the six teams for the Championship Pool system and the four teams for the relegation pool. He believes that it is not fair that the sides fighting for relegation play fewer matches than the championships pretenders. He believes that like the championship pool there should be six teams fighting it out for relegation.

"It has always been my dream to play for Malta and with Valletta I am confident that I will improve my standard of play. Everything is possible and if I could help Valletta win the league title, Mr. Held might select me for the national side. That will be the best time of my life," concluded the new Valletta midfielder.

Fact File
Born: Toronto – Canada, 28-2-76
Career: Started his football quite late at the age of 13. He joined the Naxxar Lions nursery, as Mellieha did not have a nursery. But he moved on to Mellieha to play in the Under 16. He was later loaned to Rabat for one year then transferred permanently to the Magpies.
Family: His father is John and mother Joyce. His 20-year old sister used to play football for Mellieha.
Studied: Primary Mellieha, Junior Lyceum and Technical Institute
Position: Manager in Engineering at Methode Electronics
Car: Toyota 4X4
Favourite food: Pasta
Hobbies: Travelling especially to the USA
Favourite Music: All type
Films: Comedies
Favourite Actor: Jim Carey
Supports: Juventus and Aston Villa
Favourite Player: Zinadine Zidane
Personality: Joyful but worry a lot