by Just one day remains until Hibernians & Swieqi United lift the curtain on season 2024/25 in the Assikura Women’s League. Birkirkara & Hibernians will be striving to outmatch each other to clinch the record thirteenth title, but several others will want nothing more than to make their mark as clubs, coaches and players alike set sights on standing out from the rest.
Halting A Fourteen-Year Run
The last time that a name other than Birkirkara or Hibernians was etched on the women’s league trophy was that of Mosta’s in the 2010/11 season. You’d have to go back more than a decade to find a different name before that.
However, the two giants have an extra incentive this year. Birkirkara will strive to defend their title, thus earning an eighth consecutive crown, which would also enable them to nudge forward into the record-breaking thirteenth league title. Equally hungry will be Hibernians who have been stuck on the twelfth for eight years and will want nothing than to take back the lead in titles and break the Stripes’ dominant streak.
On the other hand, there’s no time like the present for a new name to take centre-stage. Swieqi United have been the closest in recent years and will want nothing more than to clinch their first league title. However, equally hungry will be Mgarr United who never quite managed to turn their own fortunes into silverware.
While those two clinched top places in recent years and will certainly want nothing more than to finally convert their efforts, time will tell whether another side from Valletta, San Gwann, Lija Athletic or Mtarfa could spring any surprises to send the order of things into chaos.
Daring For Greatness
The only two returning coaches who started last season will be Julian Camilleri of San Gwann and Jethron Azzopardi of Lija Athletic. The duo were new to the women’s league and proved to be successful choices for their sides on the basis of San Gwann going into double figures in the league. Lija Athletic equalled them on points marking a successful return to the league under their own namesake. The two sides brewed a rivalry that is set to continue, with the two certainly keen to show their improvement over the summer.
On the other hand, Vince Galea will be leading Birkirkara for the first time, although he is by no means a new face in the women’s game. Meanwhile, Mtarfa are yet to name the person who will be leading the team from the touchline this season.
The coaching reshuffle that stirred the middle of last season proved to be one which clubs seem to be happy with in most cases. In fact, all the interim coaches who took over mid-way through last season will return, i.e. Jean Lopes (Valletta), Ryan Vella (Mgarr United), Kenneth Costantino (Hibernians) and Dorianne Theuma (Swieqi United).
Among them, the only coach to have led a side to the seniors’ league title is Hibernians’ Kenneth Costantino which will make the battle all the more interesting, but he is also in the company of several coaches who are in their first full season in charge of seniors women’s team. So, while Costantino will want nothing more than to be the one to steer the Paolites back to glory, several other coaches will want to push their sides to clinch the first.
Having had a pre-season with their teams, a few new signings and a chance to recover some injuries, it will be interesting whether any coaches present new systems or whether they’ve used this as an opportunity to consolidate the same philosophy with the team.
As the clubs revealed their transfers throughout the weeks, there will be certainly plenty making their debuts in the Assikura Women’s League, some as newcomers, while others will be donning different colours. A few new signings are still expected to be announced, while there will be several youngsters primed to make a splash in the seniors’ league.
Lastly, they may not have gotten the spotlight in the off-season, but there will be the majority of players who have been hard at work and who will be returning with the same teams, eyeing a fresh season with renewed hunger.
Silverware, in terms of a league title, the coach of the year award and best player of the year awards await at the end of the season. What stands between tomorrow and those accolades are twenty-three matches for each team, the courage to fight every week, and for the football fan in the stands and teams alike, one hopes, plenty of raw emotion in the way that only live football can bring.
Hibernians & Swieqi United will lift the curtain on season 2024/25 tomorrow under the lights at the Centenary Stadium at 20:15. Friday brings the first clash between Valletta & Lija Athletic at the Centenary Stadium (20:30). The first weekend will conclude with a double-header at Dingli Ground starting with the defending champions, Birkirkara, meeting San Gwann (18:00), followed by Mgarr United against Mtarfa (20:30).
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Lead Image: Lara Schembri
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