Spotlight: Dorianne Theuma

She has graced our pitches with exceptional quality and class for many a year. With thirteen league titles, seven knockout trophies, and nine super cups to her name (and counting), knowledge of her milestones at both club and national team level transcends the footballing community.

In discussion we navigated what prompted the swap of the shirt of Hibernians FC, a club with whom she had almost become completely synonymous with, to that of Mosta FC and presently of Swieqi United FC, and the story of winning trophies with all three. Besides still competing for titles as a player, Theuma is also steadily creating a winning streak in her burgeoning coaching career. So, we discussed the hurdles in swapping roles and the new generation of players.

Sitting with Dorianne Theuma, I got a glimpse into the mind of a champion, not just of trophies but of the sport. As you read this, you will see her perspective of the women’s game, the battles on and off the pitch and the road ahead.

Beginnings and Playing Role

Eleanor Saliba (ES): When did you start playing football and how did that lead to Hibernians FC (Hibs)?

Dorianne Theuma (DT): I had no idea that women’s football was even a thing until I was around twelve years old, that you could join a women’s team. So, between the age of six and twelve years old, I played in my village amongst friends in the streets. However, then to my surprise, my cousin told me that she trains with Hibs and suggested that I should join her. So, I joined the team and at the time there were no youth categories like today. So, everyone played in one league, from those that are thirteen to those who are older, maybe twenty or even thirty years old. So, I started playing in the league once I turned thirteen, but joining Hibs was completely by coincidence, thanks to a conversation with my cousin. Incidentally, she stopped playing after a year, but I enjoyed it, so I kept going.

ES: Did you have a dream role at a young age?

DT: No, I was fine to play in different positions as long as I had the ball at my feet. So really, the only position I did not want to play in was as a goalkeeper. In fact, at the start, I was often fielded as a left winger because of being left-footed, but over time I was shifted to midfield, and with the national team there was even a time when I played as a defender for some time. 

ES: Was the technical control of passes something that came with time or was this always natural to you?

DT: Looking back, I learned a lot by playing in the street. Since I joined the team at twelve, I had missed out on all the fundamentals. As soon as I joined, I started playing in the league and did not have the opportunity to join player academies or nurseries. Once I joined Hibernians I sharpened a bit the skillset, but I would say that perhaps whereas I have always had to work on the physical aspect of the game, the technique was something that came more naturally to me perhaps from even before joining the club.

ES: As you developed over time, how did you improve your understanding of football?

DT: Firstly, I was lucky to have had great coaches. For example, early on coach Pierre Brincat taught me a lot for a good spell, probably even until I was around twenty years old. Besides, coach Brincat, I also learned a lot from coaches Neil Zarb Cousin and Keith Gouder in my second stint with Hibs as well. However, I learned a lot by watching football too. At the time you could not switch on social media and watch everything on demand. Watching a game of football was a big event and perhaps a bit rarer to be able to watch a complete game. So, for example on Wednesday we would watch all the goals of the Serie A, but then if there was a complete match, I would make it a point to watch it. I still watch a lot of football today and observe how the game has changed. Football as a game continues to evolve, before it used to be more technical, I would say now it is more physical. So, you can pick up on things quite a bit by watching high-quality matches.

ES: You mentioned playing different roles. Considering the number of goals you have scored (437 appearances and 407 goals), how would you say you have racked up such an impressive tally? With those numbers, one would think you played most of your career as a striker.

DT: No, I was generally used as a midfielder and rarely as a striker. Perhaps when I was younger, I was keener to shoot, so that helped to rack up goals. I think a lot of the goals have come from set-pieces and penalties, but I would say despite being mostly a midfielder I always had that offensive mindset. However, even when I was playing as a stopper, I used to score a lot from free kicks.

ES: It shows how important it is to make use of set pieces in a team…

DT: Yes, I think especially in the women’s game. I emphasise this even when I am coaching. There is a high percentage of scoring from a set-piece, so it is good to work on it.

ES: If you had to look back, what would you say is your favourite formation or system to play in and what type of players do you want around you?  

DT: Personally, I always enjoyed playing as the number ten in the 4-2-3-1 (i.e. the player just behind the striker up front). I am not the most physical, so that system involves two hard-working midfielders in front of the defence, who would then feed the ball to me and then I can work on creating chances with the ball at my feet. Of course, it is a system that makes it crucial to have those two midfielders who support me.

Winning Titles with Hibs, Mosta, and Closing the Chapter with Hibs

ES: Starting with Hibernians, you won your first title in the 1998/1999 season, and kept winning consecutive league titles for ten years (until 2007/2008) except for one season in 2006/07. How did that come about?

DT: Initially when joining Hibernians, we were not a strong side. I did not really play in the league in 1996/1997 since as I said I was too young, but then the year after I remember our aim was simply not to finish last, which we achieved. However, then the two strongest sides, Rabat Ajax and Lija, disbanded the teams as we went into the 1998/1999 season. At that point, plenty of experienced joined Hibernians and Pierre Brincat joined as a coach. So, then we had a mix of youth, in myself, Tereza Zammit and Sarah Caruana, and these experienced players, which made for a strong team that allowed us to challenge and win titles for several years from then.

Besides the nine league titles mentioned above, during Dorianne Theuma’s time with the club until 2007/08 the team also won the Knockout in 2000/01, 2003/04, and 2005/06, and lifted the Super Cup in 2006/07 and 2007/08. This besides finishing runners-up in the Knockout in 2001/02 and 2002/03, and in the Super Cup in 2005/06.

ES: What can you tell me about the mentality of that team, to keep winning consecutive titles and still be hungry for more?

DT: To win those consecutive titles you need a unique mentality, which I would say Birkirkara FC have right now. You need to absolutely hate losing and you need to have leaders on the pitch, who when seeing a teammate drop their levels will push them to step it up. Once you are out front, you are the team that all others want to beat. So, that mentality of not accepting defeat is very important to stay at the top. I remember our first league win, we were mathematically champions and were still unbeaten. However, then we lost one of the last games against Birkirkara, and the disappointment of losing that streak was plastered on our faces as we lifted the trophy. It is not easy, but I think that is the mentality you need to get you those consecutive titles.

ES: Winning all those titles with Hibernians, what prompted you to move to Mosta?

DT: It was a difficult decision to take, but I think after spending around twelve years there I felt that it might not be my place anymore and so wanted a change. There were other options, but I chose Mosta FC and we managed to win a few titles there together. It brought a different satisfaction when one considers that it was one of the oldest clubs in the league that had still not won a title. We started by winning the Super Cup and then followed it up with a league title, and even the Knockout. So I would say we were another good group of players and it was a good spell there.

ES: Did winning the league title at Mosta feel different to Hibernians, in the sense that it was perhaps more awaited at Mosta?

DT: It was very emotional. Hibernians were still very strong and even Birkirkara FC at the time, so in a way winning that title was against all odds. We won the league in February, so it was early as well, but it was one of those seasons when everything and everyone gelled together in the best possible way. Unlike with Hibs where there was an expectation of lifting trophies, with Mosta we were the underdogs, so winning the league led to a particular feeling of satisfaction. We backed it up with other trophies as I mentioned, so I think overall it was fitting to also have won the league title.

In fact, during her time with Mosta FC, the team won three Super Cups (2009/10, 2011/12 and 2012/13), a Knockout (2011/12) and a League Title in 2010/11. They were also runners-up in the Super Cup in the 2010/11 season and in the Knockout in 2012/13.

ES: What prompted a return to Hibernians?

DT: There were a few disagreements and Mosta as a club also had disbanded. At the time Hibernians were in a transitional period and I knew that things had changed since I had been there. I knew there was a new coach in Keith Gouder, who had joined the year before, and I had enjoyed watching their tactical organisation during that season. I felt really welcome to join that group of players and we did well. In fact, we won the league immediately in the first season and went on to compete in the UEFA Women’s Champions League. In joining a team, I always look to try to find the best possible club holistically. Players are playing voluntarily so it is important that they have a good structure in the club, including coaches, equipment, and facilities. When these things are right it really feels like a family and that is where I think the best football comes out.

ES: The second stint with Hibernians FC was also marked by great success. Comparing the two periods with Hibs, did you notice differences or was it sort of slotting back into the same environment?

DT: In a way they were two different generations. In my first period with the club, I was one of the young ones surrounded by leaders who had to work very hard to get something back. When I joined the second time, there were younger players so my role sort of transitioned into more of a leader then. Whereas before I was working to prove my leaders right in trusting me, in the second stint I had the role of pushing these youngsters to understand the mentality needed to win the title. They had the will, so then with this structure and proper coaching staff around them, the success came too.

Between 2013 and 2019, Hibernians won three consecutive league titles and super cups between the 2013/2014 to 2015/2016 seasons. They completed the treble in the 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 seasons by also winning the Knockout, whereas in 2013/2014 the team finished as runners-up in the competition. The side won two further super cups in 2016/2017 and 2018/2019, split by a runners-up medal in the 2017/2018 season.

ES: At the end of the 2018/2019 season a lot of the players at Hibernians moved to Swieqi United, and in fact Hibernians FC ceased to have a competitive team for a few years. Can you give some insight into why that happened and how it made you feel after having spent so much time there?

DT: In that final year, things changed a lot and the only reason we, as players, kept competing was because of that team spirit that we had. We quickly realised that the way things were going was not the right way forward and as a player at that point, you feel that it is not really your place anymore. As you can imagine, when there is that team spirit and you are all in the same boat, as one player leaves the others will follow. There were other options, but most of the players moved to Swieqi United. There were a few others who stayed and fair enough, in the end, everyone has their own opinion.  

ES: What was the feeling in terms of a cultural change when joining Swieqi United, a club that from my perspective as an outsider seems to be building a unique kind of structure (in Malta) in every aspect of the club?

DT: As you have seen from this discussion, throughout my career I have seen various clubs and how they operate. Swieqi United is made up of a group of people who are really dedicated and truly try to do everything equally for all players, men and women, boys, and girls. It is a club that in my opinion is led by genuine people who really try to do things the right way. I think whoever you speak with will agree that it is a club that is trying to create a proper setup and operate in the way that a club should operate. It is a small club, so they need support from different people both internally and externally. However, as a player, it is a club that is supportive in every aspect and that tries to listen and improve things as they go.

ES: A number of players shifted back to Hibs this season as the club returned to competition. Considering your long history with them, was it a struggle to decide whether to return or were you completely set in your life with Swieqi United?

DT: Leaving Hibs was one of the most difficult things for me to endure, especially considering the way things ended. My identity as a player up to that point was Hibernians. I spent a lot of time with the club, and you could say that the kit was almost part of my skin. Yes, I moved to Mosta for some time, but I spent a lot of time with Hibernians, it is where I grew up and I had a lot of respect for the late President Tony Bezzina. When I saw Hibs return, there was a pain that I felt, not because I wanted to return but because we were put in the position that we were in 2018, when it was a really good team.

I wish the team all the best, but the sadness I felt when I could longer wear that shirt was too much for me when you consider how hard I, together with all of the past players, had worked to earn that success with Hibs. You could say that the honours that Hibs have are the same as what I have, so this is why I say my history as a player and that of Hibs will always be intertwined, and this is exactly why it was so difficult for me. However, things evolve and unfortunately, these things happen in football.

Swieqi United’s Season and Future

ES: This season you had a close battle with Birkirkara for long periods. Though they won the league, you secured your first cup with Swieqi United in the Assikura Women’s Knockout. How important do you think winning that cup is against the trajectory of the club?

DT: Being completely honest, I think the trophy is nice for the players and the club to celebrate the first title and to boost morale. However, there is no denying that the Knockout is the second trophy. So, considering the commitment and investment being put into it every day, I think the aim for us as Swieqi United should be to win the league. There are a lot of players who play internationally which is also a testament to the level of the squad. We should be challenging Birkirkara or whoever is at the top of their game, to the final day of the season. Yes, winning that first cup boosts morale, but I think the team deserves more than this and we must aim higher.

ES: Considering Birkirkara’s current dominance with the perspective of your past success with Hibernians, how much do you think that dethroning Birkirkara is a matter of mentality and not just a matter of the football itself?

DT: Yes, there is an element of that, but in my view, you must be prepared for every game. Winning the league is not only a matter of winning the matches against Birkirkara. This season we dropped our first points against Mgarr United, so I think it is a matter of performing in all the games. Yes, fixtures against Birkirkara are important and will be challenging, but to win the league you must have consistency and that is what I think we lacked this season.

I think if you are well prepared, mentally you will be strong too and feel confident taking to the pitch no matter who you face. I think as a team that is the final step we need. Birkirkara have that confidence because they have earned it by winning titles. As a team we need to build that because it is not about individuals, it is about all the team believing and sticking to that throughout the season. You do not win leagues by being lucky in matches, you win them by building all these components so that you are well-prepared when taking to the pitch. I believe doing that will lead to positive results and the consistency needed to win the league. 

ES: The win against Birkirkara in the quarter-final of the Assikura Women’s Knockout was perhaps not the best performance, but it was a game that saw the team take the chance available which ultimately got the job done. How important was that win in the context of the rest of the games in the Knockout, and also going into next season?

DT: I think you said it yourself, though we won we did not have a particularly great performance nor the most convincing. However, I think maybe looking at it positively, perhaps it was a reward for all the sacrifices and hard work done previously. Of course, the win lifts the dressing room. However, neither the semi-final against Raiders nor the final was easy. In my opinion, considering the squad available we should have won more convincingly because not doing so meant that, though the mood improved, the confidence was not as good as it would have been had we won by a better margin.

ES: On the pitch, what are the challenges brought about by having an influx of players coming in from abroad who perhaps are new to the style and culture of Malta, and also having younger Maltese players coming into the team? How do you as a captain handle that?

DT: I think in terms of the local players, the younger players are used to us and train at a high level even with the national team at a younger age. So, I think they already have quite a good level, but of course we push them to understand the level needed to challenge for titles. Those joining from abroad have the additional hurdle of getting used to a different country and also culture in Malta. However, I think so far we have not had an issue to make them feel welcome. I think this is a testament to the family-oriented and welcoming culture at Swieqi United.

Coach Dorianne Theuma

Dorianne Theuma coached at U-16 national team level, following which she spent a couple of years coaching the U-19s girls at Hal Kirkop. Over the past three years, she was the head coach of the U21 girls at Birkirkara FC, and next season will take the reins of the U19 squad with Swieqi United.

ES: What were the aspects of taking on a coaching role that you expected but also some that caught you by surprise?

DT: My aim as a coach, especially when teaching younger players, is to always share my knowledge. I think we have a lot of talent in Malta and so I think if players are in the right headspace they can truly grow and reach their goals. If someone is interested then it makes your life easier as a coach because there is that right attitude to learn.

Something that was surprising was understanding how lonely the job can be. This is especially clear when things go wrong. As a coach you have to analyse why things are not going right and find solutions while being limited in who you can ask. You have to find new alternatives within the available confines, and you cannot really ask the players why things are going wrong. That intensity was difficult to get used to at first. I think for example speaking about my time coaching the Birkirkara U21 team, we won the league decider twice but leading up to that second win, with that increasing pressure, you question everything. However, I think then the results on the pitch speak for themselves.

It is the major difference between being a player and a coach. As a player, you go out on the pitch and express yourself. As a coach, you sit in the technical area and hope that your players do what you wish them to, but you cannot really do it yourself. In the end, it is lonely because ultimately as a coach you are the person taking the decisions, right or wrong. That I think was the struggle that took me by surprise. 

ES: Considering that you are also playing, has coaching changed how you read the game while playing?

DT: I think coaching has helped me as a player and I think improved me as a leader on the pitch. I think when I was younger, I was focused more on what I am doing with the ball and was not too bothered about the opponent. However, I think now I anticipate more what tactical changes will be implemented and how that will affect us, so I try to make players around me aware of this so that we are not caught by surprise as a team. 

ES: As a coach what do you look for most in a player?

DT: I think Birkirkara’s players will give you their own answer (chuckles). Joking aside, I think attitude and determination are everything, not just in football but in life. I think you can be talented, but a group of eighteen talented individuals does not win titles. It is the teamwork and the correct attitude to turn up every single day that wins titles. A star individual may have a spectacular match, but that person will not win titles unless they back it up week by week. You need the complete team, which is not eleven players but all eighteen, having the correct attitude to work hard every day.

ES: Would you say that as a coach you have a particular style of play that you want your teams to employ, or do you adapt according to the players at your disposal?

DT: I think abroad they often have the luxury of bigger clubs and a bigger pool of players where the coach is supported in whichever system they would like to play. In Malta we do not have this luxury, so in taking charge of a team you assess your players and try to bring out the best in them, in whichever system suits them best. For example, coaching with Birkirkara FC the 4-3-3 system worked well because I had good wingers, a good forward line, and full-backs who were willing to run up and down the wings. You assess the strengths and weaknesses and then adapt accordingly.

ES: When working with younger players, what is it that you notice that is different from when you started out as they learn the ropes in the game?

DT: I think sometimes they take things for granted and perhaps we are to blame for making things a bit too comfortable for them. At times they perhaps do not realise that today you may have an opportunity to win a trophy which may never come again in your lifetime and that is exactly why you need to work the hardest to win it. So, in that way, I think it is our duty to make sure that we instill a mentality that if you won a trophy with the U21, you still have a lot to learn and to succeed.

The more you win, the more you have to work to prove yourself. I think speaking personally that is the mindset that got the teams I formed part of continuous success, and it is the mentality I try to pass on to the players that I coach. It is the challenge in getting them to understand that great opportunities arise only after a lot of hard work, training everyday despite the aches and pains, and being fully present to tackle the challenge at hand. I think as they mature a lot of the players come to understand this, but it is the aspect which I think is most crucial against a setting which is perhaps not as harsh as it used to be when I look at my start in football.

ES: You are very animated on the sideline, almost ready to jump in the field at times. Speaking as a football fan, it is highly entertaining. However, joking aside, do you find it difficult to be confined in that manner as opposed to playing and do you think it will change over time?

DT: (laughs) Yes, as I said I really get immersed in the match and in a way perhaps still find it a bit frustrating that I am not on the pitch myself, probably because I still play as well. I think this year the players tested me quite a bit. We were seven points adrift off the rest of the teams in the first round, but we managed to turn things around and in the last few games we treated every match as a final. We won games in the final minutes.

I think I am still too much of a player in a certain way, but at the same time, as a player I always preferred to have more of a passionate coach than a more passive one. I think in my head I hope that if players see their coach have so much passion, it will transmit that same passion to the players on the pitch. This is not to say that you overstep or be rude, to my knowledge I have never let the emotion get to that and you must always show respect. However, I believe the team reflects the coach’s demeanour, so you have to always find the balance between passion and being respectful, but I think that passion is important to get the victories.

ES: What prompted you to coach at Birkirkara while playing for Swieqi United, considering the rivalry brewing in the senior’s league?

I took a year off from coaching after my stint as coach of the Kirkop U19 girls team. Following my break, Birkirkara’s seniors’ coach at the time, Melania Bajada, approached me to take over the Birkirkara U20 girls team, knowing very well that I had no intention of leaving my role as a player at Swieqi United. Although I questioned how it would work, she always showed full trust in me.

Conflicts and rivalry aside, I knew that they had a good group of young, determined players who were ready to learn. I felt it was the right challenge for me as my aim as a coach is always to help develop willing young players into better individuals, on and off the pitch. I can understand why a few felt uneasy about the situation, but as a person, I always felt capable of separating the role of a coach from that of a player. I always gave my one hundred percent in any role, therefore me playing and coaching at different clubs never affected me.

ES: How difficult is it to balance playing and coaching duties while also managing your own personal life?

DT: It is a challenge, but I was always of the opinion that as long as you are doing things from the heart, you will find a way. I think as a person I am very organised. These last seasons it was particularly difficult to go back and forth between playing for Swieqi United and coaching at Birkirkara FC, on top of having a job that requires a fair amount of concentration. However, I was doing everything from the heart and football is a very important part of my life, one I cannot really imagine living without. So, when you have that passion, you do not really mind going home and working late on a session.

Having played for so long, I know that today I am a different player than I was when I was younger, but the routine of football and that packed schedule is something you get used to. I think in a way after twenty-five years in the game, moving away from it would be somewhat scary in a sense.

Women’s Football in Malta & Beyond

ES: I read that you had the opportunity to go abroad as a player but chose not to go. Can you give some insight into that decision?

DT: Yes, I had an opportunity to go abroad when I was quite young. At the time, there was no social media so in a way it was more of a black box, more of an unknown. The first time I was approached to go play abroad was when we visited Verona with the national team. We played a tournament against the champions of Italy, following which I was getting chased to go play in Italy. However, you have to understand that at the time football was not yet professional and I was still just around seventeen years old. Considering the prospect of going to play with the champions of Italy, but then also it meaning that I would have to go to work to sustain myself, against the fact that in Malta I was playing whilst still studying did not make too much sense. I had other opportunities at later stages in my career, by which point the game was more professional but weighing that against uprooting the life I established in Malta did not make much sense either.

ES: Speaking of things in the present, if you had to go abroad today, perhaps as a coach, which country or league would you choose and why?

DT: I am currently really enjoying the evolution in the Women’s Super League in England. I think there is a lot more effort being put into the clubs. The clubs which were traditionally synonymous with men’s football, are truly putting the effort into the women’s teams if you consider the setup and resources, which is amazing to see. I think as a country it has reaped the rewards too by winning last summer’s EURO championships and it continues to evolve.

In the end, if you truly set up the correct structure around players, you will get the results. As a player and as a coach that is what you want, to have the correct structure so that you can express yourself in the best possible way. This is where I think we have a way to go in women’s football in Malta and what I try to fight for. We have a lot of players who put effort every day, but I think going forward these players deserve better structures and support if we want the game to grow.

ES: You were a part of the national team from the start. What would you say are the landmark moments that we have achieved so far?

DT: I think of course there are the small steps in getting the first points and the first win against Estonia. Then there was a big push when we qualified from the preliminary group stage of the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time in 2013. I think looking at recent years perhaps the boosts have come from having these high potential individuals such as Haley Bugeja, Maria Farrugia and Rachel Cuschieri who elevate the team. However, having said this, one also has to appreciate the hard work being done by all those players who play in Malta who still have to hold down full-time jobs as well.

ES: Considering the UEFA Nations League, how different would you say is the experience of having a tournament where you play against similarly ranked teams, as opposed to playing these high-profile teams who have a completely different setup?

DT: I think looking back when we first started out with the national team, we played against these big teams during qualifiers but, between a set of qualifiers and the next, there were no friendlies organised. In this regard, things have improved because today there are training camps being organised, friendlies against similarly ranked teams and the UEFA Nations League will add similar competitive fixtures that enable more improvement.

ES: In Malta, the league winners participate in the UEFA Women’s Champions League. How important do you think it is to have a competition such as the UEFA Women’s Europa League for teams who perhaps finish second or third, in the context of having an opportunity to improve by playing against different sides?

DT: I think speaking from my experiences with Mosta and Hibs, and probably also players from Birkirkara will agree with this, the level at the UEFA Women’s Champions League is very high. In light of that, to compete in Europe with teams who are finishing second and third you need to understand that there is a high level of investment needed to be able to participate at that level. There is a big financial incentive to compete in Europe, which hopefully goes towards growing the women’s teams. However, the level has to be higher when you consider that as a club you need to have certain credentials which are not easily attainable. There are also expenses you need to consider. So though as a player, there is no doubt that everyone wants to win the league to go play in the UEFA Women’s Champions League, there are a lot of factors to be considered.

ES: Having been part of the dominance of Hibs, and now seeing Birkirkara’s dominance, why would you say we have these streaks of a club winning repeatedly?

DT: Firstly, I will say that if you have the right setup you can succeed. Yes, the player pool is limited, and you also face the prospect of promising players leaving to go play abroad. However, I think if you can provide the right setup, you are well on your way. In the context of Birkirkara, I think there is stability that they have had, which is important. There is a strong group of players who have formed that bond and a solid understanding and then you see them changing only a few things bit by bit. If you look at all the other clubs, including Swieqi United, there is a lot more change and less stability. It takes time to build that understanding, to form an identity, which boils back to the structure surrounding the players that can give that stability. So, I think if more clubs invest properly to have the right structure and allow the teams to form that identity, then the issue of dominance will not be so big.

ES: In my view, the number of teams is shrinking. Do you think this assessment is correct and is it a reflection of less numbers of players or more concentrated efforts? 

DT: I think there is a real problem in losing players between the ages of 16 to 20 years of age. It is common also in boys, but the difference is that with girls there is already a smaller pool so you really do not afford to lose these players. If I look back to the youth national team squad that I was coaching in the past, very few have made it to the senior side. I think we must understand why this is so and try to keep the numbers.

Recently, Dorianne Theuma participated in the FIFPRO Women’s Summit alongside club-mate Shona Zammit, together with the General Secretary of the Malta Football Players Association (MFPA), Carlo Mamo. The FIFPRO is a union that represents players worldwide in effort to defend the rights of players and to support them in advancing their interests.

ES: I recently saw that you participated in the FIFPRO Women’s Summit. For those who are not familiar can you please explain what this is and why it is important for us to have players present at these summits?

DT: These summits provide a platform for players to dialogue about the hurdles being faced. For example, recently there was the case of Sarah Bjork who played for Olympique Lyonnais, who with the help of FIFPRO won a landmark ruling after the club failed to pay her the full salary while pregnant.

Being at the summit I learned a lot, but I also realised how much further we still have to go. Participating in it, you realise that we are still fighting for things that are too basic for others. You realise that in other countries you would not have to be scared to ask for these things and on the contrary they would be granted by default. So, in that context, being at these summits provides a way to touch base with those playing in different leagues abroad. I think if we want women’s football to develop it is high time that these standards are achieved.

We must also be alert to the danger of having clubs building a women’s team simply to avoid fines by the European bodies, but without the effort being put in to truly develop these girls into footballers. If we want to truly develop women’s football, there needs to be the will to go through the hard work of developing young girls from a nursery into the teenage categories and then eventually to the senior side.

ES: In being there, would you say there was anything that particularly stood out that we need to improve?

DT: There were discussions of equal pay which unfortunately in Malta are still far too remote for us to consider. However, beyond that one can look at the conditions. For example, considering the state of dressing rooms which are completely designed for men, or perhaps providing suitable slots to train at for example six-thirty in the evening instead of at eight-thirty. Playing with Swieqi United I know that they make an effort to avoid such things, but I have experienced this in other places, and unfortunately, I still see this happening. There are other basic things like providing players with water or kits. We still have cases where players buy the kits. I think these things should have been tackled by now.

ES: How much has the perspective on Women’s Football and players themselves changed in Malta over the playing years?

DT: I think there has been progress. However, I think that it has been too slow. I think we have talent, and this is reflected in the successes of the national team, not because we had the best conditions but because the level of players has improved. However, if you compare it to other nations, there is no doubt there has to be more effort to grow and at a better pace.

ES: What would be your advice to the younger generation interested in the game?

DT: I think it would be to take nothing for granted and that there is always more to learn in football. At thirty-nine years old I still learn new things every time I step into training, and I criticise myself and try to find ways to improve every day. You cannot focus only on what you are doing right, you have to also understand where you are going wrong and how the game is evolving around you.

To give you an example when I started out the game was more technical and there was less effort put into the physical nature of the game. As time passed the physicality increased and at thirty-one I knew that I had to put more effort into this. I think at that age I ended up being fitter than I was when I was twenty, simply because I had to evolve with the game.  I knew that my weakness was my physicality, so I had to work on it to be able to compete. I think this mentality of continuous improvement is very important. You have to want to perform every single game because this is what wins you titles.

I would like to thank Dorianne Theuma for taking the time to sit with me to be able to bring you this feature. It was an absolute privilege and look forward to seeing her back on the pitch (and in the technical area) very soon.

Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed this please consider sharing it with a friend who you think would enjoy it. You may also want to read the interviews with Birkirkara’s Ann-Marie Said and Hibernians’ Kayleigh Chetcuti. Stay tuned for more.