by In football, there is a lot of hype about goalscorers, but there is a special admiration to be had for goalkeepers who are unsung heroes at times. Speaking with Dorienne Grech, I probed why she chose to play in this position and what goes on in a goalkeeper’s mind during the game.
We traversed her illustrious career including spells with Tarxien Rainbows, Kirkop United, Raiders Gharghur, Hibernians, and how this has shaped her commitment to the project with Mtarfa FC. Her honest words offer insight into the latter and what it means to take to the pitch with the young team.
Discussing the state of local football with her brought back memories of the second division and she also had a few choice words on the chasm being developed in the local league. Though sobering at times, her enthusiasm for the game shone through our conversation. She said it takes a special kind of crazy to be a goalkeeper, but we shall leave it up to you decide…
Beginnings
Eleanor Saliba (ES): Walk me through beginnings in football. When did you start playing?
Dorienne Grech (DG): I was fascinated by the game of football from a very young age. I used to play in Ta Qali open area with my dad and at primary school we used to make a football out of paper and tape. In year 6 they created a 5-aside tournament for girls which I joined and then kept playing into secondary school at Santa Lucia. We were a good group of players there, including Charlene Zammit and Gabriella Zahra (who currently play for Birkirkara FC), who were slowly making it into the seniors’ team which was exceptional at the time.
ES: How did that lead into joining Tarxien Rainbows?
DG: Unfortunately, when I started Form 4 (age 15) there was some disagreement between teachers and the football teams were disbanded. At the time, I was approached by Leanne Camilleri who asked me to join Tarxien as they were going to participate in the league for the first time that year. I was a bit sceptical of what my parents would say at the time, but somehow we agreed, and I went into training. It was trial by fire as within a couple of days I was playing against Marsa. I remember we lost 4-1, which was respectable I think considering we managed to score a goal in our first time playing in the league. I was far from perfect, I remember the first goal I conceded was that I tried to save the ball and having had next to zero training I got a touch and ended deflecting it into my own net. However, the experience of joining the team and playing was great, so I never looked back.
ES: Did you have a specific role in mind that you wanted to play in?
DG: I knew I wanted to play as goalkeeper, even before I joined Tarxien. In fact, when I approached coach Johann Micallef, who was also teaching Italian at my school, and told him I wanted to play as goalkeeper, he said was the first time someone ever had ever volunteered for the role. I had my own reasons though because I came from a family of goalkeepers. My dad, grandfather and my brother were all goalkeepers. I remember the first game I played against Marsa I felt miniscule in goal and it was really daunting. You must remember I was fourteen, but still, that was the position I wanted to play in.
The Nuances of Goalkeeping
ES: How would you say the goalkeeper role has had to evolve over the years that you have been playing, considering perhaps a change in the style of football?
DG: I think it is safe to say that I am considered a traditional goalkeeper, because in my early development I was more trained towards positioning, shot stopping, agility and so on. Today, goalkeepers are trained a lot more on their passing and distribution because the game has evolved to build attacks from the back. Before a goalkeeper was only considered to be the final line of defence. Nowadays goalkeepers have to also be sweepers. I think the first time I was really coached on distribution was with Hibs, which was not too long ago (2017), by which point I had been playing for close to ten years.
I understand this change in goalkeeper role (which is widespread), but I also feel that at times we are diminishing it, in that it is first and foremost the last line of defence. We now tend to see a lot of theatrical diving but as a goalkeeper you question why it is necessary. A dive brings a lot of risks and is more complicated, so in diving unnecessarily you also risk more injuries. Additionally, a dive means that you will have a longer time before you get back into position for the next save. It opens you up to a rebound goal unless the ball is palmed away from the danger area properly or is held. I am an Inter fan so for example to me it is easy to see the stark contrast between Samir Handanovic and Andre Onana (now moved to Manchester United). However, taking a more global example, if you think of Gianluigi Buffon, you rarely saw him diving because most of the time his positioning allowed him to make the save on his feet. I understand that the game is evolving and so today we sort of have a hybrid of a goalkeeper, however I think underestimating such factors of shot stopping leads to unnecessary goals.
ES: Goalkeeper coaching has been getting a lot of attention as the women’s game has progressed, both abroad and in Malta. As someone who has played in the position for several years, how much access to specialised goalkeeper coaching have you had?
DG: I was lucky that even when I was just starting out with Tarxien Rainbows, I was training with the men’s goalkeeper setup who were training for the Malta Premier League. So, I was training with David Cassar, Tonio Curmi, Sean Cini and Andrea Cassar, under the guidance of Michael Church. When I moved to Gozo FC, I also had Mike Tabone to guide me. With Kirkop United I was training with Sharon Costantino as she was the other goalkeeper and was at the time also doing her goalkeeper coaching badges. Again, with Raiders I had an Argentinian coach (Ivo Rivera) and with Mtarfa we had Michelle Zahra, who is now the national team’s goalkeeper coach. So, I have been very blessed in terms of having had dedicated goalkeeper coaches throughout my playing career. Not everyone has been so lucky, but I think there is a positive effort to address this.
ES: What are some aspects that showcase why having a dedicated coach is crucial?
DG: I think few understand how much using the right technique is critical in being able to make a good save. A poor diving technique leads to injury because ultimately, once you dive, your landing is a big impact on the body. If you land improperly on your elbow you may break something, same with the hip. The direction while diving is important. Diving outward is crucial to generate the necessary strength and direction to parry the ball away from the net. On the contrary, if while diving you are slightly angled towards the net you are in trouble because you will likely parry the ball straight into the net.
For example, if you want to save a low strike, going down knees first is a problem because you will be very slow to get back up again for a rebound. In that case for example, one would need to adopt a ‘K’ shape. There are many other aspects. For example, if you are going out to meet an aerial cross, the footwork is critical and the angle that you adopt is important. Additionally, depending on the direction that the ball is approaching from, you also need to lead with a particular foot so that you are in the best possible shape to have strength in the catch. They are all important techniques which perhaps to the untrained eye may go unnoticed but make a very big difference between making a save or conceding a goal.
ES: And then presumably there is a difference between knowing the right technique and being able to do it automatically at a moment’s notice during the game…
DG: That is where practice makes permanent, not perfect. You will never be perfect. After fourteen to fifteen years in the game, I know enough that during my matches I can assess my game and say I approached with the wrong leg for example. Being perfect is impossible but having had proper coaching allows you to identify what you are doing wrong so that you are able to improve.
Having training from a young age is important because once you have a certain poor habit it is even more difficult to remove from your game. Children are like sponges, so they grasp very quickly. In my case I started proper training at fourteen which is late, it takes even more effort at that age. For example, in the modern game there is a ‘K split’ position which is becoming more and more important. It was never something I trained for in my early years. Looking at the steps you need to do may make sense or look simple, but to adopt it correctly in the moment is another matter altogether.
ES: So, for example in a one versus one situation, there is a lot of talk about what the striker does and what type of shot they should be going for depending on how the attack develops. As a goalkeeper are you also trying to anticipate what they are going to do?
DG: In goalkeeping I would say you never anticipate. I remember coach Michael Church used to tell me ‘react and not act’. In a one versus one situation, yes you need some anticipation, but the timing and your reactions are most critical. You need to first observe the player, how they are controlling and approaching the attack. If for example you are approaching the striker too early (so timing is off), you may end up in no-man’s land and you expose yourself to being chipped. Likewise, if you are rushing out too quickly in terms of pace, you expose yourself to the striker dribbling past you and allow them the opportunity to shoot into an open net. On the other hand, if the striker makes a poor touch, then it opens up a better opportunity for the goalkeeper. You also must consider the defence and whether for example a defender might be able to recover.
ES: What do you think is a misunderstood aspect about goalkeeping?
DG: I think few understand how crazy you must be to choose to be a goalkeeper, because you are constantly bombarded with shots in a precarious position and at the end of a match it is rare to hear someone saying: the score was 2-0 but what a great match by the goalkeeper to stop it from being four. Generally, the conversation centres around the goals scored, not the goals saved.
I think a lot of the time you see football fans lament the striker for ‘missing a chance’. However, there is the other side of the coin, which is what the goalkeeper did in the situation. Goalkeepers are generally of the thought that if you concede at your first post you are likely to have done something wrong. Sometimes the power is so good that you still don’t manage the save, but in general you would favour the goalkeeper at the first post. On the other hand, making a save at the second post is more likely to earn you praise from a fellow goalkeeper because the space for the striker to aim at is bigger (assuming the goalkeeper positioned themselves correctly). I think a goalkeeper is a lonely person a lot of the time and perhaps the work done to deny a goal is at times misunderstood or completely forgotten against the score.
ES: How important is it to have a solid relationship and understanding with the defensive line and how much does a high squad rotation affect you?
DG: Rotation affects you for sure. As a goalkeeper you talk a lot to your defence but you need to know your defenders’ tendencies and you also need to remember what the coach’s tactical instructions were before the match. This last season the coach paired two of our defenders together in most matches. I know that one loves to go press and one loves to cover, so there must be communication between them but also with me. When there are attacks from the wings, you also need to be aware of how they are going to support the wingbacks and what their instructions were.
You must also be aware of your teammates’ characters and experience because the same approach in communication does not get all players on board. On the contrary, you may demoralise someone with the same communication method that you would invigorate another. I think this is especially relevant with younger players. I try, but I think I am also human, so in the heat of the moment you may not always do this perfectly.
ES: What is the hardest thing about being a goalkeeper?
DG: As a goalkeeper you will get blamed for goals, so mentally it is quite a struggle. Playing with a team that is fighting for the league title, for example like when I was playing with Hibs, is a different mental struggle to being with a growing team like Mtarfa. However, I think with Hibs it was more stressful in the sense that it was a very good team that was always hunting for goals, but that means that as a goalkeeper you are cut-off from the game for long periods. You must save the one chance that the opponent gets, because if you don’t, that’s your story of the match.
Being with Mtarfa, if we conceded a number of goals, the comments are generally yes, she conceded ten but saved fifteen. Losing by 9-0 with Mtarfa is taxing mentally and I feel the disappointment. On top of that, as a goalkeeper you tend to get the blame by someone who did not watch the match but only sees the score. However, you appreciate those who after watching can pick out the work done by you to keep the score as low as possible.
ES: Which is an aspect of goalkeeping duties that you particularly enjoy?
DG: I think the satisfaction of saving a ball from going into the net is the same feeling that a striker gets when they score or when a player delivers a perfect assist. As a goalkeeper you really appreciate it when someone notices your role in keeping your team in the match with a save. I think that satisfaction of winning a one on one is fantastic. It is particularly special in a match which is level, but if it is against a team who have a big score, then still I try to find the satisfaction in keeping the score as low as possible. It is important for me to enjoy it. At the end of the day, I am playing football on top of having a full-time job, so making that save gives me a satisfaction.
Grech’s Rise from Tarxien Rainbows to Hibernians
ES: You had 125 appearances for Tarxien Rainbows. How do you remember your time playing there which spanned seven years of your playing career?
DG: Yes, I think it was one of the most enjoyable time of my footballing journey. I compare it a bit to my time with Mtarfa in the sense that it was a project. It was just about some girls who wanted to play football and we formed a team. We also lost by great margins initially, but over time we worked hard to improve and tilted the scores in our favour.
Playing against teams who were of a similar level, thanks to having a second division, ensured much better development and encouragement which today is very difficult to achieve. Close to 2012/2013 I would say there were around eighteen teams, with Mgarr United, Pembroke Athleta and Gozo FC being the ones generally fighting for promotion. However, there were teams like Marsa and Hamrun who used to have very good sides too. The match between them was a derby, with stands at Luxol full to the brim. Unfortunately, today that is very difficult to do with the way the structure of the league is set up.
I remember I was called up to the national team within the first year with Tarxien Rainbows and it was a particularly proud moment, even because at the time I was the only player from the second division to be called up. From that team a great group of players emerged, some who today play with Swieqi United and Hibs, while unfortunately some stopped playing altogether.
ES: You spent a long time with Tarxien Rainbows, two separate spells split by a season with Gozo FC. What prompted you to join Gozo FC?
DG: At the time, I knew that playing in the second division would hurt my chances to play more games in the national team. I was approached by Kirkop United, Pembroke Athleta and Gozo, however only the latter was playing in the first division. I remember telling the other teams that to me the only switch that made sense would be one that meant I played in the first division. I was happy with Tarxien Rainbows, so switching to a team that featured in the second division made no sense for me because the level would be the same and I was happy to play with Tarxien. It was a good experience to play with Gozo and pushed me a lot to improve my level.
ES: Speaking with Ann-Marie Said, it seemed to me that it was quite taxing to train and play for Gozo FC, which involved alternating sessions in Gozo and Malta. What was your view of things?
DG: At the time I did not drive. So, on Wednesdays I used to have goalkeeper training in Malta and then was used to being picked up by a couple of Gozitan teammates to drive to the ferry and get to training there. You do the training and then hurry back to catch the ferry. In my case, another teammate who was from the south of Malta drove me to a point before my dad picked me up for the rest of the way. This meant that on Wednesdays my day started at six in the morning to go to university by bus and I got home at around midnight. It was an experience, but it was quite challenging.
ES: You returned to Tarxien Rainbows. Why did you choose to go back?
DG: After that year with Gozo FC, the side joined up with Raiders and so things changed. I decided to go back to Tarxien Rainbows because I had enjoyed my time with the team before. However, in those final two seasons with Tarxien it was evident that not everyone within the club really supported the idea of having a women’s team and I sort of had the feeling that the team’s days were numbered.
ES: You then moved for a season at Kirkop United (2016/17), before joining Hibernians the year after (2017 – 2019). What prompted the moves, which were rather quick considering you spent a long time with Tarxien before?
DG: Yes, as I was seeing things develop for the worse at Tarxien Rainbows, I was approached by Kirkop United before the season ended. They were fighting against relegation from the first division at the time but managed to avoid it. I joined them on a season-long loan the season after, during which I was rotating in goal. At the same time, I actually had been approached by Hibs as well who had just won the league and were going to participate in the UEFA Women’s Champions League. However, I had already given my word to Kirkop United and I refused to back out after having promised them. However, during that season at Kirkop I felt I was sort of plateauing out and when Hibernians came knocking again, I decided it was time to try out a new challenge.
ES: Was there a noticeable cultural difference between playing for Hibs and the other clubs we mentioned?
DG: Definitely, I think comparing the season before, I was at Kirkop United and we were a mid-table team. We were winning comfortably against certain teams, but in other cases giving teams a run for their money. On the other hand, Hibs had a champion mentality so anything less than a win with Hibs was sort of a failure, irrespective of who you are playing against. You get used to it, but initially some things were quite a shock when you compare it to my background. You also realise that you are in a squad of a certain calibre and the team had been together for quite a while, so the relationships were already quite tight knit even outside of football. I was welcomed for sure, and it helped that I knew people like Charlene Zammit who was in the team at the time. However, it was a bit of a change since with Tarxien Rainbows I was one of the longest serving players over time so in a way I had gained a certain respect and trust.
Team dynamics are always a factor to consider in football, but when joining a team which has a completely different mindset to what you are used to and adding the pressure of performance at the highest level, it was not easy and takes a bit of time.
ES: What was your view of things with the side and how did it compare to your expectations of playing for the team with most history in Women’s Football in Malta?
DG: I had great moments with Hibs, for example winning the super cup, and unfortunately, we lost the league title in the decider in my first year. So, it was challenging but there were some great moments. At the time I had been gradually getting towards the top end of the league and wanted the challenge of going to a top team. I was around twenty-two and had been playing for close to a decade so the prospect of winning a league and going to play in the UEFA Women’s Champions League was something intriguing. It is what I think most young players are searching for even today, considering that the women’s game in Malta currently doesn’t bring any financial incentive for players.
In terms of expectations, for example there were certain targets of reaching a number of clean sheets, which I took as a challenge. Personally, I do not think I had huge expectations of things and sort of took it day by day, even though my aspiration was to help the team win the title. I think following that period I preferred to join teams within which I can aid to develop youngsters rather than chasing league titles.
ES: The team disbanded shortly following the 2018/2019 season. Having experienced other clubs, what was your view of things at the time and how difficult was that period?
DG: As I said I joined the team late so perhaps there were already some cracks developing which I was not quite fully aware of until things really deteriorated. I started the pre-season with the team that ultimately stopped in the 2019/2020 season, but then moved to Raiders Gharghur. I felt bad to leave the team, but at the same time I had an inkling where things were heading and suspected the end of the road. As a player you did not feel too welcome and it was an uncomfortable time. The team eventually started playing and they were stopped due to the scores, but you must consider the team was completely depleted of players by that point. Plenty of players had left for Swieqi, a few of us left for Raiders Gharghur, and the rest formed Mtarfa.
ES: Following the 2018/2019 several players went to Swieqi United, but you went to Raiders Gharghur. Firstly, I must ask, you went against the grain in that move. Can you share your reasoning at the time?
DG: I did not like the idea of joining a team which was already established and in doing so taking a place of someone who was getting regular playing time there. If it were the case of creating a new team, then I would have considered it. Raiders Gharghur offered a place and so I joined them instead. I thought that it was an interesting project with a lot of young players and felt I could help the team grow so to me it looked like a more interesting challenge to take up.
ES: Your experience there was rather marred leading to just a handful of appearances…
DG: Yes, I got injured in the first game with the team, which required an operation and so I only returned around January to February. Then Covid-19 struck, and the season basically ended. Following that, the club started investing even more in youth and in fact Jodie Attard joined the team and I wanted to play regularly so sort of felt it was time to move again at the end of 2021. At the time Mtarfa had been approaching me for a while, so I thought it made sense to regroup with them and I have stayed there since.
Life with Mtarfa FC
ES: You are captain and one of the more senior members of a team which is rather young. How do you sum up that experience so far?
DG: My first season with Mtarfa I think we were still trying to land on our feet. Following that season there were a few changes in the coaching staff and then we lost a lot of players, some moved elsewhere while others stopped completely. We went through the same cycle last year in terms of player changes, so essentially last year we started from scratch again.
The project of ‘Mtarfa Mgarr Zebbug’ in the youth leagues meant that we managed to give an opportunity to a lot of young players to play in the senior league. Young players are the future but need guidance, so putting them in a match against seniors who have been playing the game for ten, fifteen years, is a tough mountain to climb. This is where I believe that having a second division was better, because though there are the youth leagues the level is still different to senior football. Trying to get players who are twenty-two, twenty-three years old to join the team is difficult because they may be comfortable where they are at, even if perhaps they do not play week-in week-out. Trying to bring back people who have stopped playing altogether is even more difficult.
Now in the off-season you again face the same story of larger teams poaching the promising players and again having to start from scratch. Despite all this adversity we try our best and welcome the challenge, but it can be taxing.
ES: How do you assess last season, considering you ended up with 6 points following wins against San Gwann, while also consecutively finding the net in the last games of the season against San Gwann, Mgarr United and Raiders Lija FC?
DG: Considering the layout of the league, the matches against San Gwann are like a derby for us. This year we did well to have two wins and one loss, which was an improvement on last season where both sides ended with four points. Against Raiders we had a positive game close to Christmas, despite conceding a goal. Then we scored a late goal against them at the end of the season in the Knockout, despite trailing which I think shows a development in character in the squad, so it is another positive.
Later in the season, we had three games in a span of a week and a half and managed to hold Mgarr United to a 1-1 draw until late in the first half. When you factor in that the younger players played five games not three, because of their commitments in the youth league, then it shows improvement. It was the first goal against Mgarr so that’s a feat. Of course, then in the second half, the whole cavalry was unleashed by the Greens who had been resting some established players and we ended up losing 9-1, so unfortunately that gets the headline. However, focusing on these little goals is important if you are developing a young squad. When you lose by large scores it can be demoralising, but despite these scores there are improvements as the new players adjust.
ES: How difficult is it to help younger players to focus on these little improvements when perhaps the score is what gets the headline?
DG: You would be surprised because some of the young players are very ambitious and have a great willingness to chase every ball and make every tackle. However, at the same time these players are often also playing games in the youth leagues, so they also get tired. The reality is that the gap between the youth leagues and the senior league is still big. If you are losing 8-0 with fifteen minutes to go, some of the players will just want to pack up and go home. Even I, who has played for longer, sometimes find it difficult to have that motivation but you must always try. Some comments from opposing teams do not help either, when you hear things like “this was a training session today”. Someone with experience takes it on the chin as banter, but when you are young and trying to make it, it can be demoralising but perhaps also part of the learning curve.
When the score goes into double digits it is particularly demoralising. So, you try to cajole them into simply focusing on giving their best for the next few minutes of the game, irrespective of the score. Between rounds you try to set attainable goals and we talk with them through the improvements in stamina for example or concentration in marking of players, or the determination to not concede a goal and clear the ball from the line in a set-piece. They are all little improvements in game understanding even if the score is what it is. You get some instances of players getting tired of losing, which you understand, but then perhaps it is more of sitting down with the team and explaining what needs to improve as a whole.
ES: I understand you are not the coach, but from your perspective what is an aspect that you look for as the first step to reduce the goals conceded going into next season?
DG: I think out of possession our weakest point is the stamina which ties in with mentality. So typically, there is a lot of effort until the first goal is conceded, but then there is a downhill slope in intensity once that first goal goes in. Stamina is something that takes time to build and pre-season will help with this. Tactically, there are of course improvements to be made defensively. As I said perhaps losing a few key players does not help but we will work to develop the next players.
In possession, I think our difficulty is linking the defence with midfield and it varies depending on where we are playing. The Centenary stadium is wider and more susceptible to windy conditions, so all of this affects the gameplay and exposes weaknesses in strength and stamina. So in this regard, we had more success at Mgarr, because it helps us be compact even in midfield.
ES: As captain how proud are you of the development that you have seen from the squad?
DG: Though I did not join in the immediate beginning of Mtarfa, I think there have been big leaps since then. There is a lot of pride in developing these younger players until we get to the place where we can fight for the title. It is a young team, having started just recently, you have to accept that other teams have been around for around twenty-five years, so it is important to appreciate these little milestones.
I try to make it a point to give positive feedback because sometimes against the scoreline they may not particularly accept they are improving. In the end if a player made a clearance from the line it has a big effect, same goes for those who scored, those marking players and doing the build-up in between.
Football in Malta
ES: If one considers the past, we had a long time where Hibernians was a dominant force, and now recently Birkirkara have been sweeping titles. Why do you think we have had this issue of dominance?
DG: I mean the last few years it has been Birkirkara all the way. I think there is a problem of the league becoming a bit boring, not necessarily because of Birkirkara winning but because of the small number of teams and the huge gap across the seven teams. Probably even the players in bigger clubs will agree that facing the same team three times is a bit boring. There is improvement in sides such as Swieqi United, Mgarr United and for example Hibernians who have provided more of a challenge, and perhaps there is less of a gap between them. However, there is no doubt that Birkirkara have been dominant, considering their eighty consecutive games win-streak.
As Mtarfa we give a lot of chance to young players, ones who are sixteen and even younger. However, the minute you build a foundation, the bigger sides swoop in and take players away, so you are constantly trying to find a replacement for someone. Perhaps that is one reason why there is such a big gap. When I was starting out, we had the first and second division. In the first division, they nearly had an equal distribution of national team players, so things were more even. Today most of national team players are all within the same couple of sides. We would like to reduce the gap, but you cannot do it with bigger clubs taking all your best players every season.
ES: There is more effort into growing the game and encouraging more girls to participate. From your experience, what would you say we are doing well to attract more players into football?
DG: Yes, I think there is a lot of work being done by the ‘Inhobb il-Futbol’ foundation, which is attracting players at a young age and that is a great thing. I think there is then the issue of a drop-off at eighteen years old, which tests players’ commitment to the game when other aspects of life start to take shape. Ideally you would not see such a drop-off considering all the work being done but you cannot force players to play either.
From the clubs’ perspective, a lot of the teams putting effort into women’s teams are not playing in the men’s Premier League, which shows the real dedication that these sides have to have a women’s team despite perhaps not having the finances of the Premier League teams.
Considering the impending fines being given by UEFA to teams competing in the men’s European cups who do not have a women’s team, I expect we will see more of the Premier League teams introducing a women’s team. On paper this would be a great thing because it means we should see an increase in women’s teams. However, I fear we will instead be seeing teams swooping in to take over existing women’s teams because they don’t want to put in the work of building teams from the ground up. So, instead of us seeing new women’s teams develop, I fear we’ll just see takeovers and then I question what commitment will be given to these players. I question what will happen when Team X secures a spot in European football one year but doesn’t secure a place the year after. Will they offload the women’s team to someone else who qualifies instead of them because now it is seen as an extra expense? We need to be aware of this because it could undo all the work being done to attract girls into women’s football.
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?
DG: I think over time some clubs have evolved into other teams but as I said earlier, the problem we have is that we have lost a lot of players and a lot of clubs over time because of the decisions made. This means that there is little room for a player to truly develop because they are immediately playing against the big sharks and losing by large scores. So that does not really attract players to join either. Speaking as someone seeing youngsters coming up against Birkirkara, Hibs and Swieqi, it makes it very difficult for players to improve and no matter how much the young ones work, those scores are demoralising.
At our best, we were eighteen teams and that was in 2011/12, where we were split into seven in the first division and eleven in the second division. The next year we lost four teams (down to fourteen), split into eight in the first division and six in the second division. Then in 2014/15 the second division was removed and we lost another three teams (total teams: eleven). The first game between Raiders Luxol and Lija Iklin, the former won 20-0. Lija Iklin suffered heavily that year and only when the league got split into the “championship” round and “lower table” round midseason, did things slightly improve. It was a warning of things to come but instead there was a push to become just eight teams, as there was pressure to have fewer teams and more concentrated quality with the intention of this translating into a better national team. We tried again with two divisions in 2016/2017 (one of which was the ‘B’ team of Kirkop who also had the ‘A’ team in the first division) but the damage was already done and we have been struggling ever since.
Nowadays we are finding it difficult to even maintain eight teams, as were just seven teams the past three seasons. Now we see an even larger gap and much less players playing. If we lost eleven teams it means that, at minimum, we lost seventy-seven players. As a result, the current player pool is perhaps close to four hundred players, including the youngest age in the grassroots. Out of those maybe there are maybe half that play in the leagues. Enticing these players who have left to come back is very difficult, because there is no way for them to gradually get back into things.
ES: In the context of always finding ways to improve the game, what do you think is an aspect that is not getting too much attention, but you would address in search of growing the game?
DG: I think the major issue is this huge gap we are seeing across the league. We’re going towards professionalisation, so I do acknowledge that we have a good group of players who play abroad who are doing fantastic and that we improved the national team level. However, I feel that little attention is given to improve the state of things locally and this has led to the major gap mentioned. Young players are finding it hard to adapt in the senior’s league which is why we are seeing some of them stopping or shifting to a better team which continues to widen the gap.
In my opinion, the only way to reduce that gap is to have a total overhaul of the system. In the USA and the Netherlands, they solved it by distributing the national team players to all sides within the league. If a player refused, they were cut off from the national team or sat on the bench. Locally, some teams are also bringing professional foreign players, which continues to widen the gap between those clubs that have the financial means and those who do not. I think considering the small number of teams, the only way is to have a complete overhaul. The way things are going, segregating into four and three may ensure more respectable scores, but still does not treat the issue of having a huge gap between teams. As things are progressing, should this gap widen further, we may end up with a total collapse of the league or it being available only to the few elite players.
ES: What would be your advice to younger generation interested in the game?
DG: I believe playing sport is a great thing. Specific to football is the fact that it is a team sport, so you learn how to operate in a team and understand how to win and lose together. I acknowledge that what I have said may scare a few, but I believe it is worth it, even despite these hurdles. There are soft skills like management, teamwork and time management which will serve as a good skills to have even if you do not become a professional player, so I say go for it.
I would like to thank Dorienne Grech for taking the time to speak with me to be able to bring you this feature. It was an absolute delight and look forward to seeing her between the sticks 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, Hibernians’ Kayleigh Chetcuti and Swieqi United’s Dorianne Theuma.
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Lead Image: Michael Zahra / Mtarfa FC
