U16 – Developing The Next Generation of Players: Part 1

The BNF Women’s National League will be split into two sections following the first round of games. It marks a good point to take stock of the progress so far and get some insight from the teams on where stand against their goals for this season and beyond.

The Table

The teams have played the first round of fixtures which will see the table be split into two sections for the upcoming rounds. Hibernians currently sit at the top of the table, having taken the maximum points out of their first eight matches. They are closely followed by Birkirkara who trail by just three points. In third, are the new side of Lija Sliema who bagged fourteen points. They are separated from the fourth-placed Swieqi United by two points. These four teams will be forming Section A as from the return of the league next Sunday.

Just missing out on a place among the top-four is San Gwann, who rank fifth on eleven points. The mid-table pack is further tightened by the newly-formed sides of SKMM and Valletta, who bagged nine points each from the first eight outings. Santa Lucia trail in eighth place with three points, while Gudja will be searching to bag their first points on the restart. These teams will form Section B.

Hibernians & Birkirkara

The leaders, Hibernians, are being led by Kathleen Saliba, who brings plenty of experience, but is in her maiden season with this group of players. Probed on the current tally and how this ranks against her expectations since taking over the team, Saliba responded, “I leave it up to the committee to evaluate my performance, I prefer to focus on my players. It is early days to pinpoint a winner since there are still eighteen points to close the league.”

The team separate themselves from the second-placed Birkirkara by having won the direct confrontation against the Stripes in the first outing of the season. Speaking on the challenge brought about by the Stripes, Saliba continued, “Birkirkara is a strong side and has been challenging the title for some time. When we started the season, our objective was to place well. However by dedication, commitment and discipline, my players showed good football and eagerness to win. We are the underdogs but will make all efforts to win.”

Saliba is no stranger to the importance of developing the next generation of players. Asked to pin-point some key areas of development, the coach preferred to focus on the global aims of the club, “Development of teenage girls is an ongoing process. There is room for improvement in all areas, however we are on the right track. Our project is to have a group of youths playing for the senior team and lead the club to achievements.”

Birkirkara have also undergone a change in the lead coaching role, with Melvin Camilleri taking over the side. As noted above, the Stripes are not too far off from Hibernians and this something that Camilleri is looking to build on. “We are close to Hibs, having lost only our first game against them. I am happy with the performances of my players, even in that first defeat to Hibernians.”

Nodding to the good run of form that the team has built, with the side heading into the break following a 3-1 victory over Valletta. He continued, “I am certain that my players will continue exactly where we left off against Valletta, which was another good performance from the team.”

Probed about taking the squad to the next level, Camilleri underlined the importance of developing technique. “I think, at this age, the key is to work hard on the technical level of each individual within the team. I do not think this is a time to spend too much time on tactics, but more important to ensure that you raise the technical levels of each individual as high as possible. It is a never-ending task, you can never say ‘this player has made it’. So, in my opinion, my main aim is to continue developing the technical aspects because I believe that this is what is crucial at this age.”

Lija Sliema & Swieqi United

The two of Hibernians and Birkirkara have put some distance from third and fourth-placed Lija Sliema and Swieqi United. Lija Sliema currently sit in third with fourteen points, a place which perhaps few outsiders would have predicted for the side, but something that coach Michael Briscoe felt was a realistic expectation. The coach said, “At the beginning of the season we were thinking that a top-four finish was very much within our grasp and so we have reached this first target.”

The team announced a merger as Lija Sliema early in the beginning of the season. Probed about the merger, Briscoe responded, “At the beginning of the season we had three players who perhaps would have helped us provide more of a challenge to the two teams who are ahead of us, but unfortunately some players did not believe in our project and so left for other clubs. However, through the merger with Lija Sliema we have acquired some good players who have helped us to achieve our goal of a top-four finish.”

Asked about the long-term vision for the new side, Briscoe noted that being among the best four gives credibility to their introduction which he believes will help them to push further in the future. He said, “The fact that we have managed to place within the top-four means that we have established ourselves within the U16 sphere of women’s football. This will make us more attractive for other good players who would like to join our club. Hopefully, this means that next year we can close the gap to the current top two, while also not excluding the challenge from Swieqi United.”

The coach also noted that beyond the league commitments, he hopes that the performances will encourage the development of the women’s team within the club and that it could translate to begin organising training for girls at more tender ages. He said, “I hope that this starts a push towards an increase of girls playing football in Malta and that this could perhaps even help the national squad to challenge against nations who have put resources into women’s football for much longer than we have.”

Coming in fourth, just three points adrift, are Swieqi United. The side managed the top-four with just a point ahead of San Gwann. “We knew that this would be a challenging league from the start. I am very happy that we’ve managed to place with the top four.” said Swieqi United’s coach Giulia Borg.

The coach acknowledged that the league structure changes presented new challenges for the young players. However, Borg beamed at the team’s determination to take on the challenge and reach the goal, “The team is relatively young with an average age of thirteen to fourteen. The girls faced a lot of firsts! Their first time playing eleven-aside, their first time playing ninety minutes and their first time playing on a ‘big’ pitch. Having said this, the girls adapted well and worked hard. Our first target as a team has been achieved.”

Similar to other clubs, there are a few players who are also making appearances in the U19 league. Questioned about developing the younger players, who are not eligible to compete in the upper leagues, Borg replied, “Swieqi believes in giving opportunities to our upcoming youngsters. Although not yet eligible to play in the U19 league, a good number of players have been training with both U16 and U19 since the summer, always working hard to be ready to hit the field, once eligible.”

The coach also hinted at the collaborative efforts across the women’s coaching staff at various levels to ensure a smooth transition from one level to the next. Borg said, “The coaching staff under the women’s wing at Swieqi United work together to bring out the best in each and every individual to facilitate their development from the U16 to the U19 game of football.”

The four teams will get very accustomed to each other as the next part of the season kicks-off on the 10th December. It will be interesting to follow whether the table will change and perhaps more importantly how players develop over the upcoming months. Stay tuned for part two which will bring forth insight from all the teams forming Section B.

Until then, next Tuesday’s clash between Malta and Latvia will set the two nations in a decider for a place in League B of the UEFA Women’s Nations League. It presents a great opportunity for those youngsters looking to learn something from those further on in the game, while also offering a chance for those interested in getting involved to get a first-hand look. The match will be played at the Centenary Stadium at 16:00, with tickets available for purchase online.

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