As the Malta U21 National Team prepares for a testing encounter against Northern Ireland, Coach Davide Mazzotta has praised the unwavering commitment and spirit shown by the players, highlighting their determination to grow and represent the nation with pride, guided by the coaching staff.
The Malta U21 National Team will take on Northern Ireland in the first of two UEFA European U21 Championship Qualifiers in the space of a couple of days. The two teams will face off at The Oval in Belfast on Thursday 9th October, with kick-off at 19:45hrs (20:45hrs CET), before Malta returns to home soil to take on Georgia at the Centenary Stadium, Ta’ Qali on Tuesday 14th October, with kick-off at 19:00hrs (CET).
For the October window, Coach Mazzotta has named a 23-man squad that features a number of new players in the team.
Coach Mazzotta, speaking before the game against Northern Ireland, remarked that building chemistry in such a short space of time may be a challenge, yet he lauded the team’s commitment to doing their utmost to follow the coaching staff’s instructions.
“Naturally, it is a challenge to teach and transfer new principles and concepts, especially with the very limited time we have to do so. But we have done our best. I want to thank the boys for the commitment they show in trying to absorb everything and responding positively to our instructions,” he affirmed.
Coach Mazzotta stated that at youth level, the aim is to give opportunities to as many players as possible in order for them to showcase their abilities and contribute to the team. He said that there has also been an increased focus on building group cohesion and helping the players feel the coaching staff’s trust, especially after the defeat to Greece in September.
In the opening UEFA European U21 Championship Qualifier, Malta suffered a 5-0 defeat at the hands of Greece at the Centenary Stadium.
When asked how the coaching staff is preparing the team to bounce back, Coach Mazzotta stated that the target ultimately must be the individual growth of the players, providing them with a platform to move into the National ‘A’ Team, becoming more tactically and technically developed.
“This is a 10-match journey for us, which we will use to gain experience. The reality is that there is still a lot of work to do, and the entire staff is fully committed to giving their 100 per cent for the players. What gives us comfort is seeing how motivated the boys are during every moment they spend with us, as they are ready to give their all for what they represent: Malta!”
Thursday’s opponents, Northern Ireland, started their qualifying campaign with a 1-1 draw against Georgia in September. Malta U21 Coach Mazzotta noted that Northern Ireland are one of the group’s excellent sides, highlighting their physicality and versatility, while also having a compact and organised structure.
“In Tommy Wright they also have an experienced coach who has long shown his abilities. Against Georgia, they played a first half where they had to dig in, and in the second half, they showed courage and quality,” he remarked.
“It will be another tough game for us, but one that will help lay another brick in our ongoing work in progress,” Coach Mazzotta stated.
The Malta U21 National Team’s clash against Northern Ireland will be live on TVMi.mt, with kick-off at 19:45hrs (20:45hrs CET).
