Jubilee celebration for Maltese coaches

The Malta Football Coaches Association (MFCA) is celebrating its 50th anniversary, with president Lawrence Aquilina determined to carry on the good work begun in earnest by the association's founder Joseph Henry Griffiths.

Support and service
To celebrate 50 years of continued activity on the Island, the MFCA organised a three-day seminar earlier this month, with former AC Perugia, UC Sampdoria and Bologna FC coach Renzo Ulivieri the star guest. "It has always been and always will be the MFCA's main intention to give more support and a better service to all our members," Aquilina told uefa.com.

Poor attendance
The story of the MFCA began in 1947 when the Malta Football Association asked its English counterpart to send a qualified manager over to conduct a course for coaches on the island. George Duke was dispatched to oversee the eight-week programme, but even though all clubs were required to send two representatives, attendances were disappointing.

Coaching zeal
Only six coaches graduated successfully, including Frankie Tabone – a coaching legend on the island for his work with Floriana Ajax FC – and, perhaps more significantly, Griffiths. The former Melita FC player duly took his skills further, heading to England to undergo further training at Loughborough College and returning to Malta as a hot property.

First chairman
Griffiths would go on to coach Rabat Ajax FC, Floriana FC, Sliema Wanderers FC, Hibernians FC and the Malta youth and senior national teams. His first game with the seniors – and Malta's first international – ended in a narrow 3-2 defeat to Austria at the old Empire Stadium in Gzira on 24 February 1957. Griffiths also founded the MFCA in 1959, and was its first chairman.

MFA mandate
Initially, the MFCA took sole charge of coach courses on the island until the opening of the Malta Football Association (MFA) Technical Centre 25 years ago saw the MFA take responsibility. This eventually led the MFA to become a member of the UEFA Coach Education Convention, giving it the mandate to organize UEFA-recognised coaching courses at A, B and C levels.

Collaborative effort
The MFCA, meanwhile, has continued to serve the coaching community, conducting seminars and collaborating with the MFA for the general good of Maltese football. Most current Maltese coaches are MFCA members, and though Griffiths died on 9 March 1985 at the age of 74, the organization he founded continues to ensure his work will not be forgotten.