Corinthia Athenaeum Spa – Valletta FC
Sponsorship Extended

In a press conference held earlier today at the Corinthia Palace Hotel in Attard, details were given of the new extended partnership agreement between Valletta FC and Corinthia Athenaeum Health Spa.

Such an agreement, which now is in its 4th year, allows Valletta FC players to use all facilities available at the Athenaeum Health Spa, together with the gymnasium, indoor and therapy pools, Jacuzzi etc.

Mr. Nicholas Borg, General Manager of the Corinthia Palace Hotel, commented that it was with great pleasure that Corinthia Palace, was for the 4th consecutive year supporting Valletta FC and offering the use of the facilities available at the Athenaeum. “We are very pleased that Valletta FC and Corinthia Athenaeum have once again reached such a sponsorship agreement”

Valletta FC President, Mr. Charles Camilleri, commented about the importance such an agreement has on the club. “Without any doubt, such a sponsorship is prestigious and greatly important to our club. We all know that recovery sessions are greatly needed by our players throughout the season. Above all such sessions are very costly, so such an agreement with the Athenaeum surely helps us massively both financially as well as to the players’ fitness. We are all proud to have reached such an important agreement with Corinthia Athenaeum Spa”, concluded Mr. Camilleri.

Mr. Camilleri continued, by giving details about Valletta’s intentions for season 2004/2005.

“It has been our intentions during the past years, to build a new competitive team and return back to glory in the coming years. I firmly believe that this season we have a good competitive squad, which should see the team obtaining a place in the Championship Pool. At the moment, we are surely not seeing big and expecting any league title feats, however we firmly believe that we have a competitive squad,” commented Mr. Camilleri.

This season, we have strengthened the squad with the signings of Jaroslav Marx (Balzan Youths), Nemanja Vukasinovic (Serbia), Massimo Grima (Sliema W.), Stefano Grima (Sliema W.), Chris Camilleri (Nadur Youngsters– Gozo), Mark Galea (Floriana) and Kevin Cassar (Hibernians).

Returning with the squad were Sharlon Pace, Keith Fenech, Miguel Montfort, Karl Bonnici and Jerryton Agius.

”We believe that with the new signings and with the returning on loan players, the squad has been strengthened since last season, even though we lost some of last season’s players who found new pastures,” stated Mr. Camilleri.

”We are also proud and pleased to have a player such as Gilbert Agius, who even though he was offered better contracts than the one we can offer, he remained loyal to Valletta FC and refused such offers done by other clubs. Surely an example of a Valletta-born player,” continued Mr. Camilleri.

Mr. Charles Camilleri also commented about the new coach, Mr. J.J. Aquilina, stating that the committee have full confidence in Aquilina’s tactics and work done up till now. They will surely be giving him the needed support throughout the season.

Mention was also made to the club’s official website, www.vallettafcofficial.net. “The official website is once again online, after having been discontinued for a few months last season, following too much destructive criticism by certain individuals, writing in the site’s forum, which was resulting in extensive harm to the club.”

Mr. Charles Camilleri, concluded by appealing to all Valletta supporters to back the team throughout the season and give their support during matches. He urged the Valletta supporters to attend tomorrow’s first match against rivals Floriana, in big numbers, and hopefully start this season on a very positive note.

As regards to Mauro Brincat joining Valletta from Hamrun Spartans, Mr. Camilleri stated that for the time being the player will remain with Hamrun. “It was all a matter of lack of funds, which Valletta could not afford to spend to have Mauro signing with our club. However the player surely remains in our plans and it is not excluded that he might join us in the future.”

When asked by the media about tomorrow’s encounter against Floriana, Valletta FC coach, Mr. J.J. Aquilina commented that tomorrow’s match is surely a very important encounter, which a victory would give a big morale booster to the players, coaches, committee and supporters at the start of the new season. “I have played for 13 years with Floriana FC, however today I am the coach of Valletta FC and I will surely do my best to beat Floriana in tomorrow’s derby match,” commented Mr. J.J. Aquilina.

The press conference ended with Mr. Camilleri thanking once again Mr. Nicholas Borg for the sponsorship agreement and also Mr. Mario Muscat (Valletta FC treasurer) for the work done in concluding the sponsorship agreement. Mr. Camilleri also thanked the media for their presence.

Gilmour Peplow 6/09/04