Muscat’s political baggage overshadows new era for Maltese football

The Malta Premier League starts on 16 August, but as Maltese football takes its first steps into a new era, club insiders share their concerns. 

It’s not as straight forward as one would observe from the outside, club insiders who have spoken to MaltaToday said. Uncertainty over the league’s future, Joseph Muscat’s political baggage and a lack of insight into commercial operations have left several club presidents with more questions than answers.  

Sources who spoke to MaltaToday on condition of anonymity have said the situation has escalated to the extent where you have clubs split almost evenly against and in favour of Muscat. 

Marsaxlokk FC, Mosta FC, Hibernians FC, Sliema Wanderers FC and Zabbar St Patrick’s FC are believed to be “strongly in favour” of Muscat’s chairmanship of MPL, while Floriana FC, Birkirkara FC, Melita FC and Balzan FC are “strongly against”. 

Hamrun Spartans FC, Naxxar Lions FC and Gzira United FC, according to sources, are sitting on the fence to see how the situation pans out. 

Muscat and his political baggage  

Club insiders who spoke to this newspaper said one of the biggest factors irking club presidents is former prime minister Joseph Muscat’s political baggage following him into the football scene. 

“I used to have journalists asking me which player I’m buying or selling, now I have journalists phoning me up asking me about Muscat and how he affects the club’s operations,” a senior club official said. “We are already a politically charged country, what we don’t need is politics to seep into football.” 

In June 2022, the former prime minister was narrowly elected Malta Premier League (formerly Malta Professional Football Clubs Association) chairman after seven clubs vote in favour, four voted against and three abstained.  

In June of this year a court ruled there is sufficient prima facie evidence for Muscat to stand trial for crimes relating to the fraudulent hospitals’ concession awarded during his premiership. 

Despite Muscat standing trial, he will stay on as MPL chairman, and this has irked some club presidents. 

“What bothers me is that if a club president has criminal allegations against them, they have to resign, as the MFA statute demands it, but Muscat having criminal allegations has no effect, because it is not in the MPL statute,” a club insider said. “He should have taken the decision to at least suspend himself until allegations are disproven.” 

Sources said presidents had warned against politically exposed persons getting involved in football and the spotlight they would shine on the game. “And now we have the most politically exposed person we could have picked.” 

“As with everything in this country, the political aspect is now driving a wedge between clubs, with increased animosity during meetings,” one source said. “One side wants nothing to do with him, while the other gives him the benefit of the doubt. We already have a million problems in Maltese football, what we don’t need is to throw politics into the mix.” 

MaltaToday is also informed that MPL meetings are being held at Muscat’s taxpayer funded office at Sa' Maison. The office is part of the severance package granted to him when he stepped down in 2020. 

“It bothers several presidents that MPL meetings are held there. So much so that some are either not attending meetings or sending proxies,” the source said. “This did not happen before.” 

Several club figures are also frustrated with the MFA seemingly “washing its hands” of anything to do with Muscat.  

“The MFA was too quick to relinquish its power and now its hiding from the situation. Nobody wants to discuss Muscat; everyone is scared to mention him. It’s the elephant in the room nobody wants to discuss,” a source said. 

Club presidents can always file no confidence motion 

As part of the wider reform, a joint venture between the MFA and the MPL will see the formation of Kampjonat Ltd, a company tasked with organising the Premier League and carrying out matchday operations. 

The company will have directors representing both the MFA (vice-president Matthew Paris and Stephen Azzopardi) and the MPL (Hibernians President Ranier Bezzina and Marsaxlokk President Frank Cachia). Mario Debono will be company secretary.  

MaltaToday reached out to Kampjonat Ltd chairman Alan Abela over the presidents’ issues.  

“I have never been told about any complaints, but if there are, presidents are free to file a no confidence motion in Muscat if they have any issues,” he told this newspaper. 

Asked whether he is confident in Muscat leading the organisation, he said “it does not matter” what he thinks, as it is the club presidents who decide. 

“I am confident it will be a success. If I knew the project would fail, I would not be here I assure you,” he said.  

Club presidents irked by lack of information  

But club presidents are also frustrated with the lack of information available to them.  

“A lot has been said, but in reality, clubs have little information,” a club source said. “A case in point is 360Sports. Nobody knows what they do and who they are.” 

360Sports was unveiled as new league sponsor on a three-year deal last June, and are the new naming rights partner of the Malta Premier in what is the largest ever private sponsorship in Maltese sports. 

MaltaToday is informed that several clubs have not signed a contract to receive money from the sponsorship deal, insisting they do not want to be associated in any way with a company they know little about. 

A source said they fear increased scrutiny from the authorities over the source of funds.  

“The initial sum clubs will get from the deal is also ridiculous. They will get around €12,000 each season which will be paid out over the course of the season. Clubs will get an initial fee of €4,000 – that’s barely enough to pay a month’s wage for a single player,” a source said. “It is a ridiculous sum for such a risk.” 

Clubs are also bothered by the fact that with the league starting this week, Kampjonat Ltd is yet to be formed, raising concerns over the due diligence that should be underway.  

But Alan Abela clarified that due diligence issues stem from the fact that Hibernians President Ranier Bezzina has replaced Valletta FC President Alexander Fenech in the company’s directorship role, as the capital club was relegated last season.  

This, he said, has led to the due diligence procedure restarting again. He also said the Malta Business Registry approved the Kampjonat Ltd company name last Friday. 

Abela also clarified that it is the MPL which handles the commercial aspects of the operation, and so the company is not concerned with issues of funding. 

The crucial months ahead  

Despite the scepticism, Abela insists the “project is making progress”. 

“We have carried out several changes for the better. We are at the early stages of the project, but we have already seen progress,” he said. “I am confident it will be a success.” 

But not everyone is so optimistic. “Before the MPL was formed clubs were ‘tal-kazin’ and unprofessional, however after it was organised, we saw some improvement. Unfortunately, a lot of work is now hindered by the problems which follow him [Joseph Muscat]. It remains to be seen what will happen in the months ahead,” the sources said.