Signing Bolt is a realistic dream says Valletta director Published on: 17-10-2018
Club director Ali Mohammed Saied said that Valletta are firmly in the race to sign Olympic champion Usain Bolt and they are awaiting a response from the Jamaican entourage after they offered him a contract.
Valletta FC fans were buzzing with excitement yesterday following the news that the Malta champions had tabled a two-year contract to Usain Bolt.
The Jamaican superstar is currently in Australia where he is on trial with the Central Coast Mariners and it had been expected that the eight-time Olympic champion would earn a contract with the A-League side after netting a brace in a friendly last week.
However, on Monday night Valletta entered the race to sign Bolt and Saied was positive on the chances of signing the 32-year-old. “As you know on Monday our CEO has put in a two-year contract offer and we are just awaiting his response,” Saied, representing Valletta FC owners Sanban Group, said.
“We are really excited with the possibility of bringing over a legendary sports figure like Usain Bolt to Valletta FC and if he accepts we will gladly make it happen. “We know it is Bolt’s dream to launch a career in football and we want to help him make it happen. He won several gold medals in his career in athletics and I don’t see why he cannot achieve more success in football.
“Valletta FC want to give him the opportunity to play football and win trophies and we don’t see why he cannot come on board with us.”
Saied said the acquisition of Bolt would surely help them to put Valletta on the sporting map and increase the value of the Premier League club.
“Valletta is a beautiful city with great people,” Saied said.
“At present, Valletta does not boast a big spotlight on the European scene. But surely if we can lure a person of the calibre of Bolt it will give us the chance to add more value to our football club.
“He is a great fighter and a great champion and has all the right values that we want to instil in the club. Surely, his arrival would put Valletta on the European sporting map.”
It has been almost a month now since, the Dubai-based network Sanban Group have been unveiled as Valletta’s new investors. But what convinced them to start a collaboration agreement with the Malta champions?
“For the last three years, there were talks between our group to get involved in a football club but I
always resisted the idea,” Saied said.
“But, then I met Valletta president Victor Sciriha and I was really impressed with his passion and charisma. I also met a lot people from Valletta and I fell in love with them.
“It was always my dream to have nice people around me and when Victor proposed to us to give our support to the club I didn’t think twice.
“I was impressed by the success achieved by the club in the last few years and at the same time I was
aware that they couldn’t make a further step due to financial limitations.
“But now we have a big project in our hands and our goal is to make Valletta a big club not only in Malta
but also in European football.”
During their presentation ceremony as new investors, the Dubai-based investors set the ambitious goal of leading Valletta into the group stages of Champions League. Saied said that the plan is
still there but are ready to bide their time.
“I think that to reach this goal it’s a process that will need time.
For our team to reach another level we have to provide them with the facilities and the right surroundings
so that they can make a step forward.
“I’m really sorry that Valletta FC do not have their own stadium and that is a major priority for us.
I know that president Victor Sciriha is working hard and once we have the land in our hand I will
promise that within a year we will be able to build our own football home.
“Our plan is not only to have a football stadium but we want to build a sports city that will have
more than one football pitch, hotels and guest house and other commercial areas that will provide
more income to the club.
“In the meantime, we are happy with the work carried out by our coach Danilo Doncic and we are planning to give him more technical support so they can help him follow our philosophy.
“We are satisfied with the group of players we have and we hope to be able to win something with them this year. If not, it’s not a problem but we will surely hope to be successful in the next season where
we will do all we can to not only win trophies but also start advance in UEFA competition.”
High-profile players
In the last few weeks, there has been a lot speculation linking several high-profile players to the club but Saied said that the new owners have no plans to revolutionise the squad and will only bring in reinforcements where is needed.
“We came here to give our contribution to Valletta FC and we are very happy with the squad we have available,” Saied said.
“I can confirm that there are always ideas on how we can improve the squad but our philosophy
is to bring just a few players that will not only strengthen the team but also help our players to
become even better.
“We are here to bring success to Valletta FC but also we want to help our players realise their dreams of
maybe continuing their career in a larger championship so we want to promote Maltese talent.
“We have every intention of investing in our nursery. Our youngsters represent the future of Valletta FC and we want to help them not only become better players but also better human beings.”
Source - Times of Malta
Source - Times of Malta
