Dutch coach Arno Pijpers linked with Malta coaching role

Dutch coach Arno Pijpers is believed to be the no.1 candidate to take over as coach of the Malta national team.

Although the appointment of a new national coach is regarded as an important matter for local sport, the Malta Football Association have not divulged any information that might shed light on the names of the leading contender/s for the job.

After The Times reported on Thursday that the MFA is looking beyond the Maltese shores to recruit the next national coach, further contacts with football sources overseas resulted in information that Pijpers is being seriously considered to succeed Horst Heese.

Pijpers may not be a famous name but he is highly regarded in international football.

At present, he occupies the role of technical manager at FC Utrecht, one of the leading clubs in Holland.

The Times yesterday managed to contact Pijpers on his mobile phone. Though he did not sound surprised at being told of rumours linking him with the Malta national team, Pijpers would not be drawn on the subject.

"All I can say is that I am the technical director of FC Utrecht," Pijpers said.

"It's nice to hear from you that there is interest in me becoming the national team coach of Malta.

"I can also tell you that this morning, I received a telephone call about a possible coaching offer from another country.

"But, as I have already said, I'm currently working here in Holland and am fully concentrated on my job with one of the country's top six clubs. Here, coaches are tied by long-term contracts."

Pijpers was appointed technical director of FC Utrecht in January this year. Of more relevance to Maltese players and fans is perhaps Pijpers' four-year spell as coach of fellow European minnows Estonia.

Appointed coach of the Estonian national team in November 2000, Pijpers performed a dual role as he was also put in charge of FC Flora Tallinn, one of the leading clubs in the eastern European country, during his time there.

Pijpers led FC Flora to three league titles in succession before his association with Estonian football was abruptly ended in July, 2004, being sacked by the country's FA only a week before a World Cup qualifier against neighbours Latvia.

Faced again with a question whether he has had any discussions with the MFA over the possibility of taking over as national coach, Pijpers said: "I cannot comment on that."

Pijpers is unlikely to know much about Maltese football but he has visited the islands a couple of times.

Last year, he was still at the helm of the Estonian team that took part in the MFA's International Tournament, won by Belarus.

"I've been to Malta a couple of times," Pijpers affirmed. "I was there with Estonia last year but recently I also spent some time on holiday in your country. I know Malta very well."

Pijpers saw Estonia lose 5-2 to Malta in February last year but then guided the team to two victories from their opening three Group Three qualifiers before he was shown the exit door by the Estonia FA.

The appointment of a new national coach has been prominent on the Malta FA's agenda ever since Horst Heese declared his intention to quit his post after Malta's final World Cup 2006 qualifier against Bulgaria last month.

Heese enjoyed a positive finish to his second spell as Malta coach as the national team followed their 1-1 draw with Croatia in September with a similar result against Bulgaria at Ta' Qali.

A few days ago the Malta FA Executive Committee agreed to give president Joe Mifsud the go-ahead to pursue negotiations with a foreign coach after the possibility of appointing a Maltese coach was discarded.

Contacted yesterday evening, Dr Mifsud was unavailable for comment.