Neptunes engage top Serbian player Ciric

The 2011 waterpolo season came to an end less than eight weeks ago but some clubs are already engaged in acquiring the services of new players and coaches.

Champions Neptunes have lately been busy strengthening their side for the 2012 campaign. After landing the free-scoring Clint Mercieca from Sirens recently, the Balluta Bay team have announced that Aleksandar Ciric will be one of their two foreigners next summer.

Ciric, 34 and currently playing for Barceloneta in the top Spanish league, has vast international experience and is considered one of the mainstays in the Serbia national team.

He has now stepped down from his country’s representative duties, a decision which must have surprised several officials and administrators in Serbia, and will be concentrating on playing at club level.

Ciric has an impressive pedigree, having represented his country regularly since 2000 when Serbia won a bronze medal at the Sydney Olympics.

He also helped Serbia win a silver medal in the 2008 European Championships, a year in which he also formed part of his country’s national team in the 2008 Olympics.

Meanwhile, it is understood that Neptunes are also close to re-engaging Tamas Molnar, the Hungarian ex-national team ace scorer who was on the Reds’ books for the last two seasons.

Other clubs are also proactive in transfer dealings. A prominent player who has moved to another team is Matthew Pisani whose contract with Neptunes has expired.

Pisani has now joined San Ġiljan, a team which are hoping to be further strengthened by the inclusion after a two-year suspension of left-hander Matthew Zammit.

However, Zammit, whose ban will be lifted on June 1, may after all join Sliema who have shown great interest in obtaining his services.

If the Blues manage to get Zammit on their bandwagon, their chances of returning to success will definitely be boosted. The lanky player is a centre of calibre who is capable of giving any team he plays for a substantial push.

Sliema are also believed to be interested in signing a foreign goalkeeper while left-hander Bogdan Rath, currently playing for Italian Serie A1 side Ortigia, is not expected to be retained by the Blues.

Coaches are also expected to change ranks as Exiles have parted company with Joe Caruana Dingli who is understood to be replacing Predrag Zimonjic at Sirens.

Exiles will now be guided from the bench by their former French player, Aurelien Cousin, who has decided to quit active waterpolo and take up technical duties.

Other unconfirmed transfers involve Sirens centre Ryan Mock to San Ġiljan while David Cutajar is also attracting the interest of the Saints. Charlie Zammit is believed to be eyeing a move to Marsascala who are also after Anthony Galea.

Malta international Andrea Bianchi has penned an extension of contract with San Ġiljan which should see him on their books for the next four years.

Junior leagues

The ASA Youth Waterpolo Committee will be organising league com-petitions for different categories throughout the coming winter.

It is intended to stage the cham-pionships in order to give young players the opportunity to keep in trim during the cool months and then help them build up towards the main summer season.

The 2011-2012 winter campaign will start this month with the U-15 and U-17 leagues.

The ASA hopes to follow up these competitions with the U-13 and U-19 leagues in February which should then be curtain-raisers for the summer competitions to comprise the U-14, U-16 and this time the U-20 leagues.