Pietà Hotspurs in talks with former coach Deanov

Georgi Deanov could make a return to the Pietà Hotspurs coaching seat after it emerged yesterday that he is one of the leading candidates to succeed Ray 'Zazu' Farrugia.

Farrugia left his post as head coach of the Hotspurs last month by mutual agreement with president Edward Schembri who wanted the former Malta U-21 mentor to take up a key technical role in the Buzu Soccer School, which in fact he did.

Schembri said at the time that Serie A club Lecce had offered to loan them three players and an Italian coach, 50-year-old Fortunato Torrisi.

Contacted yesterday, Schembri said that Pietà have been working on other options as the terms of Lecce's proposal did not suit his club.

"There is a possibility that Deanov be appointed coach of Pietà," Schembri said. "We also spoke to other candidates, namely Gencho Dobrev and our former player Sacho Anguelov. A decision on who will be our new coach is expected to be made by Monday."

Deanov, who had a long spell at the helm of Pietà in the late nineties, also coached Valletta in season 2001-2002.

Schembri also revealed that the Hotspurs are very close to signing two Bosnian players for next season.

Last year, the Hotspurs had Italian defender Mauro Di Lello, Branko Nisevic, from Serbia and Montenegro, and Cameroon striker Alain Ekwe as their three overseas players. Ekwe joined the Hotspurs in the January transfer window after the departure of fellow countryman Fransis Omam.

As Nisevic's contract has another year left to run, Pietà's move to sign two new overseas players raises questions about the future of Di Lello who spent the last two seasons with the Hotspurs.

It is believed that Di Lello has been attracting interest from Sliema Wanderers as well as other clubs in Italy.

Meanwhile, former Malta 'keeper Ernest Barry celebrated his 37th birthday yesterday by signing a one-year deal with his old club Sliema.