As part of the Memorandum of Understanding that was signed earlier this year between Chesterfield FC and the Maltese Football Association, chief executive John Croot, academy manager Neil Cluxton and head of academy recruitment Justin Tellus made a recent visit to Malta as part of the ongoing relationship between the two organisations.
During the trip, two CPD sessions were delivered for the benefit of MFA coaches by CFC, with a focus on talent identification, development and practical coaching in professional environments. The sessions were well attended by Maltese coaches, who were given an insight into the professional game as they held beneficial conversations with Croot, Cluxton and Tellus.
Croot holds a personal connection with the Mediterranean island having spent a period of his childhood there, whilst Tellus enjoyed a succesful playing career in the country featuring for sides including Birkirkara and Valetta.
The trio were also involved in meetings with Malta FA’s technical centre, discussing coach education, talent identification, player pathways and player care. Plans were discussed for Maltese coaches to visit England and gain/share further knowledge about the game as part of the MoU.
A number of trips were made to Maltese clubs, including Hibernians, Melita and Luxol St. Andrews, where the group were welcomed by staff from the respective clubs.
The importance of football within the community was also spoken about as the group highlighted the success of initiatives such as walking football and community engagement groups at CFC.
The partnership will move forward with a number of other planned exchanges in the pipeline, as both organisations remain committed to reciprocating support for each other and maintaining the strong relationship that is held.
