ROBERT BUSUTTIL
Name: Russell Camilleri.
Plays with Zurrieq Wolves
Born on April 12th 1985
Works in an IT department.
Motto in life: Limits hold you back / Everything in life worth doing is worth overdoing.

How long have you been playing futsal?
This is my 6th year in the futsal game. However I stopped playing futsal in the last 3 years after the restructuring of the league. So this is a sort of coming back from retirement.

What do you think about this game?
I love futsal because it requires great teamwork and discipline. Also, it’s a fast paced game which requires techniques. Actually, all players are highly involved in the game.

Talk about your season so far with Zurrieq Wolves.
Zurrieq Wolves returned to futsal after 4 years. We have a mix of experienced and new players who still need to get acquainted to the game. We have to improve game after game, but I believe we are on the right track.
Right now I am sidelined because I am recovering from an injury during a game. I hope to return to the game in March hopefully. I think considering the strength of our opponents I have had a good run so far. I always give my best for the team and myself
You didn’t get any point so far in the league..
The fact that we still have 0 points so far is a bit of a disappointment for sure. There were at least 3 games where we could have come out with points. In futsal a couple of minutes under distraction can cause the score line to be unreachable. It is a psychological thing which we need to improve. Also the fact that we play against highly competitive teams can be a bit of a demotivation from the initial whistle. However the morale is good and we play game by game. A victory for us would be a great achievement and I believe will get this satisfaction. Zurrieq Wolves has played consistently in futsal and the players do feel a sense of belonging due to the tradition of the club
Give your opinion about the current futsal league.
The current league has 4 top teams (Valletta, Hamrun, Luxol and Swieqi) which I believe will make a great challenge for the championship. Then there are some evenly balanced teams like Safi, UOM and Mriehel ESS which have some good foundation to improve in the game. Then there are the lower teams like ours which always start as underdogs. So it’s a 3 tier league, however any result can come out in every game.
What about your personal objectives?
My objective is to help my team in winning some games and scoring as much as possible. Also, I always try to learn some new tactics which can prove crucial in futsal.

ROBERT BUSUTTIL

Who is David Peter Borg?
David Peter Borg is a hardworking, caring and a trustworthy person who always ready to help everyone. I’m 29 years old and I was born in Penrith – New South Wales – Australia.

What is your job with Valletta Futsal?
I’m the Club Secretary of Valletta FC Futsal Club since May 2016.

What do you think about the season so far?
The Season for us is quite good – we managed to win all 9 league matches from 9 and also a Knock-Out encounter against Tarxien. Unfortunately in November we lost the Super-Cup final against Luxol. But on the whole, we are performing quite well.

What is your opinion about the current futsal league?
My opinion regarding the current Futsal League is that in the near future I do hope for two divisions at least – Premier and First Division so that the teams can be evenly matched and hopefully the level of the game will rise up too and maybe we can gain more fans and players towards the Maltese Futsal in general.

You are the current league champions. This year you face a stiff competition from Luxol FC…
Well our target or club’s objectives is to reach the Final and be once again title Challengers. We know that Luxol have strengthened considerably their squad this season but we believe also that our players on form can match them quite well and give them a big challenge once again. If luck strikes on our side, you can never know what will happen. As they say – Not always the best team wins!

Finally, what are your personal objectives?
My personal objectives… Well to be honest I’m not a person which plans a lot about the future. I always try to be a simple person but ready when circumstances will occur. But my main objective is to do well at work, live the life the way I’m doing with friends, family and work colleagues, maybe have a girlfriend in the future who knows. I try to live day by day and see what happens and why not, try to travel more since I like visiting different countries.

Seth Lawson Burkett former futsal player in Brazil had the pleasure to share his professional insight with us.
He started playing futsal at the age of 8 in Peterborough United’s football academy where he played futsal once a week. The head of the academy at that time was Dan Ashworth who is now the FA’s director of elite development. Burkett started to play futsal professionally at the age of 18, first for Stamford AFC and soon after for Loughborough University, where he spent five seasons. Whilst at Loughborough he was called up for the England development squad. Since then he had a season at London United and now he’s playing for Baku United.
Burkett maintained that playing futsal as a young athlete is a no-brainer. First of all it’s fun. You get loads of touches and the chance to express yourself in any position. Too often young footballers are pushed into a position early on and stay there throughout their whole career.
Futsal encourages you to be comfortable defending close to your goal and creating goal-scoring opportunities. It’s a sport which creates confident, competent, rounded players who are technically advanced.
While playing in Brazil Seth Lawson Burkett attracted some attention as the only British footballer playing professionally in Brazil. In 2011, he was also called up to the England futsal squad. In 2014, he released a book on his time in Brazil, called The Boy in Brazil, which made The Independent’s Book of the Week in June.

ROBERT BUSUTTIL

Name: Vanderlei Reis Augusto.
Country: Brasil
Born on December 22nd 1980 (35 years old)
He played in Italy with Montesilvano, Pescara, Acqua e Sapone, Loreto Aprutino, Magione, Torgianesse and Minturno.
Last year he played for Luxol FC in the UEFA Futsal Cup and is now with Valletta FC in Finland for the same competition.

How long have you been training with Valletta FC?
I have joined Valletta three weeks ago and I was welcomed very well. It’s like I have been here for a long time. The group is very united and we have trained intensively under the guidance of a great coach, Clayton Felice.
We also had two friendlies where we performed really well.

How did you find the atmosphere at Valletta FC?
As I have just told you, the Citizens are really a great group. They are like a family; humble persons like me that want to do well and improve more and more.

Last year you also had the chance to play for Luxol FC in the UEFA Futsal Cup. Now you are playing for Valletta.
Yes true. I had the opportunity to play for Luxol and I can confirm that it was a great experience. In fact I would like to take the opportunity to thank all the Luxol committee for believing in me but most of all I would like to mention William Barbosa, a special friend that paved the way for me to play in Malta. It’s thanks to him that I’m experiencing another UEFA Futsal Cup, this time with Valletta.

You played in Italy with various teams and you have a wealth of experience. How did you begin to play futsal?
I have been playing in Italy since the year 2000 and I played for Montesilvano, Pescara, Acqua e Sapone, Loreto Aprutino, Magione, Torgianesse and Minturno.
I started playing this wonderful game at the age of 8 years and since them it has become like part of my life. I cannot imagine myself without playing futsal!

As a player you always played for a short time with a Maltese team. Can we see Vanderlei playing a whole season, maybe with Valletta?
Yes I’ve always come for a short time. I would like to make a whole season but for now, my main objective is to help Valletta perform well in this tournament.

Your personal objective in the future.
In the future I would like to be a coach or maybe a managing director in a futsal team. I would like to build my own team and achieve success, always doing so with humility and respect because that is what futsal is all about.

Name: Keith Borg
Born on the 29th April 1980 in Attard
Favourite football player: Peter Schmeichel

Favourite futsal player: Ricardinho
Favourite Dish: Fish
Personal Motto: Believe in yourself and you will succeed

Why did you choose this sport?

I chose Futsal after I stopped from playing football due to a serious injury. I always enjoyed playing 5 a side football and when I was 14 years old I had the opportunity to play in Sicily.

How long have you been involved in futsal?

I have been involved in futsal for 11 years, where 8 of them as a player and the last 3 years in administration. My first team was named Boca Juniors which I founded and lasted for 5 yrs. Then I formed Naxxar Lions Futsal Team with Martin Attard, better known as Meme.

The memorable season in futsal that you remember most

There were many moments that I cherish but the last two years will remain marked in my life. Last season with Naxxar Lions we made it to the playoffs and this season Sirens played in the First Division Final against Sliema.

Describe your current team…Sirens

In the beginning of this season nobody considered Sirens to reach the First Division Final. Sirens has a very low budget and the players themselves pay for all the necessities of the club. Being a team formed only in the last five years they couldn’t train properly and focus on the basics of futsal.

As a coach I also worked hard to manage the team and took the responsibility of the team’s administration. This was fruitful in giving a boost in the club’s image and improving the way the team played throughout the season.

Tell us something about the thesis you’re writing about futsal

The thesis named Improving futsal in Malta, it is self explaining that it is meant to improve the level of the game and increase in populatity. I’m presenting this thesis together with Claudio Azzopardi as part of the course I’m taking on Sports and Active Lifestyles.

We interviewed Peter Sturges ex national England coach and Michael Skubala who was his assistant at that time and now took Sturges’ place. Skubala apart from coaching England’s futsal national team, he also coaches the Under 23 national football team. The list of interviewees continues with Pete Yallance England’s youth futsal coach, Idafe Perez who’s a Spanish coach who worked and coached at Loughborough University. Perez is now head coach of Helvecia. Seth Burket London futsal player and ex youth England futsal player and Shanin Ehtesham Rassi from Iran who coaces London Futsal and played as a professional futsal player in Holland.

Your personal objectives

I wish to continue learning about the wonderful game of futsal and that my thesis will serve to help all those involved in the local futsal scenario.

Name: Brandon Debono.
Born on July 30th 1994.
Place of Birth: Mqabba.
Works as a Deliveryman.
Favourite Group: U2
Favourite Dish: Spaghetti.
Personal Motto: Never give up and keep working hard.

How long have you been involved in this sport?
I have been practising this sport for the past four months.

How difficult is the role of the goalkeeper in futsal?
Actually the goalkeeper has to be always concentrated during all the match as he is involved continuously in a lot of saves. Statistically half of the shots at goal come from outside the arc. So one has to be on the alert.

How different is futsal from football?
The rules are different from football and the ball has a low bounce.


Sliema are passing from a bright patch and will now face Mqabba in the play-off semi-final. How difficult is the challenge for the championship?
It’s not going to be easy but we are adamant to keep our feet on the ground. We are working as a group and this is the key for success.

Sliema is also a mix of experienced and young players…
Yes it’s true. In fact I am the youngest player in the squad although it doesn’t make any difference. We all help each other and learn from one another. Unity is the key for success.

You have also scored your first goal in the league from a shot from the second penalty spot…
Yes I was very happy after scoring this goal from the second penalty spot. I would like to thank the team for giving me this golden opportunity.

Your personal objectives.
My personal objectives are to improve more in this sport. My greatest wish is to don the national team shirt.

Name: Gaetano Gesualdi.
Born on February 15th 1992.
Personal Motto: Enjoy Life!

How long have you been playing futsal?
It’s quite recent. In fact I’ve been playing futsal since January 2016.

What do you think about this sport?
I find futsal quite an enjoyable sport. It was a bit difficult to adjust at the beginning but now I am enjoying the fast pace of this game.

Your name is also synonymous with the local football scene.
Yes in fact I started this season with Tarxien Rainbows and then moved in the First Division with St Georges.

In my opinion, Mdina Knights is a particular squad with a lot of young players full of energy and determination…
We are quite a large squad and with many of us studying and working at the same time, futsal lets us take off a lot of stress.
At the same time I think that this team is ONE big group that has the goal to improve more and more.

A personal judgement on your performance so far.
On a personal level I think that I had quite a good half season. We may not have achieved the results that we wanted but our bond as a team has grown more and more.

What are your personal objectives?
My personal objectives are to finish my degree successfully and continue enjoying life as a student.