speaker-0: Welcome!

speaker-1: this podcast. Water Polo Expert Tour. Get the insights. Welcome to the podcast and we have today not a new name for the WaterPolo Expo Talk podcast. we have Karl from Malta. Welcome Karl. Hello and welcome back to the podcast. Thank you very much to have you here again.

speaker-0: Thank you very much Andy, thank you. It's a pleasure once again to be interviewed by you after quite some time. As I already said, it's always my pleasure to obviously elaborate on what's going on in Malta in aquatic.

speaker-1: Yeah, so not only going on on Malta. So you are really responsible for many other things as already talked before. as I already mentioned, what I would like to do is really to make some kind of checkpoint meeting with you. So because we talked, I think the last episode of the podcast is years ago, where you were, I think, first selected or elected, ejected for. the presidency of the Malta Federation and it's a long time ago and let me start with a question. What was happening so far in the last couple of years on your side with the Malta Federation because you had really big milestones in front of you in the last time we talked. What about the milestones so far?

speaker-0: Well, well, it was, I remember when we had our interview, it was just in the beginning of my three year election, three year presidency. Of course, three years have passed and I've been elected once again in November with 86 % of the votes for the next three years as well. I think a lot. We've done a lot. We've done a lot. We didn't do everything, but I think we were, from what I had promised and from what I had spoken about, I'm sure we have done a good 80, 85%, you know? There were some aspects which we need to improve, course. Aspects where I think I didn't manage to fulfill what I wanted to fulfill. All in all, I think it was very, very successful because obviously, as you well know, we hosted three, this is going to be the third year we're hosting the Final Four in Malta. This year it won't only be the Final Four for men, but it will also be Final Four for women as well. Then obviously we had European Championships for women. Under 18, which was a big success. We're at championships for Under 16, which was the biggest success with 32 teams. We're now waiting to start on the 7th of April the World Cup B, but we'll be hosting 24 teams. And for men and World Cup B, for women, in the end of April we'll be hosting another 16 teams. think... Apart from that, obviously, our leagues have gone stronger, stronger players coming to play in our league. ⁓ We've done a lot. We've done a lot. Obviously, the last but not least was our 13th place in the European Championships in Belgrade. wish this was definitely the best result ever for any national team in Malta to be the smallest country in Europe. think 13th in Europe is excellent. after the ninth place that our under 18 placed also in Romania. think that highlights the main things. Obviously, we can elaborate on what didn't go right for yet, but I think it's good that Malta is on European map, world map of water polo, and slowly, slowly also in swimming, hopefully, and also in artistic swimming as well.

speaker-1: Yeah, so it sounds as already mentioned very busy. and you are absolutely, I would say, correct that Malta is back on the landmark or on the map, as you said, on the water policy and not only on the water policy, but mainly maybe. Which promise or which plan, which milestone, which project from the beginning do you think it's the most? valuable or the most project you are the most proud of since your beginning.

speaker-0: Yes, of course, obviously, as I said, coming back to the map in the world, European map was very important. I had to re-negotiate, but reaffirm the relationship with European Aquatics and World Aquatics, which was going down when I was elected. education, coaching education, safeguarding, which was something I had also promised to my electrical man. the manifest and I think we were working very hard on that. We started with the swimming coaching, now water polo coaching systems as well, coaching courses. And obviously the biggest thing was the financial aspect of the association. Unfortunately I haven't inherited a very strong financial situation. I think we worked on that. We managed to participate in every competition that we qualified for. We managed to host European championships, world championships, everything. managed to get new sponsors, show them that water polo is the most sport which gets best results in Malta. Slowly, slowly our financial situation for the first time in the last year showed a profit and a loss at the end of the season. So I think we also managed to give out some money to various clubs for their nurseries. We also managed to help the clubs participate in European competitions. So I think I managed, we managed to make this a healthier situation.

speaker-1: Yeah, I think it sounds so obvious that money is really at the end, one of the most important things, not only water polo, but as you mentioned, it's so mandatory when you get qualified for a tournament that you are at the end also able to travel to this tournament in addition to the hosting of these kinds of tournaments. Yeah, as you mentioned that it's not really small tournaments and it's not only one or two in a year. So that's a big, big achievement, I would say. So to get this, everything under one umbrella.

speaker-0: I think first of all, put your name on the map, need to qualify, need to get results, need to make new contacts, know, and I think, but hosting tournaments was something very strong for us, especially in the Final Four, which obviously, as you well know, because you follow and we meet sometimes in some games, is very, very, very followed worldwide, not only in Europe, you know, with high, high, high... television viewers, know, so Malta was not only on the map for water polo also, think Touristically as well because mm-hmm a very small island, but obviously catchy with with with with tourism, you know, it's a well connected now as well, but of course, I think These competitions help also because the government sees the the interest in sponsoring us as well You know because it helps also financially for the for the government as well where obviously tourism comes in. But I think it's a chain which works all well together.

speaker-1: Yeah. And you mentioned that you are maybe when we look on the roadmap from the very beginning that you are round about 80, 85, 90%. Yes. Are there any things or any milestones, any projects where you say, okay, maybe this goes faster than you expected at the beginning or even the opposite that projects are not really going so well as expected?

speaker-0: Well, think the most important was the financial plus in the end of last season, which was something which I didn't think we would manage, obviously. But thanks to our hard work, our hostings and our sponsorships, new sponsorships attracted to our association, that helped a lot. And I'm going to keep working on that because it's my idea to also, with this money, help local clubs, local nurseries to develop the game. ⁓ and improve the game and obviously this will help for our national team to obtain better results. On the opposite, think where I didn't manage, I always say it in every interview I give, is that in the refereeing especially, you know, the refereeing aspect, never managed, we didn't manage to improve this aspect in Malta. We didn't manage to attract new referees. In the end of February we're starting with a new referee academy, which will hopefully attract some new referees. Obviously, we need to, with the shortage of referees, need to, with the many competitions, with the many fixtures that we have, starting from juniors in Malta, we play under 14, under 16, under 18, under 20, senior, the Winter League, Summer League, and the Met Cup, you know, we've got so many games. We never stop during the week, you know, and the referees are not enough so. I have to revert obviously to foreign referees. I've already had an existing agreement with the Italian Federation. Now I'm working on the Spanish Federation, Turkish Federation, Dutch Federation as well, British Federation. And we managed to import referees for our local games, but also we managed to export our referees to have more experience in the sticks. Another thing I need to work on is the harsh rivalry there is between the top three teams in Malta, which is very, very harsh, And I didn't manage yet to manage to bind them together to make them see that the interest, there must be only one interest, which is the development of the game and not person interest for your clubs. But that's work in progress and I hope I will manage to arrive to that as well.

speaker-1: So but I think in this case you are not alone. Yes. So I would assume at least from an outside point of view that also in other countries it's the same. So you have more or less.

speaker-0: I'm being very honest with you Andy, I'm being very honest. These are two things that I really think I have failed in the past three years. But I will be working on them hardly in the next three.

speaker-1: is Okay, yeah, so maybe then we will see some other referees coming from Malta. Whistling the bigger games, so maybe then we can also...

speaker-0: Yes, yes, yes, yes. It's not easy. It's not easy. A referee's job is not easy. I acknowledge that. they have many perks. They travel. They travel to ref European competitions. They go, you know, but that's the nice side of it. There are other things which are not so nice about being a referee. I think I would not elaborate on that, but obviously it's something which I will work on in the next.

speaker-1: Yeah. So, which is at least from my point of view, a very important point. Yeah. So that you have this kind of issue or perspective of a referee or such a big, as a big milestone on your roadmap, because without any referees, are not able to play any game. I appreciate everybody who's willing to do this job, but yeah, from a coaching perspective, I would never maybe be would like to be an official referee at the end. there's also, you already mentioned the coaching area, but at the very beginning or during our last call and the first podcast recording, you talked about also the importance of schools and getting more kids on board. What about your academies and school programs, the structure, plus way to the pools and what about this?

speaker-0: Thank you for asking me. This is a very important point in my presidential duties. the numbers, we need to increase the numbers of course. Out of 12 top teams in water polo, we have eight teams who have nurseries, which I don't think is enough because all teams should have a nursery. We are going into schools. We've got to start in the school drive for women from age 9 to 12. And now we're entering a new process. which we will call splash ball, ⁓ one of our top players, national team players will take this in his hands, where we start going into schools, starting from five to the age of eight, attracting new students to our sport. We've done very well in the women's academy. We managed to already have 30 new girls, which have started the water polo academy with our national coaches, which also shows that We are also working in where women water polo is involved as well, because it's as strong as, okay, not maybe as strong as men's competition, but it should be given the same importance. And then we're working hard on this. We have only three teams at the moment in the women's categories, but we look forward to have four or five teams the next year or two. that's something. As I told you, we host under 14, 16, 18 and 20. competitions regularly. Also we do festivals for under 12, under 11, under 10, where obviously the boys not only train but they play as well. So I think that's a very important thing as well. We're going into schools, we're showing them that water polo is a successful sport. Water polo is a tough sport, it's a very nice sport and we want more boys and girls on board to make this a stronger nation in water polo.

speaker-1: Do you think there's a difference between boys and girls because it's easier to find new girls to start with Butter Polo or is it quite equal between boys and girls?

speaker-0: I think it's quite equal but you have to work. You don't have to just stand still and wait for the boys or girls to to practice water polo. Swimming is strong in Malta as well and that helps as well because obviously swimmers will maybe eventually also start playing water polo. Not so easy but there are good number who do that.

speaker-1: there.

speaker-0: But I think you have to have the right people, right management, the right approach to get to work and get more numbers to your sport. If you just sit down and do nothing, I'm sure that the results will be definitely not a good one.

speaker-1: Yeah, so when you do nothing, the result will be nothing at the end. Point Point shot.

speaker-0: Where's the ⁓

speaker-1: you