Gudja United appoint Paolo Favaretto as their new first-team coach

Gudja United have appointed Paolo Favaretto as their new first-team coach, the Times of Malta can confirm.

The southerners were forced to delve into the market for a new coach following the sudden departure of Thane Micallef.

“Gudja United would like to welcome coach Paolo Favaretto who has signed a contract with the club for the forthcoming season with an option to extend,” the Premier League club said in a statement.

“This decision comes after coach Thane Micallef decided to leave Gudja United abruptly.

“The management team of Gudja United has worked round the clock to sign a coach who will definitely keep the momentum of the club going but also to push forward the team into new endeavours.”

As reported by the Times of Malta on Sunday night, Micallef has decided to part ways with Gudja United and join as the new first-team coach at Valletta FC.

The Italian tactician is not a new face to Maltese football. In fact, in 2017 Favaretto arrived in Malta to take over the reins of Senglea Athletic where he remained at the club until midway through the 2018-19 campaign.

Favaretto spent the majority of his career in Italy where he was at the helm of Unione Venezia, the U-19 selection of Padova, Aprilia and Real Vicenza among others.

His main goal at Gudja United is to steer the team to Premier League safety now that the Maltese top flight will again be formed by 14 teams as from next season.