Says key changes needed to put game on stronger foundations
Maltese legendary football player Dorianne Theuma believes that women’s football in Malta is still a long way off from matching the standards of the men’s game and has appealed to all the stakeholders to unite and help this movement to make the necessary steps forward.
The veteran player and now coach, Dorianne Theuma, spoke to SportsDesk in a podcast interview, touching on a number of key topics surrounding the women’s game in Malta – from her first year on the touchline to ongoing challenges with attendance, youth development, and the national team setup.
Theuma, a household name in Maltese football, experienced a new chapter this season as head coach of Swieqi United women’s team as she led her team to an historic league title.
“Coaching is completely different to playing football,” Theuma said.
“Now I have to handle the problems of each player and not just my own. But the backing of the club was remarkable and helped me a lot along the way.”
Beyond tactics and match days, Theuma highlighted how coaching involves much more behind the scenes.
“You realise how much work coaching requires, especially off the field – even in terms of administration, which helps the club on a day-to-day basis,” she added.
“I also picked up the brains of coaches I played under. Player management is crucial to help build team chemistry.”
Swieqi’s season was one of endurance, stretching from July’s pre-season to May and now, after a short break, their preparations start again with their debut in the UEFA Women’s Champions League qualifiers looming. The first round starts on July 30 and the Maltese champions are in line to face the national champions of Poland, Turkey, or Greece, among other clubs.
One of the persisting concerns in the women’s game, according to Theuma, remains matchday attendance.
“It’s sad, really. This year’s matches didn’t attract the public. Most of the time, it’s just parents and relatives,” she said.
“Maybe when we played on weekends, it was slightly better compared to Thursdays, but not by much. In the old days at Pace Grasso – over two decades ago, we had bigger crowds.”
Despite some fixtures returning to weekends, the key matches were still played on Thursdays or Fridays, making it even more difficult for fans to come and watch matches.
“Midweek matches are always tough in terms of attracting people.”
Theuma also touched on officiating standards.
“Having better referees, especially for the bigger games, would help the women’s game gain more respect,” she said.
“Right now, we’re still being compared to youth leagues, which is unfair, especially when clubs are investing in foreign players and technical staff.”
On a more positive note, she praised Swieqi’s structured training schedule.
“We didn’t train late. The latest was 7pm, and sometimes even at 5.30pm. It’s not worth training at 9pm, especially during winter. It doesn’t reflect the improvement in women’s football across all aspects.”
Still, Theuma expressed concern about the overall development pipeline in Malta.
“The senior team may be winning, but our youth teams are struggling. At U-17 and U-19 age groups, the level needs to improve – from playing pitches to league formats. That’s why we get negative results in international competitions.”
Looking at the national setup, she raised an important dilemma.
“We need to decide whether we want a short fix – such as players with dual citizenship – or a long fix – investing thoroughly in youths.
“Girls today have a lot of other options, and maybe they’re not as resilient as we were to stick with football.”
The introduction of semi-professional contracts at Swieqi and remuneration at the MFA were steps in the right direction.
“It’s an incentive, but we’re still a long way off. Most local players still work full-time jobs and then train.
“Personally, I always had to use my leave days to play, especially during international windows.”
Tune in to the full chat with Theuma on our Spotify account or wherever you get your podcasts.
