England are the best in Europe – Pietro Ghedin

Ahead of this evening’s FIFA World Cup qualifier against England, Malta head coach Pietro Ghedin, photo, stated that England are the best team in Europe at the moment.

“England are the best team in Europe at the moment. The English team has improved a lot since our last meeting with them at Wembley Stadium.”

Ghedin also spoke about Wayne Rooney’s retirement. “Rooney is an English football icon. But the English can afford suffice talent in his absence.”

“At this stage I would not like to speak about my future. Right now we are all focused on the England match but I feel I have worked well with this group and other groups during these last six years. I feel I have done my work correctly and professionally and am happy to have done so.”

“It will be very difficult today. England are England, everyone knows their potential. We have to play for the pride of this country against them. England will want to put up a better showing against us than they did at Wembley Stadium. No injury problems with regards to my squad except Alfred Effiong’s absence through suspension,” concluded Ghedin.

Malta captain Andre’ Schembri who has been in fine form for his new club Apollon Limassol in Cyprus, spoke about how important it is that Malta sheds the “colonial” mentality once and for all. “As team captain I am always positive and I try to do my best to transmit this positivity around my colleagues. Tomorrow I am sure we will do well and give our best performance for the pride of our country. To do this I always stress that we have got to shed the colonial mentality we always have had. But against England I am sure that we will unite and give our best.”