Watch: Mercury CEO And Football Club Head In Strong Takedown Of Malta’s ‘Amateur Mindset’
Marcel Bonnici, the CEO of Mercury and the Ħamrun Spartans football club, has delivered a strong takedown of what he perceives as a pervasive “amateur mentality” on the island.
Bonnici was taking part in a discussion on TVMSport’s Il-Kampjonat about the proposed revamp to the Maltese Premier League, which Ħamrun Spartans is opposing.
However, his attention shifted from a pure football focus to broader social criticism, arguing that “football reflects the nation”.
“We are a country that hates discipline and a sense of sacrifice,” Bonnici warned. “We are a country that acquires a sense of achievement in a second. Our 12-year-old son scores two goals and we immediately go on about how great he is.”
“We have a mindset problem, and the biggest problem in local football is the mindset. Everything is done in an amateur manner.”
Bonnici warned he recently found that the supporters’ group of a renowned Maltese football club convenes in a warehouse, something he found “unbelievable”.
“Our mindset is so poor and everything is done in an amateur way, so what do you expect? That sponsors will be attracted by something amateur and that business will be attracted by something so poor?”
He went on to warn that the Maltese football community is “scared to look in the mirror because the mirror shows you up for what you really are”.
As for the state of Maltese football, Bonnici pulled no punches and compared it to a “dying patient on life support”.
He expressed serious scepticism that the proposed Maltese Premier League shake-up, that was pushed by MPL chairman Joseph Muscat and that will scrap the original league in favour of a split season, will entice people to watch games at the stadium.
“Have you ever met someone who told you they will start attending football games because of the new format?” he questioned. “I don’t know a single person who thinks like this and these people don’t exist.”
“Supporters around the world are attracted to something if the level is good, no matter what it is. No one will come to see me perform on stage, because I’m not good at it.”
Here, the presenter threw in a line that people will see his daughter – Malta’s Eurovision representative Sarah Bonnici – perform on stage. Bonnici thanked him but didn’t discuss his daughter’s local success further, instead choosing to stick to his argument.
Do you agree with Marcel Bonnici’s logic?
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