Maltese starlet follows dream east

Matthew Robert Gauci's dream of making it as a professional has taken the 17-year-old left-winger from Malta, via Norwich City FC, to English football's mostly easterly outpost, non-league Lowestoft Town FC.

Journey
Gauci's journey to Lowestoft began when he was spotted in April 2007 by the Ridgeons Football League club's manager and former Norwich City scout Ady Gallagher. The latter passed on the youngster's details to Norwich who duly invited him for a week-long trial last December. Gauci impressed the second-tier side and it was decided that he should join the Lowestoft youth team in July.

Confidence boost
With Norwich closely monitoring his progress, Gauci told uefa.com: "Of course I miss my family in Malta, but I am very happy with the feedback from the coaches. I remember what the coach said to me after we had beaten a previously undefeated team in the Ridgeons League – the coach sent me a text message saying 'Different class today, mate. Big well done' which sums up the way they boost your confidence here at Lowestoft." Malta Under-19 coach Silvio Vella is also keeping an eye on a player capped at every level from U10 to U17. Nor does Gauci make any secret of his aspirations, adding: "My ambition is to move to a better club and succeed as a professional."

On trial
With Gauci having been on the books of Sliema Wanderers FC and Hibernians FC, his contemporary, Miguel Ciantar, could be taking an opposite path to the top. The 18-year-old, part of the U19 national squad which Gauci aspires to, is back in Maltese football with Sliema Wanderers after stints in Italy and England. First, the forward had trials with S.S. Lazio at the age of 12, before an internship with the Chelsea FC academy. Four years later AS Roma came calling, heralding two trial periods in Rome spanning 18 months. Finally, Ciantar went to train with both Bolton Wanderers FC and Sheffield United FC, when the latter were managed by Bryan Robson.

Reward
"The spells I had abroad made me a better all-round player," he said. "You learn to eat and drink football at those places. My dream would be to nail down a place at Sliema and then to make it abroad." The attacker's determination was rewarded with a Maltese top-flight debut and two additional appearances with Sliema last April and May. Both teenagers will hope that their effort and sacrifices bear further fruit in the months and years to come. The game in Malta certainly needs an infusion of talent from the likes of Gauci and Ciantar.