Official
New life experience and also a new career for Mirko Valdifiori. The former midfielder who made 117 appearances in Serie A, who wore the shirts of Empoli, Torino, Spal and also Napoli – with the latter he made his debut in the Europa League -, has agreed to join the staff of the Maltese national team with Emilio De Leo technical commissioner in charge.
The 1986 born player was released this summer, after the end of his contract with Vis Pesaro in Serie C. He also played for a long time in Serie B, becoming one of the few players who managed to play in all three Italian professional leagues. He wouldn’t have minded one last experience as a player, but in the absence of proposals his destiny changed. “Grateful for this prestigious opportunity”, he wanted to say via his profile Instagram official. From Sarri to Mihajlovic, including Semplici and Mazzarri, these are Valdifiori’s inspirational models.
Coach De Leo’s announcement
“The Malta Football Federation has announced the appointment of Emilio De Leo as the new national team coach and technical director.
De Leo’s appointment follows the recommendations of an advisory committee established to evaluate final candidates for these important roles within the technical organizational chart in sync with the Association’s continued investment in its technical projects. Following his presentation at the Malta FA Bureau this evening, De Leo will meet members of the Executive Board tomorrow, followed by a press conference with the media.
A UEFA Pro License holder, De Leo, 46, is highly regarded in Italian football, and his reputation has strengthened after working for many years alongside the late Sinisa Mihajlovic, his long-time mentor, at renowned clubs , including AC Milan, Torino FC, Bologna FC and UC Sampdoria. De Leo also has international experience, having been a leading member of Mihajlovic’s coaching staff during the latter’s time in charge of the Serbian national team in 2012-2013.
De Leo will bring his extensive football knowledge and high-level experience to his new role as national team head coach and technical director. He will lead the Malta FA technical set-up which includes four new appointees, including Davide Mazzotta, who will take charge of the Malta Under-21 team, succeeding Ivan Woods who will be one of the assistant coaches of the senior team together with Pietro Matafora and Mirko Valdifiori “.