John Buttigieg (footballer)

John Buttigieg ( born October 5, 1963 in Sliema ) is a Maltese former football player and national team coach since 2009 from Malta.

Playing career

John Buttigieg began his football career in 1981 at the Sliema Wanderers. From 1981 to 1989, the defender completed a total of 75 games for the Wanderers and was also in the national team regular. He moved to England in 1989 for Brentford FC and was used in two seasons, a total of 40 times. In 1990, he was temporarily loaned to Swindon Town, brought it but only on three missions.

Buttigieg could at the unterklassigen English clubs not prevail permanently and returned to Malta. In summer 1991, he signed a contract with FC Floriana. By 1999, John Buttigieg played 155 times for Floriana.

At 35, he moved in 1999 to FC Valletta. In 2002 Buttigieg ended his active career in the capital of Malta.

National

John Buttigieg made ​​his debut in 1984 for the national team of Malta. Until 2000, he went to 95 internationals. In 2000, the reliable national player ended his career in the national team of Malta at a considerably narrow 1-2 defeat against England.

Coaching career

In March 2007, John Buttigieg took over the club Birkirkara FC from Malta. 2008 FC Birkirkara succeeded in winning the Maltese Cup. His first title as a coach put him in the summer of 2009 as a candidate for the post of national coach this week, as for the reigning national coach Dušan Fitzel already a successor was sought. As Dušan Fitzel in July 2009, eventually resigned for health reasons from his post, John Buttigieg was appointed as his successor.