Interview: Josef Tonna (15th November 2007)
www.rabatajaxsc.com has decided to meet Rabat defender Josef Tonna after Rabat’s 2-1 win over Melita FC.
Welcome Josef! So
what are your views about this season’s squad and what do you
think so far of this year’s season after collecting 12 points
from a possible of 18 points.
Thank you Etienne for your time, I am really grateful for this. The
beginning of this season has not been a bad one, even though it could
have been better, but comparing it to last season, from a possible of
18 points we gained 6 points from the first 6 games, but I still believe
that we can improve more our performance and we can achieve this by
hard work and remain united as a team. With regards to my performance
up till now, I feel that it could have been better as I know what my
capabilities are.
This year’s squad is composed of a lot of young talent together
with the experienced players like Clint, Michael and Tyrone who joined
us to achieve our targets.
You
have been playing for quite a long time now with Rabat, in fact you
are one of the four players (from the current team) to have played more
than 100 matches for the Magpies. Do you think that things have changed
from the previous years also considering that today we are playing in
the Second Division?
One think that has changed is that I’m now almost one of the oldest
in the squad at the age of 25. Since my debut with Rabat I played in
almost every Division with Rabat except that season that I was loaned
out to Tarxien. All I can say is that I learned a lot from the different
coaches.
If one looks back, the club went through a lot of changes and some experiences
were not that pleasant; example the relegations that the club had from
the Premier League down to Third division. This situation led to the
fact that the club lost a lot of players, who left and were never replaced.
But something of a boost is that the majority of the players in the
present squad hail from the Rabat Nursery.
When was your Rabat debut? Any good memories from that day?
Quite a while now…….if I am not mistaken it was February
1999. We were playing in the Premier Division. It was a game in the
Relegation Pool against Pieta’. We were winning 4-2 and I still
can remember our Coach that time, Ziya Yildiz giving me these specific
instructions: “Run Everywhere”. This moment was a very special
moment for me, because it was a dream come true.
Two seasons ago you also had the opportunity to go on loan with
a First Division team Tarxien Rainbows. What was your experience like,
over there and do you think there is a big change in the set-up between
Rabat and Tarxien?
It was a good opportunity for me, where I gained a lot of experience.
I feel that I improved both as a player and also on personal level basis.
I can also say that I have made very good friends at Tarxien Rainbows
when it comes to teammates and also supporters.
With regards to the set-up between Rabat and Tarxien, one cannot really
compare the two as the running and culture of the teams are quite different.
Though I can say that Rabat’s set-up is changing rapidly. 
In today’s
Rabat team there is no less than five players that have been playing
together from the nursery times and all of you came from the same group,
Keith, Emmanuel, Alan, Jonathan Azzopardi and yourself. What are your
experiences from the Rabat nursery with these players considering that
you have always played in higher Sections.
Yes In fact I remember that we always played in section A and B from
U14 till U 19.
I think it was a wonderful time that from a bunch of young boys we developed
our skills and learned together to be in the same squad after so many
years. This shows the importance of the youth nurseries and it’s
good to see more young players coming to the senior squad. We will surely
welcome new talent!!
Finally, this season you have opted for some coaching experience
and started training the under 10 at the Rabat Depiro Nursery. How did
you decide to start coaching and are there any plans for the future?
I’m a helper with Coach Noel Azzopardi who is presently coaching
the U-10. I decided to do it for various reasons. Firstly, I believe
that I can give some advice and help these young boys in developing
their football skills. Secondly, I’m really enjoying the coaching
experience, i.e. I’m seeing football from a different perspective.
Plans for the future….. Who knows… but for now playing and
try to achieve my aims.
Any Comment you would like to add?
I would like to make an appeal to our special supporters to come and
cheer us during the games. Real support helps us to be together in this
venture whenever we win or lose.
To the committee …who is working hard to support the whole Rabat
Ajax Club to achieve our aim.
And finally on a personal level, I hope that this season would be a
season to remember………..maybe winning my first honor
in my career with Rabat, my hometown team!
Thank you Etienne for giving me this opportunity to share these views
with you and our supporters who visit the website that you are capable
of taking off!!
Interviews 2007/08: Kayne Said, Josef Tonna
Interviews: 2006/07: Jonathan Azzopardi, Keith Micallef, Alan Zahra
Interviews: 2005/06: Jonathon Bezzina , Emmanuel Muscat, Adam Smeir , Joe Gerada (Coach)