By Sulayman Bah
Playing his second season only this term since turning professional
last year from a Gambian local club, it might be too quick a feat to
achieve. And yet Hamza Barry did the extraordinary when football stakeholders flocked together in an annual end-of-the-season banquet to reward the league best performers.Losing the league title to Hibernians who successfully brought to a
halt Valletta’s domination incidentally applying the brakes to Hamza’s
club hopes for back-to –back shot at the staked prize, the Gambian
midfielder was not to end the campaign without an accolade as
football pundits conferred him the best young player of the Maltese
Premier League award.
The 20-year-old has been phenomenal this term playing in all but two
of Valletta’s games, a thing caused delay in visa issuance following
failed talks over a move to deposed African club champions Esperance
du Tunis.
A remarkable performance to count for, his goal return has only
improved with the former Gambia Pots Authority attacker sending his
tally to twelve – a far cry from his five goals in his first season.
It didn’t start well as he might have hoped in the commencement of the
league. On the back of an impressive first stint, it’s not best of
situations to be sandwiched between reports of a contract standoff,
being linked with an exit and being unable to join rest of his club
mates for a normal pre-season. And yet Hamza had to contend with that.
The Gambia youth international has been interesting Getafe who saw a
bid for the player thrown out of the window by the Valletta board in
2014.
A move to Tunis Esperance to seek pastures new on a tryout followed
but for the Maltese giants refusal to accept the Tunisian side’s offer
–slammed ridiculous –scuppered the deal.
The then 19-year-old was forced to stay in Tunis after his visa
expired with a renewal only issued weeks later. Despite all these,
Hamza refused to be burden by a disrupted pre-season going on to pick
the league best young player of the year on twelve goals.
He wouldn’t be blamed when Getafe comes calling again and his head
wonders. Valletta, Foroyaa Sport understands, are ardent on tying
Hamza to a revised contract.
The club will welcome proposal to sell but with the player’s
contract will elapse soon and an improved offer is being hurried to avoid
losing him on the cheap.
The idea, it is believed, is any sale of Hamza will fetch astronomical
sums and realising that will only occur when the Nusrat graduate puts
pen-to-paper on a new contract.
Getafe it is reported looks the likely destination should Hamza chooses to move.]]>
