Name: John Buttigieg
Country:
MaltaClub: Sliema Wanderers F.C. (1981-1988), Brentford F.C. (1988-1990)
Position: *SWP, CB, SB
Side: RF/BS
Age: 24-27 years (05/10/1963)
Height: 183 cm
Weight: 77 kg *
Attack: 65
Defence: 79
Balance: 82
Stamina: 78
Top Speed: 76
Acceleration: 73
Response: 82
Agility: 74
Dribble Accuracy: 76
Dribble Speed: 72
Short Pass Accuracy: 72
Short Pass Speed: 73
Long Pass Accuracy: 75
Long Pass Speed: 77
Shot Accuracy: 62
Shot Power: 81
Shot Technique: 63
Free Kick Accuracy: 67
Curling: 64
Header: 77
Jump: 80
Technique: 76
Aggression: 70
Mentality: 77
Goalkeeper Skills: 50
Team Work: 79
Injury Tolerance: B
Condition: 5
Weak Foot Accuracy: 4
Weak Foot Frequency: 4
Consistency: 6
Growth type: Standard/Lasting
CARDS:
P06 - Pinpoint Pass
S08 - Slide Tackle
S09 - Covering
SPECIAL ABILITIES: Sliding - Covering
Attack/Defence Awareness Card: Defence Minded
INFO:
Buttigieg is a former sweeper, capable of playing as centre or side back. His career began in 1981 at Sliema Wanderers, where he made over 80 appearances and scored at least 6 goals. He transferred to England in 1988, playing 47 matches for Brentford in two seasons. After an unsuccessful 1990-91 season at Swindon Town, he came back to Malta, having a good eight year spell at Floriana, playing over 170 games and scoring at least 10 times. He retired in 2002 after a three year experience at Valletta. He was called up for Malta in 97 occasions, scoring once.
One of the best defenders Malta had during the 1980s and 1990s alongside John Holland, Buttigieg deserved an experience in a bigger league like the English one even though in the Third Division and lasted only two years. Buttigieg was good at covering the space, ready to intercept a pass or make pressing on the striker and take the ball off him with accurate and clean sliding tackles. It wasn't rare that he left his own area, occasionally even moving past his team's half. He was fine in the air, managing to clear many crosses with the head. He wasn't particularly fast but possessed decent technique as he could control and defend the ball from the opposing attacker, occasionally even dribbling him. His ball distribution was quite good, especially when he delivered fast pinpoint passes from the defence. He occasionally took free kicks, usually to cross the ball in, less frequently to attempt the shot on goal.
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