Delighted Greco urges Sliema players to keep their focus

Until a few weeks ago, Sliema Wanderers were being hailed as the surprise package of the Premier League this season. Since the start of the Championship Pool, the Blues have continued to exceed everyone’s expectations to the point that they are now regarded as genuine contenders for the title. Although Sliema have been at pains to play down talk of a possible tilt at the championship, they can no longer hide behind their modest approach as Wednesday’s 2-0 victory over Hibs was their second over a title challenger, having upset Birkirkara 1-0 in their opening top-six duel before a creditable 0-0 draw with champions Valletta. Italian coach Alfonso Greco, the man credited with Sliema’s revival, is understandably satisfied with his team’s progress but urged caution. “Certainly the squad now has its own structure and identity,” Greco, who took charge of Sliema just before the start of the league campaign, told The Times. “We’re doing well and our aim is to continue in this vein. We’re taking it one game at a time without making a lot of calculations.” Greco admitted that the Sliema players are buzzing with optimism. “The boys are happy,” Greco said. “They have a lot of enthusiasm and...