Jake Grech

Last updated

Jake Grech
Personal information
Full name Jake Grech
Date of birth (1997-11-18) 18 November 1997 (age 26)
Place of birth Pietà, Malta
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Floriana
Number 10
Youth career
–2013 Hamrun Spartans
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2013–2017 Hamrun Spartans 32 (12)
2017–2019 Birkirkara 46 (16)
2019–2023 Hibernians 105 (46)
2023–2024 Balzan 12 (1)
2024- Floriana 10 (1)
International career‡
Malta U17 5 (1)
Malta U19 5 (1)
Malta U21 1 (0)
2018– Malta 23 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 13 May 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 1 December 2023

Jake Grech (born 18 November 1997) is a Maltese professional footballer currently playing with Floriana in the Maltese Premier League. [1]

Contents

Club career

Ħamrun Spartans

Jake Grech rose through the ranks of Ħamrun Spartans, and debuted with the team in the Maltese First Division. [2] Grech was a protagonist in Ħamrun Spartans' return from all the way down the Maltese Second Division and re-establishment of the Spartans in the Maltese Premier League. Grech was a regular goalscorer and assistman for the Spartans. [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]

Birkirkara

Grech's displays led to interest growing in him over the months. [9] In June 2017, Grech was transferred to Birkirkara F.C. for a record fee of €120,000. [3] [10] Part of Grech's deal saw defender Daniel Zerafa move to Ħamrun. [11] Grech officially signed for Birkirkara on 18 June 2017. [4]

Balzan

On 21 June 2023, Grech signed a contract with Balzan. [12]

Floriana

On 26th January, 2024, Grech left Balzan and signed a contract with Floriana, having been swapped with Jan Busuttil, who signed for Balzan.

International career

Grech has represented Malta in various youth categories, such as the Malta national under-17 football team, the Malta national under-19 football team and the Malta national under-21 football team. [13] [14] He was instrumental in various matches and showed great promise, at times being decisive for his side. [15]

Upon being promoted as National Team manager, Ray Farrugia decided call up Jake Grech to the senior squad, amongst other players. [16] [17] In fact, Grech's first match with the Malta national football team was against Armenia in a match that ended in a draw. [18] [19]

Style of play

During the team's spell in the lower divisions, Grech received a lot of playing time which helped him develop into a goal-scoring offensive-minded midfielder. [2] [3] [4]

Personal life

Jake is the son of former Ħamrun Spartans star Marco Grech. Jake's brother Luke Grech is also a professional footballer, who also came up through Ħamrun Spartans's youth set up. [10]

Related Research Articles

The Maltese Premier League, known as BOV Premier League for sponsorship reasons with Bank of Valletta, is the highest level of professional football in Malta. Managed by the Malta Football Association, the Premier League is contested by 14 teams and operates on a promotion and relegation system with the Challenge League. As of June 2022, the Premier League ranks 46th out of 55 members in the UEFA coefficient. The league was first competed in 1909 as the First Division, before switching to its current name in 1980; the First Division in turn replaced the Second Division. Sliema Wanderers and Floriana have won the title a record 26 times. The current champions are Ħamrun Spartans who won their 9th title in the 2022–23 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Valletta F.C.</span> Association football club in Malta

Valletta F.C. is a professional football club based in Valletta, the capital city of Malta, and will compete in the Maltese Challenge League, the Maltese second division following their relegation from the Maltese Premier League for the first time in their history in the 2023/24 season. The club was founded in 1943 after a merge of Valletta Prestons, Valletta St. Paul's and Valletta United, the latter being a two-time league winner before the Second World War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ħamrun Spartans F.C.</span> Maltese association football club

Ħamrun Spartans Football Club is a Maltese professional football club based in Ħamrun. Since being founded in 1907, Ħamrun Spartans have won ten league championships, the latest one being in 2024, while being runners-up eleven times.

Raymond "Żażu" Farrugia is a football coach and former player He had been the head coach for the Malta national football team from 2 May 2018. to the end of 2019.

The 2003–04 Maltese Premier League was the 24th season of the Maltese Premier League, and the 89th season of top-tier football in Malta. The league started on 22 August 2003 and finished on 9 May 2004. Sliema Wanderers successfully defended last season's league triumph, equalling Floriana's league title record of 25 championships.

The 2007–08 Maltese FA Trophy was the 70th season since its establishment. It featured 20 teams from Maltese Premier League and First Division. The competition started on 3 November 2007 and ended on 24 May 2008 with the final, which Birkirkara F.C. won 2–1 against Hamrun Spartans.

The 2011–12 Maltese Premier League was the 97th season of the Maltese Premier League, the top-tier football league in Malta. It began on 19 August 2011 and it ended in May 2012. Valletta were the defending champions, having won their 20th title last season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryan Camenzuli</span> Maltese footballer

Ryan Camenzuli is a Maltese footballer who plays as a midfielder for Ħamrun Spartans.

The 2016–17 Maltese Premier League was the 102nd season of the Maltese Premier League. The season began on 19 August 2016 and concluded on 6 May 2017; the relegation play-off took place on 12 May 2017. Valletta were the defending champions, having won their 23rd title the previous season.

The 2017–18 Maltese Premier League was the 103rd season of top-flight league football in Malta. The season began on 18 August 2017 and ended on 22 April 2018. Hibernians were the defending champions, having won their 12th title the previous season.

The 2017–18 Maltese FA Trophy was the 80th version of the football tournament. It was sponsored by Boost Diesel, which was revealed during the draws of the first, second and third round of the Maltese FA Trophy at the Trophies Lounge in Malta Football Association headquarters in Ta' Qali. A total of sixty–four clubs participated in this season's cup competition.

Luke Montebello is a Maltese professional footballer currently playing for Maltese Premier League side Ħamrun Spartans, where he plays as a forward.

The 2018–19 Maltese Premier League was the 104th season of top-flight league football in Malta. The season began on 17 August 2018 and ended in April 2019. Defending champions Valletta won their 25th title, following a penalty shootout win against Hibernians in a championship decider match.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018–19 Maltese FA Trophy</span> Football tournament season

The 2018–19 Maltese FA Trophy was the 81st edition of the football cup competition. A record number of 67 clubs competed in the FA Trophy, with the first round starting on the weekend of 1–2 September 2018 and concluding with the final played on 18 May 2019.

The 2019–20 Maltese Premier League was the 105th season of the Maltese Premier League, the top-flight league football in Malta. The fixtures were announced on 2 July 2019; the season started on 23 August 2019 and was scheduled to conclude on 25 April 2020. Valletta were the defending champions, having won their 25th title the previous season.

The 2019–20 Maltese FA Trophy was the 82nd edition of the football cup competition.

The 2020–21 Maltese Premier League was the 106th season of the Maltese Premier League, the top-flight league football in Malta. Floriana were the defending champions, having won their 26th title the previous season.

The 2021–22 Maltese Premier League was the 107th season of the Maltese Premier League, the top-flight league football in Malta. Ħamrun Spartans were the defending champions, having won their eighth title in the previous season.

References

  1. ↑ Jake Grech at Soccerway
  2. 1 2 "BOV Second Division | Malta Football Association". mfa.com.mt. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 "Jake Grech moves to Birkirkara for EUR 120,000 – local transfer record". maltawinds.com. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  4. 1 2 3 "Birkirkara FC - Player Profile". birkirkarafc.com. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  5. ↑ "Valletta dig deep to edge plucky Maroons; Hamrun back to winning form against 10-man Sliema". The Malta Independent. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  6. ↑ "Floriana and Ħamrun share the spoils in a draw". MaltaToday.com.mt. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  7. ↑ "Hamrun Spartans shock Hibernians | Hamrun Spartans FC". hamrunspartans.com. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  8. ↑ "inewsmalta.com". inewsmalta.com. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  9. ↑ Allied Newspapers Ltd. "Birkirkara close in on U-21 midfielder Grech". timesofmalta.com. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  10. 1 2 "Birkirkara jiktbu lill-MFA għal erba' plejers...Jake Grech l-akbar kolp". TVM. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  11. ↑ Allied Newspapers Ltd. "Stripes strike deal for Grech". timesofmalta.com. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  12. ↑ "Balzan FC completed the signing of Malta international midfielder Jake Grech". 18 July 2023.
  13. ↑ "Under-21 - Malta - Jake Grech". UEFA.com. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  14. ↑ "Jake Grech heartened by team's display in Swiss defeat | Malta Football Association". mfa.com.mt. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  15. ↑ "Jake Grech stunner gives Malta U21 team a merited win over Latvia". The Malta Independent. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  16. ↑ Allied Newspapers Ltd. "Farrugia opts for a blend of youth and experience in Malta squad". timesofmalta.com. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  17. ↑ "Farrugia finalises Malta squad for Armenia and Georgia friendlies". The Malta Independent. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  18. ↑ Allied Newspapers Ltd. "Farrugia's Malta earn draw against Armenia". timesofmalta.com. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  19. ↑ "Brave Malta in 1-1 draw against Armenia in friendly | Malta Football Association". mfa.com.mt. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
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