| Gilbert Agius | |
| Fullname: | Gilbert Agius |
| Height: | 1.76 m |
| Birth Date: | 1974 2, df=yes |
| Birth Place: | Valletta, Malta[1] |
| Position: | Forward |
| Currentclub: | PSIS Semarang (head coach) |
| Years1: | 1990–2014 |
| Clubs1: | Valletta |
| Caps1: | 453 |
| Goals1: | 182 |
| Years2: | 2001 |
| Clubs2: | → Pisa (loan) |
| Caps2: | 4 |
| Goals2: | 0 |
| Years3: | 2013–2014 |
| Clubs3: | → Xewkija Tigers (loan) |
| Caps3: | 0 |
| Goals3: | 0 |
| Totalcaps: | 457 |
| Totalgoals: | 182 |
| Nationalyears1: | 1989–1990 |
| Nationalteam1: | Malta U16 |
| Nationalyears2: | 1990–1992 |
| Nationalteam2: | Malta U18 |
| Nationalyears3: | 1990–1995 |
| Nationalteam3: | Malta U21 |
| Nationalyears4: | 1993–2009 |
| Nationalteam4: | Malta |
| Nationalcaps1: | 5 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 0 |
| Nationalcaps2: | 5 |
| Nationalgoals2: | 0 |
| Nationalcaps3: | 16 |
| Nationalgoals3: | 3 |
| Nationalcaps4: | 120 |
| Nationalgoals4: | 8 |
| Manageryears1: | 2012–2014 |
| Managerclubs1: | Valletta (Assistant Manager) |
| Manageryears2: | 2014 |
| Managerclubs2: | Valletta |
| Manageryears3: | 2014–2019 |
| Managerclubs3: | Valletta (Assistant Manager) |
| Manageryears4: | 2019 |
| Managerclubs4: | Valletta |
| Manageryears5: | 2019–2020 |
| Managerclubs5: | Valletta (Assistant Manager) |
| Manageryears6: | 2020 |
| Managerclubs6: | Valletta (Caretaker Manager) |
| Manageryears7: | 2020–2021 |
| Managerclubs7: | Valletta (Assistant Manager) |
| Manageryears8: | 2021–2022 |
| Managerclubs8: | Malta U21 |
| Manageryears9: | 2022 |
| Managerclubs9: | Malta (Caretaker Manager) |
| Manageryears10: | 2023– |
| Managerclubs10: | PSIS Semarang |
Gilbert Agius (born 21 February 1974) is a Maltese professional football manager for Liga 1 club PSIS Semarang[2] and former footballer who played as a forward. He has a UEFA Pro coaching license.
Agius was the captain of his hometown club side Valletta and is one of the most well known and highly respected figures in Maltese football history. He is hailed as a hero by the Valletta fans, due to his loyalty to his hometown club, where he played since 1990, bar a short spell during the first half of the 2001–02 season which he spent on loan to the Lega Pro Prima Divisione club Pisa. His number 7 shirt is retired in respect of his loyalty and great service to the club.[3] He is the most capped player and the all time goal scorer at Valletta[4] Agius is also the player who won the most honours in Valletta history. He also holds the record of top Maltese scorer in European games with 10 goals.
Gilbert Agius has received three Malta Football Association Player of the Year awards. The first was won in 1996–97, the second in Valletta's successful 2000–01 season, the third in 2006–07.[5]
At the start of the 2007–08 season Agius was on trial with Enköpings SK FK, but later he opted to stay with Valletta. At the end of 2007 Agius was out with a thigh injury for several months. He returned just as the team started fulfilling its potential, and led Valletta to the first title since 2000–01. He won a single Player of the Month award during the season (September 2007) and was chosen as Best Local Player in the Maltese Football Awards at the end of the 2007–08 season.
At the beginning of the 2012–13 season Agius was named to be Assistant Manager of Valletta, with new Manager Mark Miller. He later left this role and came out of retirement to play for Gozo side Xewkija Tigers[6] helping them to win the Gozo Football League.
After his short spell with Xewkija Tigers, Agius came back to Valletta, where he took again the place of assistant manager. In such role he had the chance to replace the head coach several times. In 2019 he replaced Danilo Doncic as a caretaker manager of the citizens, and led the club to win the title after beating Hibernians in the decider match.[7] In December 2020 Agius came back in help of his club, taking the role of caretaker coach again after the resignation of Jesmond Zerafa.[8] At the end of the year he was replaced by Tozé Mendes, coming back to his role as assistant manager.[9]
In January 2021 Agius was appointed as new head coach of the Malta national under-21 football team.[10]
For the first time ever in his career, Aguis coached outside Europe. In 15 February 2023 Agius was appointed as new head coach of the Indonesian club PSIS Semarang.[11]
8
1991–92, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 2000–01, 2007–08, 2010–11, 2011–12
7
1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99, 2000–01, 2009–10
9
1989–90, 1994–95, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 2000–01, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2011–12
2000
2009–10
2008
1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 2000–01
1992–93, 1996–97, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2007–08
2010, 2011
1
2011–12
1996–97, 2000–01, 2006–07
1
3
2
3
2015–16, 2017–18, 2018–19
2013–14, 2014–15
Gilbert has recorded a remarkable 120 caps for his country, making him the third most capped player in Malta's history.[12] For the national team, he has often been used a defensive midfielder in recent years. Not due to exceptional defensive skills, but due to his ability to distribute the ball. He has scored 8 goals for the national team.[13] At club level he has played primarily as a supporting forward. Gilbert was captain of Malta for many years until he stopped being called up for international duty, but is loved by fans and remembered to be a very passionate player who loved to play for his country.
Agius' goal in a 1–1 friendly game against Austria was voted Goal of the Season in the 2006–07 Malta Football Awards.
Malta Goals
| Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 14 August 1996 | Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland | 1–0 | 1–2 | Friendly | ||
| 2. | 8 June 1997 | Tórsvøllur, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1998 FIFA World Cup qualifying | ||
| 3. | 6 February 2000 | National Stadium, Ta' Qali, Malta | 2–0 | 3–0 | Rothmans Cup | ||
| 4. | 6 February 2000 | National Stadium, Ta' Qali, Malta | 3–0 | 3–0 | Rothmans Cup | ||
| 5. | 5 September 2001 | Na Stínadlech, Teplice, Czech Republic | 2–2 | 2–3 | 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifying | ||
| 6. | 11 February 2002 | National Stadium, Ta' Qali, Malta | 1–1 | 1–1 | Rothmans Cup | ||
| 7. | 15 November 2006 | Hibernians Stadium, Paola, Malta | 1–3 | 1–4 | Friendly | ||
| 8. | 7 February 2007 | National Stadium, Ta' Qali, Malta | 1–0 | 1–1 | Friendly |
| From | To | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | Win % | ||
| Valletta | 1 July 2014 | 10 October 2014 | ||||
| 13 April 2019 | 30 June 2019 | |||||
| 1 December 2020 | 27 December 2020 | |||||
| Malta U21 | 26 January 2021 | 7 November 2022 | ||||
| Malta | 8 November 2022 | 14 December 2022 | ||||
| PSIS Semarang | 15 February 2023 | Present | ||||
| Total | ||||||