Futsal sells itself

James Tose of Carlisle Utd football in the community has been quick to embrace the sport of Futsal as a coaching tool for his young footballers. Here he explains to our media officer his thoughts on the sport.

 

CFC: How much do you know about Futsal?

JT: To be honest Im not an expert on futsal but what knowledge I do know is that its a fast paced, tactical indoor game with the emphasis very much on speed, movement & technical ability.
CFC: Do you currently use any Futsal with in your training programme at Carlisle United?

JT: At this moment in time there is nothing in our academy training syllabus at Carlisle United , however after experiencing playing in the local futsal league (Northern Futsal) and organising a recent U16 Futsal tournament I definitely believe there is a place especially at the foundation phase (7-12 years) at our academy for futsal.

 

CFC: What advantages/disadvantages do you feel Futsal has to football?

JT: I feel it is difficult to compare futsal to football as they are in terms of philosophy very much the same game. Although they are two separate sports they are very similar in terms of the principals with the only difference being that one game is indoor and the other is played outdoor. Football in England is the national sport and the governing bodies are always striving to improve, however due to the climate in this country football at grassroots and most academies in the lower leagues suffer as the conditions to coach and play are never suitable for the possession based philosophy the country is trying to achieve. Futsal however is indoor and can be played all year round, so the ability to coach, train and play without hindrance is without doubt an advantage.

 

CFC: Futsal can be used for developing the youth players skill do you feel this would be more appropriate than the current method?

JT: I feel futsal can have a major impact at all youth levels of the game as having the ability to learn and develop to play faster, be technically gifted and tactically astute from an early age can only be a positive step in the aim to produce better players in this country. I dont feel futsal is more appropriate to develop skill than the current method but I do feel there is a place within the current methods for futsal which in my opinion would improve youth development as a whole. I think a combination of futsal and football would be a potent mix to produce highly skilled technically gifted footballers which are suited to the modern game.

 

CFC: In your personal opinion do you feel that Futsal could be a help or a hindrance in your role as a coach?

JT: As a coach you are always looking to improve and I have found over the last few months that the knowledge I have gained and the future interest I am going to take in futsal will certainly help me as a coach. Im looking forward to finding out more about futsal and its methods.

 

CFC: Do you think the FA should place more of an emphasis on the merits of Futsal?

JT: I think the FA are starting to push futsal and are giving more people the opportunity to play. I think over the next few years I think you will find that participation levels in this country will increase dramatically. The scholarships now available at the 72 football league clubs and some premier league clubs are going to give young players a great opportunity to play futsal at a high standard and really raise the profile of futsal in England.

 

CFC: Have you been to watch any of your local Futsal Clubs play?

JT: Yes in fact I have recently entered a team in the local Carlisle Futsal league. I thought the best way to learn about futsal was to play and I have really enjoyed it.

 

CFC: Do you know any pro clubs that currently use Futsal as a method of training?

JT: I know a lot of foreign clubs like Barcelona in Spain have been using futsal for youth development from a very young age for a long time.