With the FAs announcement last week that Carlisle Futsal Club will compete in the Super League North for season 2015/16, new head coach Mervyn Beacom provides CFCmedia with his reaction to the news.
When I was asked to be head coach of Carlisle Futsal Club last October, I knew I was joining a vibrant and developing club. Talking to Club President Al Tindall back then, he said the club was growing fast and was well on track as detailed in its comprehensive development plan. However, never in my wildest dreams was I expecting to be leading the club against the elite Futsal clubs in the North for the 2015/2016 season. In the words of the chairman, ‘no pressure – I just want a top 4 finish’.
Everyone at the club is hugely excited about taking the next step forward in the club’s development. Everything is in place, sustainability, a hugely successful academy, a development squad and match day experience which is amongst the best in the country. The final piece of the puzzle is for the first team to deliver on court competing amongst the best Futsal players in the country, which will be no easy task.
For the players, they are still on their Futsal journey. All massively talented football players who are beginning to appreciate the subtle differences between the outdoor game and Futsal. From our established players I am seeing a new level of maturity and confidence that wasn’t there at the start of last season. From the new players we brought in ahead of the January 2015 transfer deadline, some who have only played a few competitive Futsal matches, I’ve seen a level of performance that is really exciting. Their potential is real and it is my job to harness it.
The news is huge not only for the first team but also our Academy squads. They are our future and the Super League news should fill them with pride and hope for the future. This Club is doing everything it can to provide them with the opportuntity to play at the highest level and fully realise their potential. From what I have seen the future is prosperous. Every player in our Academy should be pushing to keep the first team on their toes and it will not be long before many of them are knocking on that particular door, looking to establish first teams places and get into the England youth squads.
From my point of view, this is why I became a coach, to learn, to adapt, to improve, to watch my players develop, to enjoy success and to learn. All coaches want to work with the best players, go up against the best coaches and be challenged. So for me next season is an unbelievable opportunity.
But before the Super League starts we have 4 teams from our Academy teams representing Cumbria in the FA Youth FA Futsal Festival. On the 30th May our u10, u12, u14 and u16 teams will travel to Liverpool and compete against the best teams in the North West region, hoping to qualify for the National finals in June. Then, there are some coach development sessions to organise, ensuring that the club’s philosophy is taught through every age group. Finally, there is a first team and a development squad to prepare for an exciting season ahead.
For me and the players September can’t come soon enough. I want us to continue to develop in the same manner as we have done over 2014/15 and our players will only benefit from playing against the top teams. I’ve always believed, build a solid foundation and success will come. That’s exactly what this Club have done. They’ve built a club in the right way, a way that will continue to flourish and develop, a club for the future. So although the Chairman may have been joking in expecting a top 4 finish I would like to think that we can compete with a few of the teams in our league, spring a few surprises and plot our way on a steady course of improvement as the season progresses. The Clubs in the Super League are all well established, boasting international players and we at Carlisle Futsal Club will be doing our very best to cause them problems.
