Courtesy: Fiji Times


Futsal sets sights high

Thursday, February 04, 2010

FIJI Football Association technical director Saiyad Anil says the National Futsal squad will settle for nothing but to be included in the 2011 World Cup.

He confirmed this as the 25 players undergo their three-day trials at the Suva's Tattersall Leisure Centre beginning yesterday.

"Our main aim firstly is to prepare the boys to win the Oceania Football Competition Futsal championship to be held in Fiji this year," he said.

He added the winner of the meet automatically qualifies for the World Cup next year.

"At the moment we are focused in preparing a team for that world meet."

Yesterday, the players were drilled under the watchful eyes of Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Futsal development manager Scott Gilligan as players displayed ball skills.

Ali said the players should be aware that Futsal rewards the same basic skills, tactics and knowledge of the sport as the eleven aside outdoor game.

"With limited space, an out of bounds and constant opponent pressure, improved ball control skills and technique are required. This is all about skills learnt to play under pressure football," he added.

Ali pointed out that lot of Brazillian footballers such as Pele, Ronaldo, Zico, Bebeto, Socrates played futsal in their home country before going on to star at the World Cup.

He said as FFA has supported the decision to recognise the sport, this has given them the green light for it's technical officials national team director Anil Kumar and coach Gilligan to come out in full force in laying out the platform for futsal to become one of the major sport in the country in the future.

"This will eventually benefit football as a whole."

At the last year's Ooceania tournament held in the country, Fiji came second behind champion Solomon.

"The Solomon has been playing Futsal football for years and has been representing the region at the World Cup," he said.

Before the tournament this year, Ali added they'll raise a proposal to FFA not to allow players to take part in any local tournament a month before the Oceania meet in Fiji.


Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com