BORO FUTSAL SIGN QUAKERS YOUNGSTER26 April 2010Middlesbrough Futsal Club have been broadening their horizons in player recruitment and have signed up ex Darlington Football Club schoolboy Paul Johnson, just 17 years of age, after showing a lot of potential over a short trial period.
Johnson was released from the Darlington Football Club Centre of Excellence just before being given a YTS contract last season and has been playing futsal as well as football at Queen Elizabeth 6th Form College, where, along with Josh Philips, he was spotted by manager Damon Shaw.
Shaw is keen to give youth a chance and thinks Johnson and Philips are at the perfect age to make the transition to futsal.
“A lot is made of English futsal being light years behind other countries until we have kids playing it at under-10 all the way through but I think 16-18 is just as good a time as any to start playing futsal, especially with players who have been at football academies and centres of excellence. Shaw explained.
"They’ll have very good basic skills and with their age, the transition will be quick. Javi Rodriguez didn’t play futsal until he was 17.
“Futsal is a great way for those leaving pro clubs to continue playing at a high level and while it’s still amateur, it does offer opportunities that perhaps football won’t – playing in The UEFA Futsal Cup (Champions’ League of Futsal) and earning caps for England for example.”
Posted by
Luca Ranocchiari -->
luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com 
