Courtesy: The FA.com


Back the BUCS!

Monday, 23 August, 2010

Squads head out for World University Championships in Serbia this week.

British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) has announced the squads that will travel to Serbia for the 12th World Universities Futsal Championships which take place this week.

Since becoming a BUCS sport in 2007, the game has been developed at universities across the membership and is now the largest competition in the UK for men and women so hopes are high ahead of the tournament.

The men’s squad is made up of 12 players who all play in The FA National Futsal League system. Three of those represent current BUCS Futsal Champions Teesside whilst a further four squad members come from Loughborough University with Bath, Liverpool, Brighton and Nottingham Trent also represented.

With current England Futsal internationals in the ranks, the side has some good experience, which is supported by their coach, Michael Skubala, who went as a player to the previous WUC as a player and now assists the England Futsal Team as a coach.

James Ellis, Great Britain men’s Team Manager, commented: "Futsal is a developing game in England, on the continent it is used as a player development tool, in fact the Spanish team who are European and World Cup Champions use it as a big part of their youth technical programmes. Marc Birkett has again been selected as our GB referee and John Warnock continues his tireless work as FISU Futsal Technical Director. We hope that everyone has a good Championship and we are really looking forward to it.”

The women’s squad contains three players who travelled to Serbia in 2009 with the bronze winning women’s football squad at the World University Games. Twins Kelly and Vicky Jones (Liverpool John Moores), who both play for Liverpool LFC, represented Great Britain in the women’s football squad while Grace McCatty (Bath) was also selected for the Bronze medal winning squad in 2009. The squad also includes Lizzie Edwards, Sophie Perry (both Brighton) and Sophie Walton (Leeds Met) who have represented England U23.
George Carney, BUCS Football Development Manager, highlighted the successful development in the women's game and is pleased to have a GB women's team in Serbia.

"The majority of the side have had international experience either with the GB squad, English Universities or at England U23 level, but this is the first time any of them have played Futsal at this level as it is the first time that we have entered a women's Futsal team," he enthused.

"It will be a new challenge for the players and the staff to see how they adapt against established sides like Brazil and Portugal, compared to playing Futsal in the BUCS Championships or 11-a-side game. I am really pleased that in the space of three years we have gone from a blank canvas to developing a competition pathway that allows our talented players to take on the best teams in the world at a university level."

Great Britain has been drawn in Group A in the men’s competition with 2008 finalists Ukraine, Russia and Oman. Meanwhile, the women’s squad will play hosts Serbia, Brazil, France, Portugal and Russia. The competition starts on the 23 August with full results available by clicking here.

The squads

Men
Robert Webb (Loughborough), Mark Ingram (Bath), Ian Parkes (Bath),Thomas Obasi (Liverpool), Jason Kilbride (Teesside), James Aldred (Loughborough), Michael Roberts (Teesside), Neil Morgan (Loughborough), Alex Campana (Brighton), Robert Bettson (Teesside), Aimen Issa (Loughborough), Curtis Holmes (Nottingham Trent).

Women
Emily Bourne (Southampton), Emily Deaman (Bath), Kelly Jones (Liverpool John Moores), Vicky Jones (Liverpool John Moores), Grace McCatty (Bath), Vicky Greenwell (Northumbria), Sophie Perry (Brighton), Victoria Elliott (Bath), Sophie Walton (Leeds Metropolitan), Elizabeth Edwards (Brighton), Emma Lipman (Leeds Metropolitan), Emma Tune (Hertfordshire)


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