Courtesy: This is Grimsby


Futsal can help build a talented generation of footballers

England’s answer to World Cup winners Andres Iniesta and Xavi honing their skills in Grimsby? One man thinks they could be, with the help of Latin-inspired futsal, as reporter PAUL SMITH found out.

WHEN England were dumped out of the World Cup in the second round thanks to a humbling defeat against Germany last year, the inquest into what is wrong with our national game began in earnest.

Pundits, journalists, managers and players all had their opinions, but one view was common above all others. That English players are technically inferior to the likes of winners Spain, and South American giants Argentina and Brazil.

Experts of the game insist more should be done at grass roots level to produce more technically gifted footballers in England, shifting the emphasis from winning at all costs to passing and moving.

In Grimsby, Kevin Bryant coaches a number of different youngsters who are making their way in the game. But it is not football as most will know it. Bryant coaches futsal, a smaller-sized version of the game, using a low-bounce ball which puts touch, turns and technique above all else.

He believes this way is how the Football Association (FA) should plan the future development of the game.

He said: "The basic concept with futsal is that at this early age, they want a massive number of touches on the ball, as that is what develops the brain.

"Rather than just kicking the ball around, in an hour session three quarters of it will be technique, and 15 minutes will be fun and games.

"The fun and games will be all about playing at speed and pace, and then allowing them to slow down so they are developing all of the time.

"The ideas have been used in Brazil and it hasn't done them any harm at all. The current World Cup holders Spain use very much a similar process too.

"The optimum number when learning to play football is four versus four, or it could be five with a goalkeeper.

"Every concept you get in 11-a-side is built into four-a-side, defending, attacking, creating space, closing space, dribbling and shooting.

"As soon as you go to six and seven on the pitch, that process is diminished."

Bryant believes English clubs should take the lead of Spanish giants Barcelona, famed for their footballing ability.

He said: "They train 100 per cent futsal until they are 12-14 years old. Between 13 and 16, some may continue to play futsal if the club want to keep them in that arena.

"In Italy, 70 per cent of men registered to play football there will be registered to play futsal and the other 30 per cent play 11-a-side.

"The FA have been aware for a long time that there is a need for change, but its such a big set-up and changing things means everything has to be done through committees."

In England there is an FA Futsal Cup, a national league and a national team, for which Grimsby Town assistant physiotherapist Ben Mortlock regularly plays.

But futsal remains less popular than in many other European countries.

Bryant said: "What we are lacking is facilities. Whereas the Spanish players go out and can play in any town anywhere in Spain, and will have a nice court, with a nice surface, we are using basketball courts and any surface available.

"We are miles behind, but when England were spending £800-million on Wembley, they were spending £800-million on futsal courts. We have a nice stadium and they are world champions."

The former Grimsby Town Juniors player doesn't just talk a good game. The proof is in results.

Last season his son's team – with predominantly futsal players – entered the Lincolnshire County FA senior 11-a-side league and they won it with only two defeats and a plus 85 goal difference

Grimsby Soccer Club under-11s have gone on to win their 11-a-side league, having moved into it following futsal sessions with Bryant. They drew just one game and won all the others by big margins.

Bryant said: "When they were under-10s we took them to Manchester City who had heard about futsal because the foreign players were talking about it.

"The development officer there wanted to see a junior team and my name cropped up that we had been training these lads futsal for three years.

"Man City said we were the best group of players outside of an academy that they had seen so that was a big compliment and their first team coach immediately ordered 100 futsal balls."

In Grimsby there are several Junior leagues and the FA Junior Futsal Cup will be held in the area.

Bryant concludes: "Everything is done at speed and it is all about technique. If you have technique, you receive that ball, if your first touch is good off either foot you have got time to look around and make choices.

"If you can pick a pass out and use outside and inside of your foot, you have got the tools of the trade."

Nick Rook, 41, of Scartho, takes his six-year-old son Christian to Saturday morning sessions at the YMCA.

He said: "Barcelona's young teams are only bothered about technique rather than strength, which is different to how players are taught in England.

"Christian has come on as a player so much since he started coming here."

Christian said: "I really enjoy it because I am learning a lot. I really like doing all the skills and turns."



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