Courtesy: www.dailyexpress.com.myOllerenshaw, Michelle to set up indoor football centre14 August, 2003
Kota Kinabalu: Taking his cue from the advice by Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Hishammuddin Hussein this week, Scott Ollerenshaw and his wife Michelle are making plans to set up the State’s first indoor football centre.
“Indoor football has made tremendous progress in Malaysia during the past few years and we intend to make it more popular by setting up an indoor centre in Sabah,” the former Sabah striker said.
To be named the KK Indoor Sports Centre, it would be set-up within the city centre, he said at an informal press gathering at his house on Wednesday.
The centre is expected to be ready in about three months.
Ollerenshaw, an Austarlian who played for Sabah in the early 90s, said when the centre was completed it would have two fully functional indoor football fields using astro turf and netting to separate them, correct lighting and electronic scoreboards.
“The netting can be taken down to combine both fields into a fully functional futsal pitch,” he said.
Ollerenshaw said the numerous centres operating in the Peninsula have proven extremely popular and he was sure it would be the same in the State.
Ollerenshaw said the centre could be converted into a multi-purpose arena for specialised coaching to be conducted by him and other coaches for young players.
“We will also organise competitions for all ages and genders catering for under-6 to over-45 age groups.
“Private bookings will be made available for those who simply wish to have fun and leisure at their own pace,” he said.
He said the centre which would be set-up in a location to be announced later within the city for easier accessibility would cost up to RM500,000 and would be managed by his wife, Michelle, a former State karate champion.
Hishammuddin on Monday said the Sports Ministry, in partnership with the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) was prepared to bring 2008 Futsal World Cup to Malaysia.
He said he would try to convince the Cabinet that the sport had a following and was well supported in the country.
“However this depends on the success of the KL World 5s. If it (KL World 5s) continues to get good response from other countries until 2005, I will decide whether we should bid for the 2008 World Cup Futsal.”
He was speaking after opening the Indoor Football Centre (IFC) on Monday.
Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, England, Japan, Guatemala, Indonesia, Thailand, South Africa, Iran, Uzbekistan and hosts Malaysia took part in the 2003 KL World Futsal Championship held at Stadium Putra in Bukit Jalil, in June.
Argentina beat Brazil 3-2 to win the championship.
Guatemala hosted the World Cup Futsal in 2000 while Taiwan will host the 2004 edition of the world competition.
Hishammuddin also urged local footballing bodies to come out with ideas on how to reduce the costs incurred in laying out futsal pitches.
He said while the futsal centres were mushrooming in this country, efforts should be made to find the cheapest surface for the futsal pitches.
“Certain parties have discussed with my ministry on locally-made surfaces for the futsal pitch. But we must make sure (whether) it is up to the world standard,” he said.
Hishammuddin said his ministry was also looking at incentives to popularise the sport.
