By our collaborator Stephen Thompson

Tough test for Thai futsal squad

Bangkok - Thailand’s national futsal squad will be travelling to Brazil for a series of preparation games prior to their appearance in the Fifa World Futsal Championship in Chinese Taipei during Nov 21-Dec 5, according to national coach Glaucio De Castro. The Thai team face Brazil, currently ranked seond in the world, in Group B, along with the Czech Republic and Australia.

Glaucio, who spent several years coaching Brazil’s U-23 team, says he has strong faith in his Thai team, adding that the opening match against the Czechs at the National Taiwan University New Gymnasium will be crucial. “The Czechs are a strong team, and it will be a tough opening encounter,’’ he said. The Czechs are currently ranked sixth in the world, according to world rankings at www.futsalplanet.com, so it is highly likely this fixture will be crucial in determining second spot and qualification into the quarter finals, despite reports of a vastly-improved Australian side.

The national team coach expects futsal powerhouses Italy and Spain, ranked one and three, respectively, to be certainties to qualify for the quarter finals. Other teams vying for a place in the second phase will be Argentina, hosts Chinese Taipei, Cuba, Egypt, Iran, Japan, Paraguay, Portugal and the United States.

The Thai national team, managed by Adisak Benjasiriwan, is put through its paces twice daily by Glaucio De Castro, assistant coach Bongkarn Prompui and fitness coach Neiles Nascimento at Harrow International School near Don Muang. Thailand is currently ranked 14 in the world.

Futsal is the only small-sided (5-a-side) football game to be officially recognised by Fifa, football’s world governing body. The rules are a simplified version of “the beautiful game” – there is no offside, for example – while the ball is heavier and denser with a low bounce, encouraging an on the ground, “passing and moving” game. The rules of futsal can be downloaded in PDF format from Fifa’s official website at www.fifa.com