Courtesy: Malay Mail On Line

Lula’s sad goodbye

by Rizal Hashim

Brazilian Silvio Machado will no longer play a role when the national futsal league is launched in December.

The futsal coach’s contract with the FA of Malaysia (FAM), which runs out in December, will not be renewed.

Machado or Lula for short, who arrived on Malaysian shores in early 2002, has been notified of FAM’s decision.

FAM general secretary Datuk Seri Dr Ibrahim Saad said the na- tional body were in favour of appointing a local coach to succeed Machado.

“We will appoint someone to take charge of operations soon. We made the decision after taking into account there would be no major futsal tournaments next year,” said Ibrahim yesterday.

Despite Lula’s extensive scouting work and his effort to make Malaysian futsallers enjoy a deeper understanding of the game, the national futsal team have failed to impress.

Tactically, Lula’s charges showed they have the ideas but basicaly lacked the technique to accomplish them.

The former Brazilian international goalkeeper, who took Malaysia to second place in the AFF Futsal Championship in Kuantan in 2003, has gone to great lengths to raise the standard of the game, including digging into his pockets to buy equipment.

Lula came to Kuala Lumpur as part of the Brazilian package bought by FAM in 2002.

While Lula survived until 2005, the rest – Jorvan Vieira, Joao Paulo Nizzo and Luis Antonio Nizzo did not.

FAM have bought Lula a one-way ticket to Rio de Janeiro.



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