The FA.com


Dell prepares squad

Monday, 02 October 2006.


Poland v England
International Futsal Friendlies
23-24 October 2006
Rzeszow, Poland


England Futsal Coach Graeme Dell has unveiled his latest squad as England start this seasons preparations for January’s Euro 2007 qualifiers with a double header away to Poland at the end of this month.

England will play two friendlies against Poland in front of a sell out 5,000 crowd in Rzeszow on Monday 23 October and again the following night in Krosno on Tuesday 24 October.

The two teams met a year ago at London’s Excel Arena when Dell’s young Lions showed a Futsal maturity beyond their current experience only just being pipped in the last two minutes of the second game 5–7.

Dell has named four new caps from his F30 Development Programme, further testimony that the scheme is delivering players capable of playing Futsal at an international level. Former Liverpool starlet Steve Torpey, now at Halifax Town in the Football Conference National via FC United of Manchester is a notable inclusion and he joins Danny Griggs who impressed last season for Nantwich Town adding an FA Vase Winners medal in the process.

Grantham Towns Alex Rodman, an FA Cup Player of the Round last season with Leamington will be delighted with his inclusion along with Loughborough Universities John Robinson after impressing Dell at the World University Futsal Championships in September.

Moor Green’s Richard Follet gets a recall after a successful cruciate ligament reconstruction over a year ago and Dell will once more rely upon the solidity and experience of Marc Canham, Steve Harrison and Alex Sykes with almost 50 caps between them.

“I am pleased with the progress we have made with this group of players particularly as the game is still very much in its infancy in England so chances to play regularly at a high level are limited. This forthcoming period is now a key step in our bid to get out of the Preliminary Qualifying Group in January and play more of the bigger names on the European stage.

“Poland are ranked 17 in the World and we are still at 61 so the gap between the teams is massive but we will set our goals for the games and endeavour to achieve them. The determination to succeed amongst the players on F30 is quite remarkable and they all see that it will take small steps to get there rather than bite size chunks.

There are some very talented players with valuable football experience in this squad but they are consistently amazed at how technically advanced the foreign players are at this level but we have to play these teams to measure ourselves and try new ideas both defensively and offensively whilst learning more about the game”.

“The new blood in the group is essential to ensure we move forward and all four of the new caps offer us something different but we have to see how they measure up against substantially higher grades of opponent. This is the opportunity they have worked hard for in the intense learning environment we have created.”


Player - Caps

Graham Smith - 10
Mark Canham - 18
Steve Torpey - 0
Richard Follett - 10
James Elford - 15
Michael Lyons - 7
Alex Sykes - 16
Michael Skuballa - 15
Steve Harrison - 15
Alex Haddow - 4
Glen Harris - 6
Danny Griggs - 0
John Robinson - 0
Alex Rodman - 0

Head coach: Graeme Dell



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