VIKINGS FUTSAL NEWS

The Voice of Futsal in Australasia

Phone 617 38752600
Email viking@vikingsfutsal.com


YEAR AHEAD FOR THE NATIONAL MENS FUTSAL TEAM

Well now the nationals have been held for another year, its time to focus on the international programme for futsal.

The AFC Futsal Championships for men are set down for Japan from the 13th to 19th May , and Australia this time go straight in and not through a qualifying round. Australian National Coach Scott Gilligan(at left) tells me that he is also hoping to organise another tour in Asia and the ASEAN games may be an option.

This year's championships will not be the qualifiers for the 2008 World Cup( in Brazil), however the qualifiers will probably be held early 2008. Sadly there is still nothing at international level for the women.

On the international scene congratulations to Scott Kidson and Chris Colley on their appointment as FIFA referees. Chris started as a player at Logan City Futsal in under 8's and represented Queensland right through. As a referee he was doing state league at 15 and has progressed on. Although he is now resident in ACT we still claim him as a Queenslander and ex Viking.
The Oceania playoffs for New Zealand should also be early next year, and with Oceania still having one full place at the Futsal World Cup this is a great opportunity for New Zealand to go to the World Cup in Brazil.


2007 VIKINGS SENIOR REGIONALS

The Senior Regional Titles start tonight Friday and continue thruogh the weekend.At Beenleigh we have the open men and youth men, at Mount Gravatt the Open Women,youth women and over 30 women and at Acacia Ridge the over 30 and over 40 men.

The draw for the tournament in at www.vikingsfutsal.com and this year sees the Otago women and Melbourne men make the trip up.

The junior regionals are scheduled for the Saturday,Sunday and Monday of Easter and at this stage the two events look like hosting near 300 teams.

All the best to all and results will be posted on the website over weekend.


INAUGURAL VIKINGS FUTSAL SELECT TEAMS

In another first for Vikings Futsal, we are going to select on an annual basis select teams in certain junior age groups. Each vikings region across Australia and New Zealand can nominate one player for the team, to form a select squad of 16 players , and these players will presented with a trophy and publicised on the website of their selection.
Squads in the eight age groups will be announced 31st March each year, which is the end of the futsal season.


THE NATIONAL TITLES

Since the nationals I think there has been plenty of comment as to what went right and what went wrong. I didn't attend but from comments made to me administratively it ran well, so congratulations to ACT.

From a playing performance it is clear that NSW City has pulled away from everybody else in standard, and the main reason put forward to me for this is the quality of their week to week state league. All states I'm sure will reassess their own performances and decide what they want to do.

A special congratulations to our Mens team who lost to NSW in the final. We lost a large amount of experienced players since last year, and they had to be replaced with more young ones, so making the final was a surprise and a bonus. Congrats also to Queensland's other finalist the 13 girls.

In Victoria , Milton was happy with the younger ages performances with the 10 boys, 12 boys and 16 girls all runnersup and the 11 boys champions.


DAL PONTE FUTSAL ACADEMY

The first Academy signons were last week with others slowly starting. If you are interested in enrolling your child in the Academy in any of our regions, please email Gui Costa at g.costa@qldfutsal.com.au or ring 0409720788 in the first instance.

Due to a request from a few players we have also decided to hold a live in Academy camp at the Runaway Bay Super Sports Centre after this years Junior Regional Titles. This is open to anyone in the first year so they can experience what the Academy is all about.
The camp will be livein Wednesday 11th April,Thursday 12th and Friday 13th nights with players going home Saturday. Thus the players coming to the regionals can play Saturday,Sunday Monday, go to Movieworld Tuesday, then Wednesday to Friday at the camp.

It is open to any player across Australia and New Zealand and it is expected a number of players attending the Regional Titles will stay on and attend .

Coaches will include Gui Costa, Milton Sakkos and Thiago Reggiani and the three days will focus on skil development with some games.

For further information again contact Gui Costa.


Vikings Pacific School Titles 2007

Nominations are already coming in for this years DAL PONTE AUSTRALASIAN SCHOOL TITLES.

For the first time these titles give your school the chance to be champion of Australasia, by first winning your regional competition , then winning the zone champion of champons and then winning in October the Australian Champion of Champions played at Runaway Bay Super Sports Centre. At this tournament an Australasian Allstar five is also being selected in each age group.

Schools can enter teams in ten age groups from 10 years to 19 years, male and female.

For additional information on South East Queensland Titles CLICK HERE

All enquiries to Jade Banks on school@vikingsfutsal.com


MAURICIO MARQUES HOLDS EBF COURSE IN AUSTRALASIA

Next weekend , Mauricio Marques the head of EBF, Brazil Football's education arm, starts his series of courses and seminars around Australasia.

Those who pass the coaching course will receive official EBF International Coaching certificate , whilst the free seminars are to inform interested people as to the facilities and services that CBF/EBF can offer both football and futsal teams.

EBF was set up four years ago by CBF and is responsible for conducting football and futsal coaching courses across Brazil. They have an office both at the Grand Camary, CBF's famous training centre and CBF Head Office in Rio.


DATES OF COURSES AND SEMINARS

15th February Christchurch free seminar
17/18 th February Christchurch course
19th February Dunedin free seminar
22nd February Melbourne free seminar
24/25 th February Melbourne course
28th February Hobart free seminar
1st March Launceston free seminar
3rd/4th March Brisbane course
7th March Townsville free seminar
8th March Cairns free seminar
10th/11th March Cairns course

Cost of the course is $180 and includes all papers, courses outlines and coaching manuals.

For the seminars on CBF simply roll up.

If you haven't already enrolled or want location of seminars, contact Gui Costa at g.costa@qldfutsal.com.au or go to www.vikingsfutsal.com


MILTON SAKKOS JOINS VIKINGS FUTSAL

Milton Sakkos from Victoria has been appointed Vikings Director of Coaching(parttime) for Victoria and Tasmania .

Milton has been involved in futsal for years and was Physical Coach of the Australian Mens team at the 2004 World Cup in Taipei. He has coached the Victorian Men's team for years and for the past two year has run selection trials and trainings for the Victorian State Futsal teams.
Milton's role will be to set up and structure the DAL PONTE FUTSAL ACADEMIES in Victoria and Tasmania, and also coordinate representative trainings and coach education programmes.

The Victorian Vipers Academy based at Oakleigh,already sponsored by Dal Ponte will become the first first Dal Ponte Academy in Victoria.

Milton can be contacted on milton@vikingsfutsal.com


ROGER CUA IN ITALY

Over Christmas I had an email from Roger Cua who is playing futsal in Italy. Roger moved there a year and a half ago from Canberra and has had some bad luck but is now getting on top of it."

Roger writes..........

""The 2005/2006 season didn't go to well as l was out for 2 months and played only the last month. My luck has changed as l have signed a contract with Italian Serie A1 Club Romagna I. in the city of Cesena as first goalkeeper. The Italian Serie A1 is regarded as the best Futsal League in the world along side the Spanish(the spanish being slightly better). i leave on Sunday and play on the 13 January. Hopefully this time no injuries, Let you know how it goes. """

Good luck Rog, and I'll keep all posted in the newsletter on how you go.


Local Sporting Hero Recognised

Its hard enough getting any publicity for futsal, but when a local shopping centre puts up a huge billboard of a futsal player, you get a great feeling

I was in Cairns two months ago and when wandering around Smithfield Shopping Centre came across a billboard of young Josh Dinnittis in the centre. Later when going down a walkway in the same centre I came to a whole wall dedicated to photos of him and his futsaling exploits.
Josh has played for Far North Qld, Qld and the Australian Vikings and has toured to Chile, Ecuador, Spain and England.
Well done Josh and maybe next time I visit Cairns you'll have a billboard out on the highway as well.



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