Courtesy: UEFA.com

Jakab has hope for Romania

Tuesday 13 November 2007

by Paul-Daniel Zaharia

from Bucharest

Romania's presence in the UEFA European Futsal Championship, which begins on Friday, is in part a personal triumph for Zoltán Jakab. The national team had been going less than a year when he became coach in December 2003, and using few more than 20 players over the course of around 70 matches, he has moulded a team ready to play among the top eight in Europe.

First qualification
Jakab's team earned their place in Portugal as they topped a qualifying group containing Belgium, Slovenia and Moldova in February and will be the only nation in the finals for the first time. They are fast gaining experience, something helped by Jakab taking a dual role as coach of Romanian champions CIP Deva in the summer, leading a team closely resembling the national side to the UEFA Futsal Cup Elite round.

Optimism
While Group A opponents the Czech Republic, Italy and hosts Portugal will be tough Jakab, whose team beat Belgium 6-3 in a friendly on Sunday before losing 4-3 yesterday, is optimistic. "There are several reasons for being satisfied ahead the final tournament," he told uefa.com. "Firstly, it's obvious that we are progressing all the time, shown also by how we played at the Futsal Cup, because CIP Deva is effectively the national team. Secondly, our FA have arranged plenty of friendlies against tough opponents. We have qualified for the first time and, thanks to those friendlies, we have built a very competitive team, especially considering that over four years I have worked with no more than 20-22 players. Fourteen of them still will be in the squad for Portugal and each of them has played at least 50 internationals."

Limited pool
Of course, there are problems compared to the more established futsal forces. "It's very difficult not to have other players to choose from beyond the 14 or 15 who are already in the national team," Jakab said. "In our championship, there are only 30 or 40 professionals and only at CIP are there 13 Romanian professionals - other teams rely mostly on foreigners, especially Portuguese and Brazilians. Other Romanian futsal players play for second and third division football teams but I prefer to work with those who just play futsal."

Aims
That does not stop Jakab believing Romania can upset the odds. "Everybody says that Portugal and Italy will qualify from our group for the semi-finals, and Russia and Spain from the other group. I think that Portugal will become European champions. This means that in order to qualify we will have to produce at least one big surprise. Our first match, against the Czechs, will be the most important. We have to win this match to take a huge step towards securing at least third place in the group. This would be good for us. If we finish second, it would be very good. With a little bit of luck, as we have a good team, why should we not hope to reach the semi-finals? It would be fantastic. But third place in the group would not be bad on our final tournament debut."




Courtesy: UEFA.com


Ukraine go with fresh faces

Tuesday 13 November 2007

by Igor Linnyk from Kiev

Only five players who featured in the 2005 UEFA European Futsal Championship are in the 14-man squad who will represent Ukraine in this year's edition in Portugal.

Two champions
Coach Gennadiy Lysenchuk has also only selected two players from national champions SK Energia, Denys Ovsyanykov and Serhiy Yakunin, while their local rivals TVD Lviv supply three men – more than any other club. Serhiy Sytin, Romanov, Valeriy Zamyatin, Yevgen Rogachov and Vasyl Sukhomlinov are the five players who travelled to the finals in Ostrava two years ago.

Goalkeepers: Vasyl Sukhomlinov (FC Shakhtar Donetsk), Yevgen Ivanyak (FC Time Lviv).

Outfield players: Oleksandr Khursov (FC Yenakievets), Valeriy Zamyatin (FC Yenakievets), Serhiy Cheporniuk (FC Aktobrentgen), Dmytro Ivanov (MFK Mytishi), Serhiy Sytin (MFK Spartak-Shelkovo), Yevgen Rogachov (TVD Lviv), Dmytro Silchenko (TVD Lviv), Roman Vakhula (TVD Lviv), Serhiy Taranchuk (FC Lokomotiv Kharkiv), Serhiy Yakunin (SK Energia), Denys Ovsyanykov (SK Energia), Mykhaylo Romanov (FC Kontingent Zhitomir).



Courtesy: UEFA.com


Italy wait on injured quartet

Tuesday 13 November 2007

by Paolo Menicucci from Milan

With four players in doubt due to injury, Italy coach Alessandro Nuccorini has taken an 18-man squad to Portugal for the UEFA European Futsal Championship.

Wednesday decision
Patrick Nora (thigh), Sandro Zanetti (thigh), Vinicio Bacaro (knee) and Carlos Mantovanelli (groin) are all trying to recover before the squad is trimmed to the required 14 on Thursday, a day before the Azzurri open their campaign against the hosts. "I want to thank all the medical staff who've been working hard in the last few days in order to have those players available," said the Italy coach. "They are all improving but on Wednesday night I will have a meeting with the medical staff and we will take a decision on them. I want to have a clear indication of their condition before making a final decision on the squad."

Dedicated to Angelini
One definite absentee is goalkeeper Gianfranco Angelini, who is missing for personal reasons. Nuccorini said: "Gianfranco will not be with us but we're all close to him in this difficult period. It will be like having him here in the squad and everything we achieve in this tournament will be dedicated to him; he is facing a much more difficult task than us."

Italy squad
Goalkeepers: Alexander Feller (Luparense Calcio A5), Caio Farina (El Pozo Murcia FS).

Outfield players: Assad Fabiano (Gestesa Guadalajara FS), Patrick Nora (Luparense Calcio A5), Anderson Pellegrini (Xota Pamplona FS), Carlos Scala (Calcio 2007 Domusdemaria), Douglas Corsini (LazioColleferro), Marcio Forte (Montesilvano CA5), Fernando Grana (Luparense Calcio A5), Jocimar Jubanski (Luparense Calcio A5), Carlos Montovanelli (Luparense Calcio A5), Edgar Bertoni (Boomerang Interviú FS), Saad Assis (PSG Móstoles). Vinicio Bacaro (El Pozo Murcia FS), Adriano Foglia (Montesilvano CA5), Carlos Morgado (Montesilvano CA5), Erick Bellomo (Marca Trevigiana), Sandro Zanetti (PSG Móstoles).



Courtesy: UEFA.com


Lysenchuk braced for Ukraine tests

Wednesday 14 November 2007

by Igor Linnyk from Kiev

The term 'group of death' is used at pretty much any tournament one cares to mention. But when Ukraine coach Gennadiy Lysenchuk uses it to describe their pool at the UEFA European Futsal Championship finals, he has a point. Not that he is worried by the task ahead, however.

No fear
On Saturday, Ukraine begin their Group B campaign in Porto against reigning champions Spain. Next up are 2005 runners-up Russia and then a talented team from Serbia, with only two semi-final places on offer. Ukraine reached the 2001 and 2003 finals, and the last four two years later, but matching those runs will test Lysenchuk's team to the limit. "We're in a group of death at this stage, but this doesn't scare us at all," Lysenchuk said. "On the contrary, we're determined to win one of the tickets to the next round."

'Stable structure'
Under Lysenchuk, also president of the Ukraine Futsal Association, the team has had an impressive rise since their 1994 foundation. "In that time we have come a long way and achieved serious success," Lysenchuk said "There is a stable structure for developing young players and it is already bearing fruit."

New leaders
Lysenchuk led Ukraine’s student team to world titles in 1998 and 2004, plus bronze medals in 2002 and 2006, and those triumphs have infused their squad in Portugal. "The youth of yesterday is the basis of the national team today," the coach said. "The potential of the newcomers is even higher than that of the leaders of the past. Serhiy Sytin, Valeriy Zamyatin and Oleksandr Khursov are looking to become the leaders. There is plenty of talent and I believe in them."

Italian lessons
Warm-up results have been mixed, 5-0 and 7-1 home wins against Latvia in September followed a month later by 4-1 and 5-2 defeats in Italy. "In Italy we decided to rotate the squad and try different sets of players," Lysenchuk said. "The hosts did beat us in both friendlies, but we answered a lot of questions."




Courtesy: UEFA.com


Venancio relishes Spain challenge

Wednesday 14 November 2007

by Beltrán Parra from Madrid

José Venancio was given quite a task a couple of months back. Javier Lozano had just resigned as Spain coach on the eve of the UEFA Futsal Championship, and Venancio stepped up to lead the holders in the defence of their title, succeeding a man who in 15 years made his nation the prime force in the world game.

Experience
Venancio did not lack in experience. The 43-year-old was, and remains, coach of top-flight club Autos Lobelle de Santiago FS, having previously been part of the Spain technical staff, led the Guatemala national side and masterminded Caja Segovia's domestic treble in 1998/99 and subsequent unofficial European title. But he knows that stepping into the shadow of his friend Lozano presents a special kind of challenge as he prepared to start their finals campaign in Porto on Saturday having won their last friendly last weekend 5-0 against a Castro Urdiales XI.

Responsibility
"I am the coach of the winners of the last two [FIFA Futsal] World Cups," Venancio told uefa.com. "Not only do I have responsibility for the national team, but also for representing Spanish futsal. We're talking about the best league in the world and we have to prove that at the European Championship. Everyone will be watching Spain closely and that's a lot of responsibility."

Lozano backing
His dual role means extra pressure, but Venancio is delighted to have the chance. "The truth is that they approached me once Lozano had left but I was under contract at Lobelle and that wasn't what they had in mind," he said. "However, I managed to sort it out with the club and the president. It wasn't something I was thinking about, things just happened that way and logically. Everyone wants to be involved with their national team and for me it's an honour, I'm very proud. I have to thank Javier Lozano because he entrusted me with this. I am his student and he is my teacher, I have learned a lot from him and I have been lucky in the sense that sometimes teachers make the students pull through."

Tough competition
Keeping faith with the team that Lozano built on the principle that "we should not change something that works", Vevancio has a tough group to negotiate, opening against two-time runners-up Ukraine, then playing Serbia before a rematch of the 2005 final with Russia. And any semi-final would not be easy with 2003 champions Italy and hosts Portugal among the potential opponents. "We are going to try to win but we know that there are other countries in the running for the title," Venancio said. "We have to respect them all and count on them because this sport has grown so much in Europe and all national teams are of the highest level. Russia, Italy and Portugal are, in my opinion, favourites for the title as well as Spain."




Courtesy: UEFA.com


Fans travel free at futsal finals

Wednesday 14 November 2007

The UEFA European Futsal Championship kicks off in Porto on Friday and fans wanting to watch the continent's eight strongest nations compete for the title can do so at a bargain price – with transport thrown in.

Cheap deal
Each day six Fan Buses will transport 300 supporters straight to the arenas for the double-header matches with the cost for travel and ticket just €3 for the group stage, €5 for the semi-finals and €7.50 for the final and third-place match on 25 November. In particular, expat fans of the seven visitors to Portugal – Italy, the Czech Republic, Romania, Spain, Russia, Ukraine and Serbia – are encouraged to cheer their teams on.

Details
The buses will run from the central car park at Avenida da República in Gaia, near Câmara metro station. To reserve a place, individual or groups should email futsal@cunhavaz.com for reservations.







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