Courtesy: The AFC.com


Futsal to the fore

11 June 2008

KUALA LUMPUR – The third day of the AFC Project Future refresher course will see attention temporarily shift to the five-aside game, with Wednesday’s activities kicking-off with a practical session on futsal.

The session will be conducted by AFC Education Development Officer Ali Targholizade, who before joining the Asian game’s governing body was on the coaching staff of the Iran national futsal team.

Commenting on the importance of including a futsal session into the Project Future programme, course director Scott O’Donell remarked on how elements of the indoor game can be incorporated into training sessions for the 11-aside version while at the same time introducing the occasional bit of futsal will add some variety for the players.

“We want to show how futsal can be beneficial for the outdoor game….especially for teaching kids technique and ball control. “Futsal is about ball control,” he said.

“Incorporating futsal into the training gives a change of routine which can be good for the players and the coaches.

“Doing the same sessions every week can get coaches in a rut. There needs to be things to keep the players interested and the coaches motivated.”




Courtesy: The AFC.com


Futsal takes centre-stage

11 June 2008

KUALA LUMPUR: The latest futsal techniques and tactics were imparted to fourteen coaches in a practical session on Wednesday in the ongoing AFC Project Future course.

The two-hour tutorial, conducted by AFC Education Development Officer and Futsal Instructor Ali Targholizade, underlined the contribution of correct ball positions, movements and team reaction towards the outcome of matches.

Targholizade emphasised the relation between small-sided games such as futsal and the bigger version.

“There is a strong link between futsal and football as it is in small-sided games one hones the team strategy,” said Targholizade, a former technical member of the Iranian national team.

“Most big clubs practice their formations with the help of four-a-side games and here is where this particular course comes in as it shows the participants the utility of small-sided games.”

Agility and movement of players are pivotal to success in futsal and these twin aspects were demonstrated to the coaches.

The course participants were suitably impressed with the curriculum.

“This is a very good course for people like me who are aspiring to be coaches in the future,” said Moussa Hjeij, who plays for Lebanese outfit Al Mabarrah and hopes to get his coaching badges with the same club next year.

“I learnt that futsal is a lot more faster than football and quick reaction is of the essence.”

One of the two women coaches, Wing Kum Ng of Hong Kong, agreed with Hjeij. “The course gave us basic knowledge of futsal and it is quite interesting how the technical aspects are related to football.”

“Since futsal is still developing in Hong Kong the course will help me when I am training young children.”





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