New Zealand Football: International flavour to ASB Futsal National League

December 2, 2011

AUCKLAND – There is a cosmopolitan look to squads for the ASB Futsal National League kicking off at the Edgar Centre in Dunedin this weekend.

In addition to the established core of Futsal Whites throughout the seven teams, the competition’s second season league welcomes players with national league experience in Japan, Brazil, Thailand and Argentina, along with ex Moroccan age-group international Hicham Kamri.

Played over three weekends spread throughout the summer of 2011/2012 – Auckland hosts Series Two in February and the final round is in Wellington in March – the league will be streamed live at www.nzffutsal.co.nz and highlights shown on Sky TV.

Teams from six of New Zealand Football federations have entered teams, including two from Central Football, reflecting the greater role of federations in running the FIFA-endorsed version of indoor football in their regions.

“As the sport’s rise here starts to match the pace of growth internationally, and our federations have been successful in developing new centre-based leagues in their regions, representative teams is a natural progression from the more club based tournaments of the past,” said New Zealand Football’s futsal development manager Dave Payne.

“We’re also seeing a large number of under 20 players in this year’s teams which is a sign that national college futsal programme and the development work in the regions is already paying dividends. And it of course bodes well for the future of the national team.”

Defending champions Maccabi Hakoah, invited last year as a guest club, will not be returning as the Sydney outfit have since won the Australian national league and qualified for the Asian Futsal Club Championships.

In Maccabi’s absence, Capital Futsal – who ran the visitors close in a 0-2 loss in last season’s final – and an Auckland squad boasting more Futsal Whites than any other start as title favourites.

The 2011/12 ASB Futsal National League will be used to select the Futsal Whites to compete in the OFC Futsal Championships in July 2012, and could also produce match officials for that tournament.




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