Courtesy: FIFA.com


Instruction, preparation and qualification

Thursday 12 July 2012

FIFA.com takes a look at the major happenings in the world of Futsal over the last two months, including the organisation of courses in China PR, Germany, New Zealand and Tahiti. Elsewhere, CONCACAF, CAF, and AFC berths were assigned for the FIFA Futsal World Cup Thailand 2012, which is scheduled to take place from 1 to 18 November.

Highlights
From 11 to 13 May, the Chinese Football Association arranged a Futsal tournament that brought together the national sides of China, Japan, Iran and Romania. In tandem with the event, FIFA launched a training course for Futsal coaches, run by FIFA instructor Wai Chung Tsang, from Hong Kong – the first of its kind to be held in China. Miguel Rodrigo and Guilherme Silveira, national Futsal coaches of Japan and China respectively, were both in attendance. The competition itself was won by Romania, with the Iranians claiming the runners-up spot.

Development
Overseen by Australian FIFA instructor Scott Gilligan, the first-ever FIFA Futsal coaching course was staged in New Zealand from 21 to 25 May, in Wellington. Gilligan was recently appointed coach of the New Zealand national Futsal team.

A few days later, it was Germany’s turn to play the role of first-time hosts, as Belgian Futsal expert Benny Meurs put coaches through their paces in a sports complex near Hanover from 29 May to 2 June. “Futsal is becoming ever more accepted in Germany and the interest in the game is growing,” said Bernd Barutta, head of amateur football at the German Football Association.

Last but not least, Pierre Jacky, FIFA instructor and France Futsal coach, travelled to Tahiti to lead a Futsal training course from 25 to 29 June. Around 30 participants – coaches and players – attended the sessions, helping to boost development of the sport on the Polynesian island.

Futsal across the globe
At the end of May, the 2012 AFC Futsal Championship, a continental competition that doubles as a qualifying tournament for the FIFA Futsal World Cup, took place in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. It was Japan who emerged victorious, beating Thailand in the final, while Iran and Australia finished third and fourth respectively. These four countries, as well as quarter-finalists Kuwait, all secured slots at November’s global gathering.

Africa’s representatives at Thailand 2012 have now also been confirmed. North Africa dominated the qualifying campaign, as Egypt, Morocco and Libya secured the three available berths.

Finally, CONCACAF also combined its regional championship with qualifying matches for the FIFA Futsal World Cup. Costa Rica triumphed at the event, proving too strong for host nation Guatemala in the final. Joining these two sides as representatives from North, Central America and the Caribbean in Thailand will be losing semi-finalists Panama and Mexico.

A little further south, the inaugural South American Women’s Club Futsal Championship was organised by CONMEBOL in Asuncion, the capital of Paraguay. Brazilian outfit Chapeco pulled off a resounding 8-0 win over Paraguayan team Kurupi to claim the title.

The 13th edition of the Intercontinental Futsal Cup took place in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, featuring local side Carlos Barbosa, Argentinian club Boca Juniors, Montesilvano from Italy and Inter Movistar from Spain. The Brazilian hosts lifted the trophy, beating the Spanish outfit 4-1 in the final.

Finally, Kuwait City was the venue for the 3rd annual AFC Futsal Club Championship in early July. Giti Pasand Isfahan struck another blow for Iranian football in Asia, overcoming third-placed Nagoya Oceans (Japan) and runners-up Ardus Tashkent (Uzbekistan) to secure the continental crown.

What they said
“Football and Futsal tournaments are organised in the same way in Spain. We’ve got national and regional competitions that help to improve players’ development. Futsal enables young players in particular to better prepare for 11-a-side matches. In Spain they start playing at the age of eight, and training is carried out in a progressive manner. Futsal helps football players to develop in the best possible way,” Jose Venancio Lopez Hierro, Spain Futsal coach.

“We’ve been taking this sport very seriously since 1998. We realised that we’d have to play against the best teams in order to make progress. We knew we’d lose a lot, but that wasn’t a problem. The goal was for our players to see these great teams and great players, and to learn how to compete with them,” Abbas Torabian, President of the Iranian Football Association’s Futsal committee

“Iranian and Japanese clubs have dominated Futsal in Asia for many years now, but the emergence of clubs from Uzbekistan, Lebanon, Thailand, Qatar and Kuwait has demonstrated that the gap is closing across the Asian continent,” Zhang Jilong, AFC interim President

Coming up
With the FIFA Futsal World Cup Thailand 2012 just around the corner, an array of development-related events are due to be held over the coming weeks, in practically all four corners of the globe. Between now and the end of August, New Caledonia, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Belarus, Japan and Thailand will all be visited by FIFA instructors.



Courtesy: FIFA.com


Development efforts to the fore in June

Wednesday 11 July 2012

A large number of development initiatives were carried out in June as member associations from every confederation reaped the benefits of FIFA programmes. FIFA.com now casts a look back over last month's activity and the most notable events.

Highlights
Despite seven previous CAF Africa Cup of Nations titles, Egypt's campaign to qualify for the 2013 edition ground to a halt on home soil as they suffered a surprise loss to the Central African Republic. The victors were thus able to celebrate a triumph which suggests that, for all the difficulties encountered, the efforts of the government and FIFA to develop local football are starting to bear fruit.

Story of the month
Arthur Wharton was the name on everybody's lips at the Home of FIFA on 6 June as homage was paid to the world's first ever black professional footballer. Representatives from the Arthur Wharton Foundation travelled to Zurich to present FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter with a maquette of the bronze statue of the tall goalkeeper which will soon enjoy pride of place at FIFA's headquarters.

That gift will help the foundation continue to spread awareness of Arthur Wharton and his story, while promoting diversity and cultural exchange. For more about Wharton, read our in-depth profile and the story about the statue presentation.

The stat
53 – The percentage of member associations in Africa that now play futsal, as opposed to 21 per cent in 2006. That significant rise points to a genuine boom in the discipline on the continent.

What they said
"Winter lasts for seven months here. Our goal was to bring continuity so that football can be played all year round. Thanks to FIFA's Goal projects, we were able to inaugurate a specialised futsal hall with a modern heating system at our headquarters in November. It had an almost immediate effect as the number of players has greatly increased, including children." Maya Lhamdorj, head of the Department of International Relations at the Mongolian Football Federation (MFF).

Diverse activities in various fields

Grassroots
Switzerland, Zurich, 19-21 June: Forty instructors from all four corners of the globe participated in a seminar on the Grassroots projects being carried out by FIFA's development officials. After four years of Grassroots efforts, a fruitful and constructive first assessment of the work being done was the order of the day. It was then time for the instructors to share their expertise with around 60 children from the IES school in Versoix and the Letzikids school in Zurich as the youngsters discovered the joys of a Grassroots festival.

Courses
Tahiti, Pirae, 25-29 June: Futsal in Tahiti is on the up, with no fewer than 3,900 players on record as taking part. That growth owes much to the exploits of Tahiti's national team, the AITO AIRII, who reached the final of the qualifiers for the FIFA Futsal World Cup in 2008 and 2011.

For its part, FIFA is continuing to contribute to the process via its four-year futsal development programme (2012 to 2016). The new cycle got under way at the end of June with courses and training initiatives organised for the discipline's main participants.

Germany, Hanover, 29 May-2 June: Back in Europe, meanwhile, Germany held its first course for futsal coaches at the Barsinghausen sports complex near Hanover, where FIFA instructor Benny Meurs led the way. The German Football Association (DFB) received a huge number of requests to take part in the event, and among those present were 19 futsal club coaches and the coaches of eight regional futsal sides, as well as four coaching instructors and 12 representatives from regional federations.

Goal Projects, new initiatives and PERFORMANCE programmes
Burkina Faso, Ouagadougou, 18-23 June: A FIFA delegation met around 50 officials from the Burkinabe Football Federation (FBF) and the country's domestic league to launch a PERFORMANCE programme. Several local dignitaries and media figures were also present, including the Minister of Sports, journalists, sponsors and national television personnel to cover the event.

Uruguay, Nueva Helvecia, 14 June: President Blatter travelled to Colonia in the south of Uruguay to meet with inhabitants of Nueva Helvecia, the largest Swiss settlement in Latin America, on the occasion of the town's 150th anniversary. During his visit, he also opened an artificial pitch at the Uruguay Celeste Elite Training Centre, the funding for which was provided by the FIFA 'Win in CONMEBOL with CONMEBOL' programme. In addition, he was able to present national coach Oscar Tabarez with the FIFA Order of Merit.

Albania, Tirana: A breakthrough was made in June as the first project was completed in a new FIFA programme designed to help member associations generate supplementary income. Thanks to FIFA's financial input, the Football Association of Albania (FSHF) was able to carry out a feasibility study into the construction of a new national arena in Tirana to replace Qemal Stafa Stadium. This, and other projects like it, represent a new type of assistance FIFA is now committed to providing, which will allow associations whose revenues do not match their potential in commercial and football terms to launch projects which generate income.

Women's football
Costa Rica, 20-23 June: With the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup Costa Rica 2014 in mind, a FIFA Com-Unity seminar was held in the country. Com-Unity is a Presidential programme, and the goal in Costa Rica was to aid the growth of Women's football and raise awareness of the coming tournament among the local population.

Among those present for the seminar were government bodies, business representatives, sponsors, and members of FIFA and the Costa Rican Football Association (FEDEFUTBOL), as well as the media.




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