Courtesy: London 24


National futsal squad handed their caps by visiting FA chairman in Dagenham

by Freddy Mayhew

Monday, October 22, 2012

England’s squad for the modified football game called futsal were awarded their caps at Dagenham’s newest sports centre by FA chairman David Bernstein.

The 12-man team were given their honours on Friday when they appeared at the Olympic training facility SportHouse, which could become home to international fixtures of the game.

FA Chairman David Bernstein said: “The FA is very focussed on youth development and Futsal is definitely a game that children can embrace as it’s all about ball control and movement. The skill and fitness levels from our England team were very impressive today and the facilities here in Barking are wonderful.”

National development manager Simon Walker praised the new facility as “like the Wembley of futsal” during a three-day training session at the weekend.

Forward Luke Ballinger, who is playing his sixth season in the national team and has picked up 50 caps, said: “Every cap means just as much as the first one.”

Futsal, the only five-a-side game supported by FIFA, began life in South America and develops skill, flair and quick technique on the ball in other full-sized national teams such as Spain and Brazil.

Defender Jason Kilbride, 23, said: “A lot of footballers that come to play it for the first time we would be able to tear apart because they take too long to make strategic decisions.”

The pitch at the Mayesbrook Park centre is the same one built for handball practice during London 2012. The England squad’s next fixture is away to Norway and Denmark in a three-nations friendly tie, part of preparation for the Uefa European Championships in February.

In the meantime, the FA National Futsal League will be playing fixtures at SportHouse all season, with the next match, between London United and Kaunas, on Sunday, October 28, from 10am.






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