Courtesy: thehindu.com

Football in Chennai: Taking futsal to a new level

by Vivek Narayanan

Lack of space does not seem to have dampened the spirits of football fans in Chennai. They are making do with whatever space is at their disposal and playing their favourite sport.

A group of youngsters have created a ‘rooftop futsal’ facility in Kilpauk. Futsal is a form of football that addresses the constraint of space. Often played indoors, futsal — also known as tiki-taka — was born in Barcelona and is characterised by short passing and is played with each team fielding just five members.

This group has created a futsal facility on the rooftop of a building in Lakshmi Street off New Avadi Road.

The facility, which the group has named ‘Tiki-Taka,’ is patterned on a futsal facility at Wembley, London.

“The facility will be inaugurated on October 2 and tournaments will be conducted from the following day,” says Prahlad Meyyappan, a member of the group that includes Ayush Asera, Mahesh Mani and Kishen Rangarajan. All of them are in their early twenties.

They have been friends from school. “We all studied at P.S.B.B., Nungambakkam, and were part of the school’s football team. After many years, we wanted to start playing the sport again, but we did not find any space. And we decided to start this rooftop facility. The idea was born in January this year,” says Mr. Asera.

The facility is built in a 4,200-sq ft area, one of the requirements laid down by FIFA for a futsal facility.

“It will also have a synthetic turf, which is being imported from the Netherlands. It has artificial grass of 50 mm. One can play wearing the football studs,” says Mr. Mani.

But won’t the ball fall out often? “We have raised high-quality mesh all around the area. We will also have a net on top,” says Mr. Rangarajan.

The facility will lit by powerful LED lights, enabling football fans to play well into the night. “A lot of research has gone into design of the facility. A juice bar and a dressing room are available. It has lockers and showers,” says Mr. Meyyappan.

The boys say their parents have supported them in starting this facility. The turf can be used for cricket too. “We will be starting an academy called Tiki-Taka School of Football. Licensed coaches will be engaged to coach children,” says Mr. Mani.






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