After working in futsal development in New Zealand for three years, Matt Fejos attended the English FA’s ‘Catalyst for Change Futsal Conference’ in November, 2014. Following on from this event, Matt was able to draw parallels between the goals of both New Zealand Football and the English FA, both in terms of their development strategies, and how they would incorperate futsal. Matt shares his predictions and thoughts around the growth of Futsal as a sport, and some possible similarities with the World Game.
One question still dominates in both England and New Zealand: how do we develop technical, tactically creative players capable of success on the world stage? And what part does fustal play in this?
England is fast approaching a half century since their famous 1966 World Cup win, the national team’s last major success. While England continue to slide down the FIFA rankings, Belgium have rocketted from 66th in the world to fourth in four years (2010 – 2014). It’s no coincidence that they’re one of the ‘best practice’ examples England is looking to emulate.
In the wider football context, England are on a slippery slope. Out of this hardship and perceived failure England are rethinking and attempting to change their approach. Many believe this lack of success has coincided with the death of street football in England, which provided a similar playing experience to that of futsal.
Many believe this lack of success has coincided with the death of street football in England, which provided a similar playing experience to that of futsal.
So, out of this situation, what has happened? Development is often born from discomfort. England have had an introspective examination and researched best practice worldwide. The result has signified a new direction and strategy at both the grassroots and elite levels of the game.
At the grassroots level, England released a new plan for youth football in England in May 2012. Nick Levett (The FA National Development Manager for Youth Football) called for ‘a climate change, this is kids football, not the World Cup’. Similar formats were applied based on this best practice research of children’s enjoyment and (perhaps related), player development.
At the high performance level, in December 2014, The FA produced the England DNA”, a blueprint for the national programme, after a year of self-reflection and research. They described the traditional English mentality as “characterised by our passion, fighting spirit and effort”.
This DNA outlined how the future England teams would play, be coached and supported. They also studied nine top nations, including Belgium, for clues on best practice. There is a deliberate attempt to change the culture and how things are done, to produce more creative and technical players.
The Catalyst for Change futsal conference was itself a bold statement. The historical significance of this event could be felt amongst the futsal community there. It was the loudest backing yet, to support and incorporate futsal as part of a long- term plan. Ironically, this desire for change; to produce a different style of English player, is itself brave and bold. To choose a new direction and acquire the risk associated with change is far bolder and braver than to keep doing what has always been done.
Eden Hazard (centre) takes on Norwich City’s Jonny Howson. Photo: Ben Sutherland
It was appropriate that one of the star presenters at the Catalyst for Change Conference was a Belgian, Benny Meurs. Belgium was one of the case studies of the English DNA Plan. Their staggering rise up the FIFA rankings was driven by a national team packed with stars who have hijacked headlines in the ‘English’ Premier League. One of these is Eden Hazard, who is the poster boy on recent advertisements for Nike’s latest futsal shoe, having had a family futsal team as a child growing up: ”Hazard Boys”. So it seemed appropriate to have a Belgian sharing some knowledge of what they have done there.
Belgium was one of the case studies of the English DNA Plan. Their staggering rise up the FIFA rankings was driven by a national team packed with stars who have hijacked headlines in the ‘English’ Premier League.
Benny is a well respected FIFA Futsal Instructor, and former Belgium international futsal player and coach. He had a captive audience, about 200 aspiring coaches were packed into the room with standing room only. They had paid money to attend, so needed no selling of the benefits of futsal. They were there with a hunger for more knowledge – just how do we do this futsal thing? Instead of answering this directly, however, his presentation focussed on something completely different.
He recalled the very successful Belgium 2014 UEFA Futsal Euros tournament. Clips of amazing games and the crowds. Mentions of the remarkable rise in attendance, from just 1,000 four years before to 11,500 for games and the idea of futsal as a spectator sport in its own right. So, I wondered, why was he giving this message to all these people who already believed in futsal? Simply put, he wasn’t. Meurs wasn’t presenting to the 200 aspiring futsal coaches. He was presenting to a small handful of football authorities in the FA structure that have the power within football to make the change.
Javier Lozano (right of group) discusses a practical session at the FA’s Futsal Catalyst for change conference 2014.
Photo: Matt Fejos
It was an important reminder of the political climate in which futsal sits and must work within. To create change was never going to be easy. Real growth and change comes from hardship and challenge.
So this is the wider question, the eternal conundrum of futsal. Just what is it and where does it sit?
Premier League academies are now incorporating futsal into their programmes. Alan Irvine, Everton Academy’s Head Coach explains: “We want to develop players who are tactically flexible and technically competent, so a lot of this ties in very nicely as far as futsal is concerned… We’re quite convinced that it adds to our programme. The fact is we don’t play a five v five game; we’re trying to develop players to play eleven-a-side. It’s simply a case of trying to take the things that are transferable from futsal and using them to benefit our players.”
“We want to develop players who are tactically flexible and technically competent, so a lot of this ties in very nicely as far as futsal is concerned.” – Alan Irvine, Everton Academy Head Coach
So is futsal destined to be merely a training tool for football, where it is only used in such a way to benefit and translate to 11-a-side? Or can it offer more than this? Can it be a game in its own right, potentially a professional sport in these new countries, as it is in Brazil and Spain? In January 2015, USA have sensationally unveiled plans for a professional league in 2016.
There is a unique potential in futsal to re-engage with people who have fallen out of love with football. How many potential players are out there who used to play football, but don’t anymore, and why? For example, one reason might be the convenience factor that futsal offers. This opens the potential futsal market beyond the current football-playing population.
Many believe that futsal must be kept pure for the sake of both futsal and football. If it isn’t, if we try to modify it, we risk losing the unique benefits that Belgian, Spanish and Brazilian superstars credit with their development.
Incidentally, this philosophy has been articulated best by an Englishman. FIFA Futsal Instructor Graeme Dell visited New Zealand in 2011 when we began developing the strategy. He said that: “Futsal is a sport in its own right, which must be kept genuine, for the greater good of football. If you dilute futsal from its true format in any way then you get a hybrid, that in turn delivers a diluted development output from that we have seen with the likes of Messi, Ronaldo, etc.”
Whichever direction we go, it appears futsal is here to stay and the potential is big.
Cover Image: Colin
