Futsal work continues to flourish

Well-established game
FIFA introduced futsal as a new discipline in 1988 and the number of Futsal-playing countries increased considerably during the 1990s. This enthusiasm in Europe was reflected on the pitch and UEFA staged its first European Futsal tournament in January 1996. The UEFA Executive Committee then decided in April 1997, to introduce a full-scale UEFA European Futsal Championship, played in 1999. The club game is well established in Europe, with the UEFA Futsal Cup launched in 2001/02. The inaugural UEFA European Under-21 Futsal Tournament will be staged in St Petersburg, Russia from 8-14 December.

Game for youngsters
Why has Futsal made such strides in recent years? "First of all, Futsal is a game for youngsters and falls in line with their expectations – speed, actions, shots, goals, technical skills," said UEFA Futsal and Beach Soccer Committee chairman Grigoriy Surkis. "But there is another dimension that gives this game a special interest to all generations – its philosophy. For instance, the accumulated foul system prevents players from being too aggressive. Moreover, the fact there is no tackling allowed is a great protection against injuries – that is a key priority for UEFA. The comfort and the major entertainment potential in an indoor environment are also helping to attract spectators and admirers."

Pure emotions
"{The fans] simply get pure emotions," Surkis adds. "A goalscoring opportunity may occur every minute, and a team that is leading 3-0 one minute from the end is still not guaranteed to win. Many people who are just discovering futsal fall in love with it for the future."

Concentration crucial
What makes a good futsal player? "Smaller players with a low centre of gravity obviously have an advantage on such a reduced surface," says Surkis. "But that does not mean that tall players cannot show their worth in futsal. I guess concentration is also a crucial point, as one second of mental absence may lead to a goal. In addition, each futsal player is 20 per cent of a team, so even a small mistake is more visible than in eleven-a-side football."

More professional
Futsal has also become more professional over the years, in terms of tactics, fitness and technique. "At the [last] European Futsal Championship, everyone was amazed by the level of physical preparation of the teams," Surkis reflects. "Tactical training has also evolved and a number of national associations are now developing specific coach education programs."

Referee work
Nor does UEFA neglect the futsal referees, taking proactive measures to give referees the necessary tools to keep in line with the sport's evolution. "A UEFA seminar for 40 top futsal referees has been taking place every two years since 2005," Surkis explains. "There is also cooperation with the sub-committee within UEFA under the auspices of the UEFA Referees' Committee, as well as experience exchange networks among the associations.

Ideas and proposals
"The committee's role is to set the strategic direction and provide for the implementation of ideas and proposals," Surkis concludes. "For instance, we are constantly reviewing the UEFA Futsal Cup format, as there are different wishes and expectations from the clubs, especially taking into account the differences in financial possibilities and administrative structure between the bigger and smaller clubs. The creation of a preliminary round and final round two years ago has proved to be a good decision. [All] proposals are thoroughly examined and put into discussion in the course of our committee meetings."