UK Mitoo Futsal Cup.
There is only one UK Summer Cup you need to enter this year.
Mitoo Futsal CUP, LONDON 17th JUNE. Register before 21st MAY.
www.ukfutsal.org

£35 per head.

DAVE WARD

07843382797

Sheffield United U16 Futsal Tournament

Wednesday 6^th June 2012 5PM-8PM

Norton College Sports Hall

Dyche Lane, Sheffield, S8 8BR

Futsal is the only form of indoor football approved by FIFA, UEFA and the FA. With over 2 million players regularly participating in fast-paced 5-a-side action that rewards good technique and game intelligence, Futsal is globally recognised as one of the fastest growing indoor sports in the world.

Contact Chris Bailey to register your team (each team can register two sides containing 8 players each)

01142922347
chris.bailey@sufc.co.uk

With Futsal still being very early in its development and growth here in England, major success on the international front has been few and far between.

Whilst the England team is improving with each and every game, Peter Sturgess and Michael Skubala have yet to deliver major finals qualification, though England inch closer with every passing year.

However, when the Futsal Euros kicked off in Croatia back on 31 January, English eyes were on another man representing his country, a referee called Marc Birkett.

Birkett is widely recognised as one of the biggest success stories of English Futsal’s short history. Having begun refereeing Futsal back in 2004, he quickly rose through the ranks of referees, entering the FIFA list just four years later.

“I first began working with Futsal whilst I was Development Officer at Sheffield FA”, explained the 34-year-old from Derby.

“I’d been working to get the game up and running in the area and we had an Elite League running out of the University of Sheffield.

“I was asked if I could officiate and began as a time-keeper, but quickly made the jump and began whistling on the games.”

Birkett was an active Level Four, 11-a-side official at the time and for a period he juggled refereeing across the two variants of the sport. However, his qualification for the FIFA list in 2008 meant that he had to make a choice. His choice was Futsal.

“Choosing to officiate one form of the game was a pretty big decision for me,” he added.

“It was becoming increasingly difficult to referee both alongside work commitments and my family.

“I was also aware that international appointments don’t come very often and it is important to go into each and every one fully focused.

“Being on the FIFA list is a huge honour for me and it was important that I was focused on the opportunity I had been provided with.

“Switching between Futsal and Football wasn’t giving me the right preparation so in 2010, I made the decision to focus solely on Futsal.

“It has been the best decision of my life.”

When Birkett was chosen to referee at this year’s Futsal European Championship, he stepped in front of a stage that this country has yet to experience. Entrusted with the honour of officiating the opening game of the tournament live on TV, Birkett was refereeing in front of a crowd of almost 9,000 in Split, almost all backing the hosts Croatia.

“The Futsal Euros is an experience that I will never forget,” he said.

“I am proud to say I was a part of such a showcase event for the sport and one which shows the size and exposure of the game on the continent.

“The Futsal community, my family and friends were all aware of what a big occasion it was but I think it will probably have gone unnoticed to the wider Footballing world.

“That is the nature of a developing sport. To go from our developing FA National Futsal League into televised games in front of full houses was quite a step.

“It’s a great buzz to be involved in such occasions and one which I will savour.”

His performances in Croatia did not going unnoticed, and after being appointed to the Hungary vs. Serbia World Cup qualifier in March, alongside fellow English FIFA referee Gavin Sartain, Birkett has been appointed to the AFC Futsal Championships in Dubai at the end of May.

“The AFC Championships have come completely out of the blue but I’m honoured to be appointed.”

“I had the fortunate opportunity to be a guest of the AFC back in 2010.

“I came over for their Elite Futsal Referee’s seminar so I will be working alongside friends from that trip and sampling another confederations style of Futsal.”

After refereeing at this level, many will believe that Birkett is in the perfect position to assess just how far away the England team and The FA National Futsal League are from competing with the best that Europe and the world have to offer.

“Futsal in England has been steadily growing over the past few years and year-on-year, we are seeing better teams and in turn, better games,” he claimed.

“We are very much at a turning point with the growth of the game in England and with everything going on, such as the growth and more professional looking National League, the University programme and a fledging Youth system nationwide, the game can only move forwards.

“It would be great to have a completed competition pyramid within the next five years and hopefully if this does happen, we will see the clubs and the England team benefit considerably.

“It will take the involvement of everyone involved in the sport to push the game forward, but with hard work and the right backing, I fully believe that we can see a professional league at some stage in the future.”

Marc, a number of other officials and the six best Futsal teams in the country will be in action next weekend in the FA National Futsal League Grand Finals at the Sporthouse in Barking.

You can follow Marc’s progress in the AFC Futsal Championships at www.the-afc.com.

10/05/2012
English Futsal: refereeing

Courtesy: The FA.com

by Matt Hardy

Tuesday, 08 May, 2012

New Futsal league in pipeline

7:53pm Wednesday 16th May 2012

A new international indoor football arena dedicated to playing Futsal, the official FIFA and FA indoor five-a-side football format, is opening in Leeds in August.

The new @Futsal site will be located at Millshaw Park, near the White Rose shopping centre.  FULL STORY

CARDIFF CITY FC ‘SAMBA STARS’ development Programme

Cardiff City FC are proud to present their brand new Futsal development programme aims to provide both boys and girls with a taste of the fastest growing indoor sport in the world. The programme will combine highly enjoyable technical sessions with fun small sided games all backed up with the sound of South America, to create a free, expressive and unforgettable experience.

Futsal is widely considered as a valuable tool in the development of young players to assist them in becoming more technically proficient. The game supports players to develop agility, balance and co-ordination and speed ( ABC’s ). It also supports players to become more comfortable with the ball and multiply opportunities to practice passing, dribbling, turning, shooting and ball control whilst under pressure.

Mini Kickers
AGE : 5 – 6
DAY : Monday
TIME : 4.45 – 5.45 PM
COST : £20 ( 6 sessions )

Futsal Skills Centre

BOYS
AGE : Under 8’s – 11’s
DAY : Tuesday
TIME : 4.45 – 5.45 PM
COST : £20 ( 6 sessions )

GIRLS
AGE : under 8’s – 11’s
DAY : Monday
TIME : 4.45 PM – 5.45 PM
COST : £20 ( 6 sessions )

Futsal Club Nights
Club Nights are a fantastic opportunity for local clubs to be coached by Cardiff City staff. Players will be coached in fun, technical, high tempo sessions to develop their ball mastery / manipulation skills and learn to be more comfortable on the ball in tight areas.

AGE GROUPS : Under 7’s – Under 11’s
DAY : Thursday
TIME : 4.45 – 5.45 PM
COST : £50 (MAX NO OF PLAYERS 16)

To book your place or for more information please contact :
futsal@cardiffcityfc.co.uk
02920 643 654

Or download the flyer/booking form attached: -> Cardiff City FC “Samba Stars” development programme

The award winning grass roots football provider organises a range of football/futsal related coaching sessions for children and young people in Devon and Somerset, as well as running educational programmes, adult small sided football leagues and other outreach work in the local community.

The Trust relies on a team of paid part-time and casual coaches to deliver their events, but is in need of new recruits so it can continue to expand and develop its range of sessions.

FULL STORY

CONWY UNITED hope to reveal the identity of their new manager this week following the resignation of Mick McGraa.

FULL STORY

16 May 2012 |

Published by: Aaron Haley

www.northwalespioneer.co.uk

During her visit, the Minister was briefed on the FUTSAL programme, a soccer initiative to up-skill people in long-term unemployment. Minister Burton congratulated all the participants involved in the programme – Click here to read full story

May 2012

Dublin City University