Power-of-Five-Oct-2014

Transcription

S
ISSN 2324-3813
THE MAGAZINE OF NEW ZEALAND FOOTBALL FUTSAL
ISSUE 12 OCTOBER 2014
PHOTO: Masanori Udagawa
www.photowellington.com
OFC FUTSAL CHAMPIONSHIP INVITATIONAL
NATIONAL JUNIOR FESTIVAL &
YOUTH
CHAMPIONSHIPS
w Zealand Football| FUTSAL “The
Power
of Five” Black & White
ASB TRANS TASMAN CUP
TACTICS BOARD
JAN FISCHER INTERVIEW
03
WELCOME...
New Zealand Football| FUTSAL “The Power of Five” Black & White
Hello and welcome to the latest issue of
Power of Five. With the winter football
season over, it’s that time of the year
where futsal always experiences a
‘spike’ in growth as keen footballers
look at options to keep ‘kicking it all
year round’ through futsal.
Over the past five months, the New
Zealand Football Futsal development
team have been on the road with the
Futsal Whites providing free opportunities
to first-timers to learn about the game,
watch the experts play and most
importantly play the game for themselves.
Providing first hand opportunities for
newcomers to experience the sport
provides New Zealand Football and its
federations with the next wave of futsal
enthusiasts. We all know that once you’ve
played futsal there is no going back!
From a national competitions and national
team point of view, it has been a busy
period. The National Junior Festival and
Youth Championships were again a great
success with WaiBOP taking out a Youth
Grade for the first time. Their success
in the highly competitive U-19 grade is
surely a by-product of their commitment
of two seasons where they fielded
a predominately youth side of futsal
specialists in the Futsal National League.
The annual Trans-Tasman Cup kicked off
for its third year and the Aussies proved
why they are ranked 24th in the world
with three straight victories.
All game were outstanding matches for the
neutral spectator, but the results highlight
the gap we need to breach to compete
against the top-tier futsal nations.
Learning from defeat was the focus after
the Trans-Tasman Cup and the Futsal
Whites became the first OFC team to
defeat an Asian Football Confederation
team in a competitive FIFA ‘A’ International
when they ticked up a 4-1 victory against
Malaysia at the OFC Futsal Invitational
Tournament in New Caledonia.
So whether you’re playing, coaching,
organising or officiating during the busy
summer of futsal ahead we wish you all
good luck and good experiences.
Yours in futsal
Dave Payne
NZ Football Futsal Development
Manager
PHOTO:
© CreativeB
08
© CreativeBank 2010
Futsal White Mohammed Kamri slices between Futsalroos Tobias
Seeto (7) and Nathan Niski (11).
PHOTOS: Masanori Udagawa | www.photowellington.com
PHOTO: Masanori Udagawa | www.photowellington.com
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TRANS-TASMAN CUP
FUTSALROOS RETAIN TROPHY IN
THREE MATCH WELLINGTON SERIES
MATCH ONE – 19 JULY 2013
ASB Sports Centre, Wellington
Bertos strikes as
Futsal Whites fall
NEW ZEALAND 3
(Bertos, Osman 2)
AUSTRALIA 5
(Giovenali 2, Seeto, Basger, own goal)
WELLINGTON - A goal on debut for Leo
Bertos (right) wasn’t enough for the Futsal
Whites as they went down to the Futsalroos
5-3 in Game 1 of the Trans-Tasman Cup at
the ASB Centre in Wellington.
The expectant crowd of 618 home fans
were in good voice but were silenced
after 15 minutes when an unmarked
Wade Giovenali ran through to open the
Futsalroos account.
Just two minutes later, a pinpoint ball from
Jarrod Basger found Giovenali again and
he made no mistake in burying the shot to
give the Futsalroos a 2-0 halftime lead.
Early in the second half, after conceding an
early own-goal, Bertos came back into the
game to a raucous welcome and it wasn’t
long before his impact was felt.
The 56-cap All White was picked out
immediately after taking the court and
chipped Angelo Konstantinou with his first
touch of the half producing the Futsal
Whites first goal against the Aussies in four
Trans-Tasman Cup games.
Australia restored their two-goal lead
shortly after through a superb sliding shot
from Basger from the edge of the area
however Kareem Osman replied almost
immediately; finishing a silky passing move.
Basger managed to find space behind the
defence again to score a tap in and give
the Futsalroos a 5-2 lead but any thoughts
of an easy win were shattered when Osman
scored again to leave Australia with a tense
final minute to hold on for the win.
Futsal Whites Head Coach Scott Gilligan
said he was happy with the character his
team showed after a slow start.
“We showed them too much respect in
the first half and gave them goals early on
through poor marking and the own goal. In
saying that, the character the boys showed
to come back in the second half was
great.”
Also pleasing from Gilligan’s point of view
was Bertos’ first-up effort.
“The professionalism he brought to the
team was invaluable. He started a bit
tentatively but really lifted the boys in the
second half with his goal.”
Gilligan was also delighted the Futsal
Whites were able to hit the back of the
Australian net three times in the second
half.
“Getting the monkey off the back and
scoring three goals against the Australians is
a big thing for us, especially not scoring one
in three games last year. It’s a big boost.”
NEW ZEALAND: Elias Billeh (GK), Dylan
Manickum, Daniel Burns (capt), Mohamed
Hicham Kamri, Miroslav Malivuk. Substitutes:
Atta Elayyan (GK), Josh Stevenson, Quadhah
Ragued, Kareem Osman, Marvin Eakins, Jakub
Sinkora, Jan Fischer, Leo Bertos, Tai Barham,
Bakr Al-Saudi.
© CreativeB
06
MATCH TWO – 20 JULY 2013
Australia run away
from Futsal Whites
NEW ZEALAND 0
AUSTRALIA 6
(Mundell 3, Basger, Giovenali, Polkinghorne)
WELLINGTON - The Futsalroos put on
an impressive second half performance
on their way to a comprehensive 6-0
victory over the Futsal Whites in Game 2
at the ASB Sports Centre, securing the
Trans-Tasman Cup in the process with a
game to spare.
The signs looked ominous early on for
the Kiwis, as they went behind in the first
minute when Jordan Mundell managed
to turn his defender and dispatch the ball
inside the left upright for an early 1-0 lead.
However, the goal seemed to spur the
Futsal Whites on as they forced a number
of classy saves from Australia’s goalkeeper
Nicholas Starr in the opening 15 minutes.
The Futsal Whites would have been happy
going into the break just 1-0 down and
looking defensively sound in front of a
stylish Futsalroos outfit.
PHOTO: PHOTOTEK
But two goals in two minutes to Jarrod
Basger and Wade Giovenali effectively
ended the Futsal Whites hopes of
a comeback after the break as the
Australians gained confidence and
continued to batter the New Zealand goal.
The Futsal Whites went close twice in the
second 20 with two long range efforts
getting beyond Starr in goal but denied
by the post. Mundell scored twice in the
final minutes to complete a hat-trick
on the night before a rocket from Chris
Polkinghorne added the ‘cherry’ on top to a
dominant display.
Futsal Whites coach Scott Gilligan was
disappointed with the score-line after being
in the game for a long period.
“We had a solid first half and were in the
game at the halftime break but their second
goal killed us. It looked like it should have
been our ball but that’s the way it goes.”
Gilligan said the Australians speed of ball
movement was impressive and ultimately
the difference between the two sides.
“In Oceania we have a lot of speed from the
players but not the speed of ball movement
that they have. Their guys move it around
at pace and their runs are smart as they’re
always cycling into space. Tonight they
showed that in the second half.”
There were positives and taking those into
the final game of the series was the key to
gaining a result, Gilligan believed.
“We will be looking to finish the series
on a high. We need to take the first half
performance from tonight and emulate that
for the whole game.”
Futsal White Dylan Manickum in action in Game 2.
NEW ZEALAND: Elias Billeh (GK - capt),
Kareem Osman, Daniel Burns, Leo Bertos, Tai
Barham. Substitutes: Atta Elayyan (GK), Joshua
Stevenson, Dylan Manickum, Oudhah Ragued,
Ryan Batty, Jakub Sinkora, Jan Fischer, Hicham
Kamri, Miroslav Malivuk.
07
MATCH THREE – 21 JULY 2013
Futsalroos complete
series sweep
NEW ZEALAND 1
(Fisher)
AUSTRALIA 7
(Barrientos 3’, 31’, Giovenali 4’,
Polkinghorne 10’, Basger 12’, Cooper 34’,
Callum Smith 38’ )
WELLINGTON - The Futsalroos showed
why they sit 24th in the world futsal
rankings as they completed a TransTasman Cup series clean sweep with
a 7-1 win over the Futsal Whites in
Wellington in Game 3.
Futsal White Kareem Osman
manages to get his shot away
despite the attention of Futsalroos’
Jarod Basger.
After dropping the first two matches of the
series on Friday and Saturday, early goals
again proved to be a problem for the Kiwis
as Jonathan Barrientos scored in the third
minute to take the Futsalroos out to an
early lead.
Heads dropped again within a minute as
Wade Giovenali slid in at the back post for
an easy tap-in to double the lead within five
minutes.
A spell of possession and solid defence
saw the Futsal Whites recover from the
bad start, however the Futsalroos set alarm
bells ringing when they scored twice in two
minutes through Chris Polkinghorne and
Jarrod Basger.
The crowd came to life on the quarter-hour
mark after the Futsal Whites started to
© CreativeB
come back into the game and they were
rewarded with a goal when Jan Fischer
latched onto a superb diagonal ball from
Bakr Al-Saudi to tap home at the back post.
This sparked the Kiwis to life as they
created a number of opportunities to score
again before the halftime break but could
not capitalise, going in facing a 4-1 deficit.
After the break, the Futsal Whites looked a
stronger defensive unit before the constant
pressure from the Australians took its toll
as they conceded 32nd and 35th minute
goals.
Callum Smith grabbed a goal 60 seconds
from time to finish off the scoring as he
was set-up brilliantly by Giovenali, who
looked to be one of the best players on the
court in Game 3.
08
Futsal Whites coach Scott Gilligan said the
team paid for a bad period in the game and
never really recovered.
Despite the results throughout the series,
Gilligan said it’s important that his players
understand they are in a learning phase
and it will take a little time to develop.
“We had a bad 10 minutes and it showed.
There was no belief during that period and
they capitalised on it. Once we actually
played possession, we created a chance
and got a goal from it.”
“We learned some hard lessons over the
three games but you look at where they are
in the world and how they play and learn
from them.
Gilligan said a few “stern words” at halftime were exchanged and to the Futsal
Whites’ credit, they lifted their game and
started to hold possession.
“These guys have been playing futsal, and
only futsal, since they were young and have
developed over a long period. We are in the
learning stage and the results won’t come
Futsal White Tai Barham in action.
overnight but they will come in time,” he
said.
“The performance in the first game showed
what we can do.”
NEW ZEALAND: Atta Elayyan (GK), Joshua
Stevenson, Ouadhah Ragued, Marvin Eakins
(capt), Jakub Sinkora. Substitutes: Dylan
Mackinum, Ryan Batty, Kareem Osman, Daniel
Burns, Jan Fischer, Hicham Kamri, Miroslav
Malivuk, Bakr Al-Saudi, Elias Billeh (GK)
07
THE TACTICS BOARD
© CreativeB
FUTSAL LEVEL 1
COACHING AWARD
A FAN’S GUIDE TO FUTSAL
ATTACKING FORMATIONS PART TWO: 2-2
Welcome to ‘Tactics Board’, a Power of
Five feature designed for fans new to
the world’s most popular small-sided
football game. When you first encounter
futsal, some of the game’s terminology,
techniques and tactics can be a little
confusing, so over the coming editions
we will look at examples of the more
common technical, tactical, social
and physical properties of futsal in an
attempt to increase your enjoyment of
the game.
After delving into the attacking ‘3-1’ in the
last edition, this time we take a look at the
‘2-2’ attacking formation.
1-2-1 (IN POSSESSION)
A
2
1-2
B
3
2
Square
3
Diagonal
Parallel
4
5
4
5
2-2
Though we perhaps see 2-2 less than
3-1 at top level, it can be a good starting
point for teams new to futsal, as the ‘two
at the back, two at the front’ concept
is quite straightforward for players to
understand. Also, this formation can
offer some defensive security, as having
two ‘defenders’ automatically in position
immediately upon losing possession high
up the court can give defenders time to
stall a rapid counterattack and give the
front two players time to get back behind
the line of the ball.
A typical attacking 2-2 will see players
positioned as in (A), with two players (2
and 3) stationed in the ‘build-up’ zone
and two players (4 and 5) in the ‘finishing’
zone. Typically, the players take up wide
positions, to not only maximise the width of
the court, but to create space in the middle
of the court for off-the-ball movement
that can ‘open’ the middle of the court for
penetrating passes.
As with any attacking futsal formation,
the key to creating shooting opportunities
is accurate passing, ball speed and the
intelligent off-the-ball runs that really
characterise the game of futsal.
In addition to quality passing - if players
positioned at 2 and 3 have good dribbling
skills - this can be very useful for creating
numerical advantages in the opponent’s
half, particularly if these players can beat
their markers around the halfway line. By
the same token, losing the ball when in a
one on one in this area of the court can
be very dangerous, as these players are
also the last line of defence - so definitely
proceed with caution!
So - how do attacks penetrate a defence
using a 2-2 with passing and movement?
In futsal we look at three main types of
pass - square, diagonal and parallel. The
square shape of the 2-2 is the perfect
shape for these types of passes, as we can
see in diagram B, above.
FUTSAL LEVEL
COACHING AWARD
FUTSAL LEVEL
COACHING AWARD
LEGEND
Pass
Build up Zone
Run
Dribble
Ultimately, we are looking for the diagonal
or parallel ball, as these passes provide
penetration into the finishing zone. The
square pass however, is also a key
element of the attack. This a ‘safe’ pass
- often in the build-up zone - that when
used in combination with a diagonal run
(immediately following the pass) can
creates distractions for defenders and open
up the space for the decisive, penetrating
ball into a dangerous area.
D
[i]
Diagram D. Player 3 receives and ‘drives’
the ball to the centre of the court [i], passes
to Player 4 (who has run into the position
previously occupied by Player 3) [ii], and
runs diagonally into centre court [iii],
then (backwards, facing the ball) into the
position occupied by Player 5.
Diagram E. Player 4 receives and ‘drives’
the ball to the centre of the court [i] and
the sequence begins again - starting with
a pass to Player 5 who has taken up the
position originally occupied by Player 3 in
the first diagram.
The combination of movement and
accurate passing can ‘unbalance’ the
opponent’s defence, meaning gaps can
open up to play the penetrating parallel
or diagonal ball into the finishing zone
(Diagram F). From there the players
stationed at 5 or 4 have the option of
shooting or linking with Player 2 or 3.
[ii]
3
[ii]
4
Example of 2-2 movement
Diagram C. Player 2 passes the ball to 3
[i] and runs diagonally into centre court [ii],
then (backwards, facing the ball) into the
position occupied by Player 4 [iii].
[iii]
[i]
3
FUTSAL
LEVEL
[iii]
COACHING
AWARD
[iv]
5
4
2
5
1-2-1
F
E
4
1-2-1
C
2
Finishing Zone
[i]
[ii]
[ii]
2
5
[iii]
[iv]
2
5
3
[i]
Mickey Malivuk,
(Capital Futsal and Futsal Whites)
4
is comfortable in either the fixed or rotating3pivot
roles. The 2013 ASB Futsal National League Golden
Boot winner is very strong on the ball when under
pressure and can turn and shoot off both feet.
PHOTO: Alphapix
PHOTO: OFC
In this photograph from the OFC Futsal Invitational 2014, Malaysia (dark blue) put pressure on Tahiti (red) high up the court. The Tahiti #9 has the ball, with his team in a
2-2 attacking formation. In order to create a possible passing channel in the centre of the court, and to force the front two Malaysia players into decisions about how they
will defend against a player moving without the ball, #9 can play a square ball, followed by a diagonal run or ‘cut’ into centre court. If a return pass is not immediately
forthcoming, the Tahiti #9 can continue to run forward but change direction to take up a position near where the Tahiti #4 is currently positioned. The #4 meanwhile (in
anticipation that he will need to offer a passing option) could drop back into the position originally held by #9 and provide just that option for the player on the far side,
now in possession of the ball. The process repeats until Tahiti are able to find a penetrating diagonal or parallel ball.
08
Dylan Manickum surges towards goal during the Futsal Whites’
historic victory over Malaysia in Noumea. PHOTO: OFC
15
OFC FUTSAL INVITATIONAL
TWO WINS AND TWO LOSSES
AS FUTSALWHITES BUILD TOWARDS
2015 QUALIFYING CAMPAIGN
MATCH ONE – 12 AUGUST 2014
Arena du Sud, Paita, New Caledonia
Futsal Whites stun
Malaysia in opener
NEW ZEALAND 4
(Fischer 2, Kamri, Osman)
MALAYSIA 1
(ZamirI)
The OFC Futsal Championship
Invitational 2014 couldn’t have started
better for New Zealand on Tuesday as
the Futsal Whites overcame last year’s
demons to record a 4-1 victory over
Malaysia in New Caledonia.
New Zealand were overwhelmed 7-1 in
their 2013 encounter with the Asian Football
Federation side, but that appeared a distant
memory as the Futsal Whites showed
why they deserved to be just the second
Oceania team to beat an AFC opponent,
after Solomon Islands victory over Thailand
in a 2012 FIFA Futsal World Cup warm-up
match.
“It’s fantastic, a tribute to the players,” Futsal
Whites coach Scott Gilligan says of his side’s
impressive opening victory.
“As I’ve said, our preparation hasn’t been
the greatest but we’ve come off a three
match series against Australia where we
really got hammered and I think they took
stock and thought about what they’re playing
futsal for.
“They played a simple game today. We
decided to defend a lot more compact. We
still struggled a little bit to create, I’ll be
honest, we still need to work on that but
you can’t fault the guys, a 7-1 loss last time
to Malaysia to a 4-1 is leaps and bounds
ahead.”
Malaysia looked a shadow of their former
selves - lacking the pace and excitement
fans came to associate with them.
While they started strong with some early
shots, they soon started to fade as the New
Zealanders perseverance paid off.
Seven minutes in the opportunity fell to one
of the Futsal Whites youngest recruits Jan
Fischer who didn’t falter as he tucked the
ball into the back of the net.
To their credit, Malaysia countered strong
and less than five minutes later a stunning
and powerful strike from Shamsul Zamri
found its way past Futsal Whites ‘keeper Atta
Elayyan for the equaliser.
However, it wasn’t the visitors’ night and
New Zealand once again had the advantage
after a lurking Dylan Manickum tipped in
Hicham Kamri’s delivery at the back post.
After the break Malaysia seemed
reinvigorated and upped the pressure on the
leaders as they looked to equalise a second
time. But their offensive pressure left them
weak at the back and with eight minutes
remaining Kareem Osman added a third for
the Futsal Whites when he capitalised on a
‘keeper error.
Fischer earned his brace after tapping a
lay-off from Kamri in behind the goalkeeper.
Down 4-1 Malaysia changed tactics,
adopting the flying ‘keeper with Shamsul
Zamri honoured with that role.
While an effective offensive move, it does
leave the defence exposed and New Zealand
certainly tried to take advantage of that
factor. With the clock ticking down Malaysia
simply ran out of options as New Zealand
tightened ranks to secure a memorable
victory.
NEW ZEALAND: 1. Atta ELAYYAN (GK), 3.
Dylan MANICKUM, 6. Kareem OSMAN, 7.
Marvin EAKINS (capt), 8. Daniel BURNS.
Substitutes: 4. Ouadhah RAGUED, 9. Jakub
SINKORA, 10. Jan FISCHER, 11. Lucas
CORDEIRO OSORIO DA SILVA, 12. Mohamed
Hicham KAMRI, 14. James VAUGHAN, 18.
© CreativeB
16
MATCH TWO – 13 AUGUST 2014
Second win for Futsal
Whites
NEW ZEALAND 5
(Eakins 2, Kamri, Fisher, Elayyan)
VANUATU 1
(Tuigaloa)
The Futsal Whites continued their
impressive domination at the OFC Futsal
Championship Invitational on Wednesday
with a 5-1 victory over Vanuatu in New
Caledonia.
and we didn’t try to do anything fancy in
the first half, but just tried to contain,”
Gilligan said of his team’s approach.
After Tuesday’s opening 4-1 win over
guests Malaysia, patience paid off for the
Futsal Whites according to coach Scott
Gilligan, especially in the first half, as the
side was content to let Vanuatu test the
waters in their half.
“The second goal was a good counter
attack which we converted at the back post
and gave us a good 2-0 buffer. From there
we sort of said we don’t need to chase the
ball, it’s a matter of them coming to us.
They certainly pressed a lot and gave away
too many fouls – but we couldn’t convert
them all either.”
“I think in the first half we were very
patient. Very patient when we had the ball,
but also our defensive structure was sound
Gilligan’s charges left it almost ten minutes
before they pounced on an opportunity
as Match Day 1 provider Hicham Kamri
switched roles to score the opening goal.
The Futsal Whites’ second goal was
courtesy of the effective partnership
between Kamri and youngster Jan Fischer
who was at the far post to tap in the cross
with less than two minutes remaining in the
first half.
Vanuatu got on the board six minutes
into the second half when some great
combination play up the court was finished
at the post by Ricky Tuigaloa.
The celebrations weren’t long-lasting
however as 30 seconds later a hand ball in
their area saw the referee award a penalty
for New Zealand. Captain Marvin Eakins
stepped up to do the honours, smashing it
past Vanuatu goalkeeper Ivano Philip.
Goalkeeper Atta Elayaan takes
advantage of Vanuatu’s loss of
possession during a power play to
crash home New Zealand’s final goal of
the evening. PHOTO: PHOTOTEK
With the foul count creeping past five for
Vanuatu they found themselves in a spot
of bother as they hit the maximum with 13
minutes remaining.
They were fortunate when Kareem Osman
fired his effort over the target from the
10m mark, but when Vanuatu conceded
again with eight minutes remaining Eakins
17
© CreativeB
showed a touch of class as he fired past
Philip for his second.
The fifth and final goal for the Futsal
Whites was a great reward for the hard
work keeper Atta Elayyan put into denying
Vanuatu as he booted into an empty net
after Vanuatu adopted the flying keeper
tactic.
Marvin Eakins on target
from the penalty spot
against Vanuatu.
PHOTO: OFC
With Eakins directing from the centre
of the court, the New Zealand defense
proved itself one of the toughest in Oceania
to break down as they kept Vanuatu at
arms-length and drawing the shots before
blocking and transitioning rapidly.
“I think our defence has been key to our
success so far, most definitely,” Gilligan
continues.
“That’s one of the things we talked about
after the Trans Tasman – we let too many
goals in and we give away stupid balls.
What we talked about for this tournament
was eliminating the small errors that have
been costing us games and I think it’s
shown.
“We copped one tonight and again it was
from an error, but at least we’re minimising
those chances for the opposition.”
NEW ZEALAND: 18. Elias BILLEH (GK), 3.
Substitutes: 1. Atta ELAYYAN (GK), 4. Ouadhah
RAGUED, 9. Jakub SINKORA, 10. Jan FISCHER,
11. Lucas DA SILVA, 12. Hicham KAMRI, 14.
James VAUGHAN. Coach: Scott GILLIGAN.
MATCH THREE – 15 AUGUST 2014
New Caledonia topple
Futsal Whites
NEW ZEALAND 1
(Kamri)
NEW CALEDONIA 2
(Bamy, Kaouwi)
With the boisterous home crowd behind
them, New Caledonia came from
behind beat the Futsal Whites 2-1 on
Friday at the OFC Futsal Championship
Invitational.
Back on the bench after a serving his one
match suspension, New Caledonia coach
William Brett was deservedly proud of his
side’s victory and performance against their
Kiwi opponents.
“It’s truly extraordinary what happened
here. We prepared the team for this type of
result and voila, that result is what we got
and the work paid off,” Brett says.
“Anything can happen in futsal, when we
arrived in this competition I don’t think
anyone saw us at this level – leading
the table. So we have shown that we are
capable of doing anything, and we can
maybe go right through to the end – we will
see.”
The public expected a spectacle at Arene
du Sud and those who filled the stands
were treated to exactly that.
The physical nature in which New Zealand
intended to play was signaled when
Kareem Osman earned a caution just three
minutes into the match. While the tempers
calmed after that there was no break in the
frenetic pace that both sides defended and
20
counter-attacked as they worked to get an
advantage over their opponent.
It took nearly 15 minutes of unrelenting
pressure from both teams before New
Zealand were finally rewarded. Solidifying
himself as one of the most important
players in the squad, Hicham Kamri opened
the scoring when he lifted the ball over the
diving keeper Ronan Euzen.
While expected to sit back and defend
as is common for the Futsal Whites, the
side instead tried to make the most of any
opportunity to counter-attack at pace in an
effort to create a comfortable cushion for
his side.
It wasn’t to be however, as a swift transition
and a tidy string of passes from New
Caledonia just five minutes after the break
saw Ivannoe Bamy slot past Elias Billeh, in
goal for New Zealand, for the equaliser.
One minute later and Mainon Kaouwi was
on the board as he smashed goal-wards
with a shot Billeh could only deflect into his
own net.
Like New Zealand, Les Cagous could have
been expected to sit back and defend their
slim lead, but like the Kiwi’s they chose to
continue searching.
Both sides had some close calls with the
two keepers proving themselves up to the
challenge as the shots fired in from all
angles of the court.
His first night in charge isn’t one New
Zealand’s assistant coach Felipe Bernadi
will want to be remembering any time soon,
as he stepped up to fill the shoes of absent
coach Scott Gilligan.
“We knew it was going to be quite tough to
be honest. It’s quite difficult to play when
you have lots of people cheering for the
other team, so we knew that match would
be difficult,” he said.
“We came with a purpose of defending
well like we did in the last couple of games,
unfortunately there were a couple of
counter-attacks that cost us the game, and
these things happen.”
NEW ZEALAND: 1. Atta ELAYYAN (GK), 3.
Substitutes: 4. Ouadhah RAGUED, 9. Jakub
SINKORA, 10. Jan FISCHER, 11. Lucas
DA SILVA, 12. Hicham KAMRI, 14. James
VAUGHAN, 18. Elias BILLEH (GK).
Teanoui Tehau, who featured in
the Confederations Cup in Brazil in
2013, played a starring role for Tahiti
against the Futsal Whites, breaking
the deadlock in the second half with a
fine finish from wide.
PHOTO: OFC
21
© CreativeB
MATCH FOUR – 16 AUGUST 2014
Futsal Whites finish
with Tahiti loss
NEW ZEALAND 0
NEW CALEDONIA 2
(Tehau, Smith Tino)
The Futsal Whites finished up their OFC
Championship Invitational tournament
in New Caledonia on Saturday with a
2-0 defeat by Tahiti seeing the New
Zealand side finish the event in third
place.
Dylan Manickum and the Futsal Whites
finished third at the OFC Championship
Invitational in New Caledonia. Photo by
Oceania Football.
Sitting on six points, one behind leaders
New Caledonia and equal with Malaysia but
with a better goal difference, New Zealand
went into the match confident they had a
side which could topple what had been a
relatively underwhelming Tahiti.
But with national pride on the line there
was no chance Tahiti were going to roll
over for the Futsal Whites making it a
disappointing finish to what has been
one of the most inspiring series of
performances from the tight-knit Kiwi side.
“I’m happy with the performance
absolutely,” Futsal Whites’ assistant coach
Felipe di Marchi Bernardi said.
“Despite the result – 2-0 – the goal was
not to concede and for the most part we
did that and in fact it was one of the best
games I have seen the boys play.
“Defensively we were strong, we were
really tight so I was really happy and when
the first goal, a shot on the left, came in
and scored it changed the whole game.”
With defending the strongest point in
the New Zealand game, they came out
cautiously with a lean towards keeping
possession and countering quickly.
But with Tahiti of a similar ilk they were
forced out of their comfort zone at times
as Tahiti applied an enormous amount of
pressure from the outset with some thrilling
transitions. The shots flew back and forth,
with the New Zealand keeper Elias Billeh in
the first half, and Atta Elayyan in overdrive
as he blocked shots from all over the court.
Tahiti finally got their break when the
unrelenting Teaonui Tehau fired a blinder
past Elayyan from close range in the last
ten minutes of the second half.
New Zealand adopted the fifth man
approach that they had practiced in
training, with Daniel Burns charged with
covering the back as well as aiding the
attack. Three outright chances presented
themselves while New Zealand adopted
this tactic and they were unfortunate they
didn’t pay off.
However to add salt to the wounds, Tahiti’s
top goal scorer and all around playmaker
Smith Tino drove a powerful shot past
Billeh with just over a minute remaining in
the match.
The Golden Gloves went to New Zealand’s
two goalkeepers Atta Elayyan and Elias
Billeh who shared duties for the duration of
the competition while the team also picked
up the Fairplay award.
NEW ZEALAND: 18. Elias BILLEH (GK), 3.
Dylan MANICKUM, 7. Marvin EAKINs (capt), 8.
Dylan BURNS, 14. James VAUGHAN
Substitutes: 1. Atta ELAYYAN (GK), 4. Ouadhah
RAGUED, 6. Kareem OSMAN, 9. Jakub
SINKORA, 10. Jan FISCHER, 11. Lucas DA
SILVA, 12. Hicham KAMRI.
Golden Ball winner Tino Smith
tussles for possession with
outstanding Futsal Whites
skipper Marvin Eakins.
PHOTO: PHOTOTEK
22
OFC FUTSAL CHAMPIONSHIP INVITATIONAL 12-16 AUGUST 2014
ARENE DU SUD, PAITA, NOUMEA NEW CALEDONIA
MALAYSIA1
Shamsul ZAMRI
NEW ZEALAND
4
Jan FISCHER 2, Dylan MANICKUM, Kareem OSMA
VANUATU
4
Pakoa RAKOM 2, Ben HUNGAI, George MAHIT
TAHITI
1
Teaonui TEHAU
TAHITI
4
Smith TINO 2, Gaby KAVERA, Alexis TOOFA
NEW CALEDONIA
4
Eric SAHULIWA, Anderson PAULIN, Jess POARAIROUA, Ivann POUROUORO
NEW ZEALAND
5
Mohamed KAMRI, Jan FISCHER, Marvin Eakins 2 (1 pen), Atta ELAYYAN
VANUATU
1
Ricky TUIGALOA
NEW CALEDONIA
7
VANUATU
2
Eric SAHULIWA 2, Ivann POUROUORO, Ludovic BOIT, Ivannoe BAMY,
Mainon KAOUWI
Donald AVOCK, Terry MALAPA
TABLE
Malaysia
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Tahiti
Vanuatu
P W D L F A GDPts
4301211479
4211151327
420210646
4112913-44
41031221-93
GOALSCORERS
Shamsul ZAMRI [MAS]........................................................ 5
Smith TINO [TAH]................................................................ 4
Eric SAIHULIWA [NCL]......................................................... 4
Asmie ZAHARI [MAS].......................................................... 4
Jan FISCHER [NZL]............................................................. 3
Pakoa RAKOM [VAN]........................................................... 3
Ben HUNGAI [VAN].............................................................. 3
Ivannoe BAMY [NCL]........................................................... 3
Mohammed KAMRI [NZL].................................................... 2
Marvin EAKINS [NZL]........................................................... 2
Ivann POUROUORO [NCL].................................................... 2
Mainon KAUOWAI [NCL]...................................................... 2
Nizam ALI [MAS]................................................................. 2
Ridzwan BAKRI [MAS]......................................................... 2
TAHITI2
Steeven TINO, Smith TINO
MALAYSIA
5
Firdaus AMBIAH, Nizam ALI, Ridzwan BAKRI, Asmie ZAHARI, Shamsul ZAMRI
Fitri YATIM [MAS]................................................................ 2
Dudley DOMINIQUE [VAN].................................................... 2
Teaonui TEHAU [TAH].......................................................... 2
Dylan MANICKUM [NZL]...................................................... 1
MALAYSIA5
Ben HUNGAI 2, Pakoa RAKOM, Dudley DOMINIQUE 2
VANUATU
8
Fariq MOHAMED, Fitri YATIM 2 (1 pen), Ridzwan BAKRI, Shamsul ZAMRI 2,
Asmie ZAHARI 2, Nizam ALI
NEW CALEDONIA
2
Ivannoe BAMY, Mainon KAOUWI
NEW ZEALAND
1
Mohamed KAMRI
TAHITI0
NEW CALEDONIA
2
Teaonui TEHAU, Smith TINO
Kareem OSMAN [NZL]......................................................... 1
George MAHIT [VAN]........................................................... 1
Atta ELAYYAN [NZL]............................................................ 1
Ricky TUIGALOA [VAN]......................................................... 1
Gaby KAVERA [TAH]............................................................ 1
Alexis TOOFA [TAH]............................................................. 1
Romain GUITTON [NCL]....................................................... 1
Anderson PAULIN [NCL]....................................................... 1
Donald AVOCK [VAN]........................................................... 1
Firdaus AMBIAH [MAS]........................................................ 1
Steeven TINO [TAH]............................................................. 1
MALAYSIA6
Eric SAHULIWA, Jess POARAIROUA, Romain GUITTON
NEW CALEDONIA
3
Teaonui TEHAU, Smith TINO
Fariq MOHAMMED [MAS].................................................... 1
Terry MALAPA [VAN]........................................................... 1
Aula AHMAD [MAS]............................................................. 1
Jess Poairaora [NZL]........................................................... 1
NATIONAL JUNIOR FESTIVAL
& Youth Championships 2013
55 TEAMS ENJOY GREAT WEEKEND OF FUTSAL
A total of 55 teams gathered in
Wellington last week for the NZF Futsal
National Junior Festival and Youth
Championship at the ASB Sports Centre.
The fourth edition of the event brought
together 550 players, 50 coaches, 40 team
staff and 24 referees from around the country
and New Zealand Futsal Development
Manager Dave Payne said the tournament
reflects futsal’s rapidly-rising status.
“The standard of play on show has
improved every year we’ve had the event
and this year was certainly no different,”
Payne said.
“The level of the play in general and some
of the individual players on show was
of a very high calibre and it shows the
work being done in federations in futsal is
beginning to pay big dividends.”
Under-10 and U-12 teams also took part
in the Junior Festival section of the event
which allowed players to display their skills.
The Junior and Youth event dovetailed
around the Futsal Whites clash with the
Australian Futsalroos side in the threematch Trans-Tasman Cup series, something
Payne says is a key ingredient in the event.
“After our future stars get their chance
to show what they can do, it is great that
they are able to watch our Futsal Whites
in action in the flesh. It certainly gives our
youngsters something to aspire to.
“The greatest success of this event is the
holistic development of the game with all
the key members of the futsal community
from the regions being represented in their
administration, referee, coaching and, of
course, playing roles.”
RESULTS
U-19 Boys
Rankings
1. WaiBOP; 2. Capital; 3. Central; 4.
Mainland; 5. Futsal South; 6. Northern;
7. WaiBop Waikato; 8. Auckland Blue. 9.
Auckland White
Awards
MVP: John Penyas (WaiBOP)
Golden Gloves: Ryan Watson (WaiBOP)
Golden Boot: Charles Robertson (Northern)
- 10 goals
U-16 Boys
Rankings
1. Capital Yellow; 2. Central; 3. Mainland
4. Nelson Bays; 5. WaiBOP; 6. Futsal
South; 7. Capital Green 8. Northern.
Awards
MVP: Van Rolan (Nelson Bays)
Golden Gloves: Sean Beresford (Capital
ellow)
Golden Boot: Fazeem Khan (Capital Yellow
– 16 goals)
U-14 Boys
Rankings
1. Central White; 2. Capital White; 3.
Capital Yellow; 4. Nelson Bays; 5. WaiBOP;
6. Capital Green; 7. Mainland; 8. Auckland;
9. Central Black; 10. Northern.
Awards
Golden Gloves: Zac Jones (Capital White)
Most Valuable Player: Jacob Richards
(Mainland) & Brayan Heredia (Capital White)
Golden Boot: Seth Ward (Capital White) –
16 goals
U-19 Girls
Rankings
1st- AFF Futsal 19 Girls
2nd- Capital Futsal 19 Girls
3rd- WaiBOP Futsal 19 Girls
4th- Mainland Futsal 19 Girls
5th- Central Futsal 19 Girls
Awards
Golden Gloves: Bridie Barry (Central)
Most Valuable Player: Emily Morison
(Capital)
Joint Golden Boot: Hannah Reid (WaiBOP)
& Maxine Cooper (AFF) – 9 goals
U-15 Girls
Rankings
1. Futsal South – Wanaka 2. Capital Futsal
3. Mainland Futsal 15 Girls 4. AFF Futsal
5. WaiBOP 6. Central Futsal
Awards
Golden Gloves: Hannah Hegarty (Mainland)
Most Valuable Player: Maggie Jenkins
(Capital)
Golden Boot: Maggie Jenkins (Capital) – 15
Goals Scored
Photos: WWW.PHOTOSPORT.CO.NZ
07
PHOTO: Masanori
PHOTOS:
MasanoriUdagawa
Udagawa| www.photowellington.com
| www.photowellington.com
© CreativeB
05
33
ROUND-UP
FEDERATION
Northern
During Term 3 we had a number of
successful programmes running in North
Harbour, Hibiscus Coast, Waitakere and
Whangarei. In addition, we had our
College Futsal programme, which boasts
the highest participation in the country
with over 2,000 kids giving futsal a go!
Northern Football was represented at the
recent Junior and Youth Nationals with
four teams competing against the best in
the country in the U12s, U14s, U16s, and
U19s.
The holiday programme our Futsal
Development Officer Felipe De Marchi
Bernardi ran at Massey University was
a huge success with almost 40 players
taking part. We also had the FIFA U20
World Cup portable futsal court in
Whangarei for a week, which saw a
number of senior teams playing in a
competition, our FTC players using futsal
for their training, and futsal sessions were
delivered by Futsal Whites Head Coach
Scott Gilligan to a number of junior and
youth players from around Northland.
We’ve also just had the Futsal Roadshow
with futsal festivals and tournaments for
girls, junior, youth and senior players,
culminating in the Futsal Whites victory
over a Forrest Hill team which featured
former All Whites David Mulligan and Andy
Boyens.
nff.org.nz
Auckland
East City
Winners from last season’s competitions:
Premier Men: Mangaba
Senior B: Huuuuuump Day and Grassroots
Youth: Shots
www.eastcityfutsal.org.nz
Action from the Monday night East City Premier League with Tiki Toa (red) taking on
Freestylers at ASB Stadium in Kohimarama
University of Auckland
Saeta featuring Futsal Whites and National
League players won the entertaining final
against IH8U which was mostly comprised
of University of Auckland Football Club
members. Both teams will be looking to
continue their form in the Semester 2 season.
The women’s league came down to the
wire with the experienced Belles going
down to the youthful DC United. Players
from this league represented AFF in both
the U15 and U19 competitions at the
Nationals in Wellington with the U19s
taking the title!
Semester 2 retained nearly all of the
teams with a couple of new teams joining
the competition.
Central Auckland Futsal Centre
A boys U13 league was held with some of
the most skilful and talented youngsters on
show! Players from Western Springs AFC,
Eastern Suburbs AFC, Onehunga Sports
and Mt Roskill Intermediate took part
with Eastern winning a close final against
Onehunga Sports. Congratulations Eastern!
www.facebook.com/cafutsalcentre
Avondale Fun Futsal Centre
Each school term this Fun Futsal Centre
keeps kids active on Sunday. Thanks
Bobby for your time and effort!
Mt Wellington Tennis Club Fun Futsal
Centre
Even through the winter, futsal is
enjoyed on the multi-sport surface.
Congratulations to Martin and his team for
creating such a fun environment for the
kids to develop their skills.
College Programme
Plenty of Auckland Colleges have enjoyed
futsal over the last few months with more
looking to get involved in the future.
Special thanks to the following schools:
Alfriston College, Baradene College,
Diocesan School for Girls, Edgewater
College, Lynfield College, Marist College,
Mt Roskill Grammar, One Tree Hill College,
Rosehill College and Western Springs
College.
www.aff.org.nz
© CreativeB
34
Auckland Football Federation Futsal
Roadshow
Thank you to Albie and her crew at the
University of Auckland for getting behind
this event and putting time and ‘manpower’
into helping be a great success.
Over the three days there was an interhall tournament which was greatly
contested and well supported by all the
University of Auckland halls. A university
selection team took on the Futsal Whites
and certainly rose to the challenge. A
women’s university selection played the
champion AFF under 19s team in a close
and entertaining game.
The final day consisted of a futsal festival
with players, coaches and parents from
the Mt Wellington Tennis Club Fun Futsal
Centre taking part. Thank you Martin for
getting the troops ready to play futsal!
Also an under 15s girls college
tournament consisting of Diocesan,
Selwyn College, Mt Albert Grammar and
Baradene took place. Diocesan, under
the coaching of AFF 15s girls coach Rhys
Greensill, beat MAGS in the final.
The last piece of action was the AFF 12s
boys and the AFF 19s girls enjoying some
games with the Futsal Whites before
they left for the Oceania Championships.
The Futsal Whites appreciated the send
off and some of the tips the youngsters
passed on!
Registrations
If you require any information or wish
to register for any of these leagues or
programmes please do not hesitate to
contact Marvin at Auckland Football
Federation through the following details.
E: [email protected]
M: 021 933 953
www.aucklandfootball.org.nz
Wai-BOP
National Junior Festival and Youth
Championship
The youth nationals in July saw two girls’
sides and six boys’ teams travel down
to Wellington to represent WaiBOP at a
national level, with all sides giving the
region something to be proud of with
the constant growth and development of
players. The highlight of the weekend was
the Waikato U19 boys winning their final
to be crowned champions - a first for any
WaiBOP futsal team.
National league
The success of the U19s squad in
Wellington gives high hopes for the
youthful men’s national league side with
a real feeling that this could be the year
when WaiBOP can look to really compete
with all sides and finish high up the ladder.
With the squad now selected and new
coach Wayne Bates appointed, everyone is
looking forward to the challenge ahead for
the competition.
35
Girls and Women’s Futsal
One of our key areas for the year has
been to have girls and woman’s only
leagues and set some solid foundations
for this side of the game. With this year’s
futsal roadshow being the same week
as ‘Girls and Woman’s Week’, this focus
continued with opportunities to compete
at the roadshow with the winners playing
the Futsal Whites. Following the roadshow
we will be launching girls and woman’s
only leagues initially in two of our centres
- Hamilton and Tauranga.
College Programme
With the launch of the NCEA programme
in 2015 there will be a continued focus
over the coming months on the college
programs we currently deliver. There
will be a particular emphasis on driving
the NCEA component and getting
student involved in all aspects of the
game - playing, coaching, officiating and
administrating.
The Futsal Season!
The WaiBOP futsal season begins in Term
4 with competitions available in all six
regions for all age groups. Keep an eye
out for more information on or website or
contact Joe Dixon at the address below.
[email protected]
www.waibop.co.nz or contact
Central
July and August has been an exciting time
of transition within the Central Futsal team.
It was with the best wishes of the Central
Federation that we saw Nat Wright, who
worked tirelessly over many years to put
Central Futsal on the map, leave us for a
new experience in Australia.
Ethan Dent has stepped in to his role as
the Futsal Development Officer for the
Eastern region, with Josh Margetts being
promoted from his coaching duties to a full
time role as Futsal Development Officer
for the Western side of the geographicallychallenged federation.
Both Ethan and Josh are looking forward
to the challenge of expanding participation
numbers and knowledge of the game
within the region and are actively running
the Futsal in Schools and Secondary
School Programmes in Manawatu,
Hawke’s Bay and Wanganui with the goal
of tapping into the Taranaki and Gisborne
provinces in the near future a priority.
July was a huge month in terms of futsal
in the Manawatu with the Roadshow being
held over 4 days. This event was a great
showcase that boosted the profile of the
sport in the region by offering players and
teams the chance to experience the game.
Women’s futsal is one of the areas that
we are encouraging growth in. This was
facilitated by a coaching session and
games run by the Futsal Whites Head
Coach Scott Gilligan. The junior and
secondary school tournaments were a
hit with over 130 participants playing the
game at Arena Manawatu. We were also
able to offer the Palmerston North public
a taste of elite futsal with the inclusion of
the Futsal Whites playing in an exhibition
match against a Central representative
team. By including the ‘Introduction
to Futsal Coaching Course’ into the
roadshow, we were able to develop
futsal in the Manawatu from a coaching
perspective, which will prove invaluable in
the future. All in all, an outstanding event!
The recent National Youth Championships
in Wellington again saw the Central
Federation well-represented through
Hawke’s Bay Futsal. Two sides - the Under
10 Blues and Under 14 Whites - were
crowned national champions with four
other sides gaining top four finishes, an
achievement that confirmed Hawke’s
Bay as a national stronghold. This is an
© CreativeB
achievement that Central will look to
improve upon even further next year.
Attention now turns to the upcoming
Term 4 leagues and National League
Series beginning in October. Both
Futsal Development Officers will be
concentrating on increasing the number
of participants and teams within their
respective leagues while identifying
potential new players for the Manawatu
and Hawke’s Bay sides that will do battle
with New Zealand’s six other federations.
Watch out for both these sides, who may
have a different look about them than in
previous years, and both may have some
aces up their sleeves. Hawke’s Bay in
particular, in their home series, will be
looking for a fast start come October.
centralfootball.co.nz
hbfutsal.org.nz
Capital
The winter months have, as always, been
a busy time in the ‘Home of Futsal’, with
the National Junior Festival and Youth
Championships and Trans-Tasman Cup
once again showcasing the New Zealand’s
top futsal talent.
In the nationals, an excellent all-round
performance was capped by Capital
White, who took out the U16 boys title in
a hard fought final with Central - Hawke’s
Bay. Meanwhile, the festival continued
with sizeable crowds flocking to the
Trans-Tasman Cup games to demonstrate
that interest in international futsal is at an
all-time high.
A busy run into the end of the year awaits
us, with college and club futsal leagues
all in full swing and the much-anticipated
NZF Futsal Roadshow in September.
www.capitalfootball.org.nz
26
Mainland Futsal
Junior and Youth Champs 2014
We ended Term 2 and started Term 3
with the Junior and Youth Championships
in Wellington. The level of participation
and quality of the teams has increased
again this year and it was impressive to
see. Mainland had 9 teams attend over
the 5 days (7 boys, 2 girls) with 6 from
Christchurch and 3 from Nelson. All
enjoyed the experience and the opportunity
to compete against the other federations.
The closest we came to a title was with our
19s Boys who had a heart-breaking loss to
eventual winners WaiBOP in their semifinal. However, Mainland did bring home
some individual awards. Congratulations to
Jacob Richards (Canterbury) and Van Rolan
(Nelson) who won MVP for the 14s and 16s
Boys respectively. Hannah Hegarthy took
away the golden gloves for the 15s Girls
tournament.
Futsal Holiday Programme
We held our first Futsal Holiday Programme
in the second week of the July school
holidays with great success. It was run at
Pioneer Sports & Recreation Centre over
two days with around 130 kids attending.
Three of our Futsal Development Officers,
along with additional coaches, took the kids
through the activities which ended with a
world cup tournament on the final day. The
feedback and interest we’ve received has
been very positive and encouraged us to
run an expanded holiday programme in the
October holidays.
2014 National League
Our preparation for the national league
began with the appointment of Ricardo
Felitti as the head coach. Ricardo has
been involved with both football and futsal
for a number years in our region and
made us aware of his desire to coach the
national league side very early on. Hailing
from Uruguay, Ricardo hopes to bring his
enthusiasm and passion for the game into
27
© CreativeB
been well worthwhile.
It has also been noticed that there has been
a number of premier football players giving
futsal a go and enjoying the experience.
Coaching in schools continues to be going
flat out with us working in and signing up a
number of high schools. In July to August our
staff has been running coaching sessions
at Bayfield, John McGlashan and Columba
High schools. As well, there were 27 students
who took part our coaching program for peer
coaches at Dunedin North Intermediate.
Our July holiday programmes combined with
football and had 59 futsal players participating
in the afternoon program. We have also
signed up with Sport Otago and are helping
run a series of ‘Have A Go’ days for primary
schools. In August we had 106 children from
St Josephs, Pine Hill, Green Island and Broad
Bay involved.
the role and we wish him the best of luck.
Following on from Ricardo’s appointment,
we held two trials and have selected a
squad of 25 to compete in the national
league. The boys began training soon after
in preparation for Series 1.
Competitions
Our competitions grew again in Term 3 and
we now have 24 youth teams competing on
a Sunday with at least four of them all-girls
teams, which bodes very well for the future.
Our Wednesday competition has also
increased, with more women playing in our
mixed leagues than before.
We hope to introduce at least two new
competitions and new programmes in Term
4 as the demand for futsal in the region
increases across all ages - boys and girls.
Futsal South
Futsal South’s winter is nearly over and the
preparations for the spring and summer futsal
competitions have been set up and are open
for team registrations. 48 competitions have
been created.
Over the winter there were 22 adult teams
competing in three leagues over 12 weeks.
The continued competitiveness of the
competitions and the improvement of
overall skill and match play gives us great
satisfaction. The development structure has
Over the past couple of months we have
presented a number of new futsal initiatives in
high schools including “Futsal working with
NCEA”, intra school competitions and festivals,
plus recreation ‘Have A Go’ days. The
feedback has been very positive with several
schools signing up to our programmes.
This year we have selected two age-group
representative teams to play in the U15
& U19 boys National Championship in
Wellington in July. There was also a U15 girls
team from Central Otago (Wanaka).The girls’
leader Derek Lilly reported they had a great
time and came away winning their age group
competition.
The boys also enjoyed the experience and
confirmed to us that our development
programmes are on the ‘right track’, as
we were able to compete very well with
the other federations.
www.footballsouth.org.nz
Photo: Phototek
16
PHOTO: OFC
29
JAN FISCHER
INTERVIEW
Eighteen year-old Futsal White Jan
Fischer has had an outstanding year,
with his two crucial strikes against
Malaysia propelling New Zealand to a
historical first win over AFC opposition
at the OFC Invitational in Noumea in
August. With his sound technical base
and intelligent off-the-ball movement
Fischer has been described by his coach
Felipe Bernardi as a “very smart player”.
He now finds himself a vital fixture in
both the Northern and New Zealand
setups - a young player with not only
a bright future, but one that has the
creativity and vision to light up the court
on the national and international scene
for many years to come.
Power of Five caught up with the
thoughtful number ten on the eve of
his preparations for the 2014 Futsal
National League.
Tell us about your early days in futsal –
when did you first begin playing? How did
you get started?
I first kicked a futsal ball when I was 15
back in 2011. My outdoor club had a social
open day at Massey University, where there
was a game between some of the Northern
national league players. I joined in, and
was asked to come to one of their trainings
later in the week. I played my first national
league series only a few weeks later.
What do you like about futsal?
Everything! You receive the ball all the
time, and you are forced to play as a team,
you can never hide like in outdoor. I relish
the flair that arises when you play with
similar minded people, sometimes the
most amazing plays and skills arise out of
nowhere and it’s so exciting and rewarding
to be part of teams that are capable of
this. I also find futsal is very social, the
community is very friendly and accepting,
many friendships have arisen through
futsal.
What about football – do you still play, or
are you a futsal specialist?
I have stopped playing football
predominantly because of university; the
time commitment associated with trainings
and weekend games is too much for me at
the moment. Most futsal trainings are very
close to me, plus I have far more friends in
futsal than football these days. I still have
respect for football and wish to play again
someday.
Where are you playing your local futsal – in
one of the Northern leagues?
Yes, I play in the NFF leagues and a few
other leagues around the city; it really
changes every week depending on which
teams need players, for example. Knowing
lots of people from all over the city helps to
get a lot of games in, especially in leagues I
didn’t even know existed.
Looking back on the Futsal Whites year
so far – it was a tough beginning with the
Trans-Tasman Cup where Australia was too
strong over three games. It seems like it is
very hard to close the gap between the two
teams. Do you agree? What do you see as
the major differences between the Futsal
Whites and the Futsalroos?
Obviously the series was a disappointment
for us, especially after the reasonably close
first game. It is hard to pinpoint one aspect
of the Australian game that they completely
dominate us in. I believe as individuals
and as a team, they are only slightly better
in most aspects, but the summation of
these finer details is the gap between
the two nations. It really comes down to
international experience and constant
training.
The OFC Futsal Championship started very
well for New Zealand, with a first up win
over Malaysia How did the team go from
a 1-7 defeat against them last time to a
comprehensive 4-1 victory? What were
some of the key things the Futsal Whites
did better in this year’s game?
I can’t really comment closely on the
game last year as I was not part of the
squad. From what I’ve seen, defensively
we applied slightly more pressure this year,
giving Malaysia less time on the ball. We
knew they were skilled individual players
and it was crucial to not let them relax and
get into the game at all. Another difference
to last year was our clinical finishing. We
took the opportunities when they needed to
be taken, and it paid off massively in terms
of keeping Malaysia on the back foot the
whole game.
Obviously the results didn’t go your way in
the New Caledonia and Tahiti games. What
do you put that down to – have both teams
improved from last year?
Surprisingly, I thought we played well
in both those two games. I think we did
not expect to play such a physical and
spontaneous opposition; we were catered
© CreativeB
30
“
BEING THE YOUNGEST PLAYER MEANS I
NATURALLY HAVE A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO
FUTSAL...WHICH CAN BE REFRESHING AND ADD
FLAIR TO THE TEAM.
towards a structured and composed
opposition such as Malaysia. Obviously
both teams have massively improved, but
our lack of physicality and ability to get
out of tight situations let us down here. A
huge point to address before next years
qualifiers...
You’ve started to find the back of the net
regularly, with four goals in your last six
games for the Futsal Whites. Have you
always had a goal scoring knack or is this
just starting to develop?
I’ve always seen myself as a team player,
its part of the reason I prefer futsal over
football. As a child all I wanted to do was
score goals, but that changed over the
years as I gained greater appreciation for
the value of assists and build-up play. All
of my goals here have been the result of a
team effort, coupled with my ability to be
in the right place at the right time. I guess
my confidence is starting to develop more
and more with every game; hopefully my
playing style will evolve to net more goals
over the years.
You seem to have struck up a great
partnership with Hicham Kamri. Any
thoughts on why you two are working
together so well?
We get along great on and off the court,
and after two years of playing together
at NFF we have a good understanding of
what we like to do. I know he is a player
with vast experience and skill, so I can
trust he will always somehow pick out
a pass if I’m in the right position. Off
the court I can always approach him for
help and support when I need it, and I
think it is this honesty between us that
contributes to our partnership.
PHOTO: OFC
Any thoughts on the qualities you bring
”
31
PHOTO: OFC
players who perhaps dreamed of a football
career, only to find it hasn’t quite worked
out? Do you see futsal as a realistic option
for them? Can these players convert to
futsal at - for example - 15 or 16 years,
or do you think they need to start in futsal
earlier?
This divides opinions everywhere. I believe
as long as you have a very good technical
base with which to work, you can succeed
at a high level in futsal. Obviously, starting
earlier has huge benefits as you have a
longer time to develop your futsal specific
skills. As New Zealand’s prominence
grows, the pathways to European and
Asian professional leagues will start to
open, so there is a bright future ahead for
the game here.
to the team? You are the youngest player
by a considerable margin, yet with every
series you seem to be becoming more
valuable to the Futsal Whites…
I like to think of myself as someone who
players can trust on the court. Being the
youngest player means I naturally have
a different approach to futsal to some of
the older players, which can be refreshing
and add flair to the team. I know Scott has
confidence in me to keep developing and
hopefully become an even more integral
part of the team.
What about Scott Gilligan’s influence on
the team? What has he brought into the
environment that has made a difference?
Scott has brought a huge amount of belief
and expertise to the team. He gives us a
clear sense of direction and the players
trust him.
In one month all the attention will turn to
the Futsal National League. Do you think
the competition is getting tougher every
year?
It definitely has gotten stronger from
when I started playing. I think federations
are taking futsal more seriously and the
amount of preparation and training that
goes into teams is gradually increasing.
Can we expect Northern to challenge for
top honours again this year?
It’s hard to say, I think we will have a
strong squad because most of us have
played together in the past. However at
present we lack a bit of depth and this
may hurt us in terms of injuries and
suspensions. Word has it that squads such
as Capital have bolstered their lineups
with some marquee signings, which will
be interesting!
What about the future for futsal in New
Zealand. Do you feel there are other young
players who can follow you and make the
step up to international level? Anyone in
particular?
It’s hard to pinpoint any one in particular,
because it remains to be seen how
loyal and dedicated players will remain
to futsal. If I had to choose one player
it would be Eden Caudwell from our
Northern U16s. I think he has the potential
to one day play for the national team.
Do you have any advice for young football
What about your future? What are your
plans in futsal for 2014 and 2015?
It would be a dream come true to go
to the FIFA Futsal World Cup Columbia
2016, and I will work hard to mentally and
physically to prepare myself for selection
for the 2015 qualifiers. Apart from that,
national league currently has priority and I
think it’s time for me to prove myself as a
key member of the squad this year.
Beyond that, would you like to achieve in
futsal?
It would be nice to be able to play
professionally overseas. It all depends
on how my studies and other interests
will work out, so at this point absolutely
anything can happen in the next few
years!
Outside futsal – what do you do? Are you
working? Any other hobbies?
I finished high school last year, and am
currently in my first year at the University
of Auckland. I am studying Biomedical
Science, with the intention of applying into
Medical School at the end of the year.
My other major hobby is music production
(primarily Electronic Dance Music). I have
played guitar and piano since I was 5,
and am currently using those skills to
promote myself as a guitarist and aspiring
producer.
© CreativeB
www.nzfootball.co.nz | www.nzffutsal.co.nz | Follow the Futsal Whites on Facebook

Power-of-Five-Oct-2014

Transcription

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