Two boxes arrived on Thursday in the office and their contents made me happy like a little kid at Christmas. Why I was so excited you can find out in the story below.
Why I am so passionate about Futebol de Salao as Germans only believe in proven facts. Read the following excerpt from an article that was published in the Four Four Two Magazine:
“Player development is as much about culture as it is about training methods. Whilst many are expressing adoration at the most recent Barcelona performance the current generation of Messi, Hernandez and Iniesta have been moulded by the philosophy imparted during Rinus Michel’s and Johan Cruyff’s time at the club.
The major folly Simon identified from the initial trips to Brazil was the change from the Futebol de Salao ( size 2/10% rebound) to the Futsal ball (size 4/30%) and its impact on the player development. Despite concerns raised by former greats who played the game the Spanish game of Futsal has taken precedence in Brazil and throughout the world as a small-sided game. All of the national team players that he met had come out of Futebol de Salão.
In the mid eighties FIFA saw the potential of a “second form of soccer” derived from the small sided game. FIFA heavily subsidised and promoted Futsal developing it as a game in its own right as a means to further exploit merchandise and TV revenue and with perhaps the aim of a World Cup of at least half the audience for television as with conventional football.
Television executives demanded that FIFA source a ball “that could be seen” on TV screens and a ball with more opportunities for action, long passes, heading, long-range shooting and more aerial action for TV (source FIFA 1986). Therefore the change to Futsal was based on money, paying no regards to the effect the change would have on the development of players.
The amount of times the player would touch the ball a minute reduced from 7.54 in Futebol de Salão to 2.6 touches per minute in Futal.
Wikipedia states on Futebol de Salão (when comparing with Futsal) “In Brazil a country where the sport has been played for decades, no difference is acknowledged, and the change in the ball dimensions has been seen as an improvement in the rules of the game instead of the creation of a new sport.
“I would ask, an improvement in what?”
An improvement for the CBFS who are by chance, the only Futsal body (previously Confederation Brasileiro Futebol de Salão who have complete autonomy from their FIFA recognised national association (CBF). Some say money changed hands with Jao Havelan (then President of FIFA) involved, who is to say, it is a singular case regardless, the CBFS gets all of the income generated from the sport. In every other FIFA nation all income goes to the relevant football association. It is surely a unique situation that warrants some investigation.
As a spectator sport also, yes certainly an improvement but as a development tool for Brazil in football, the change has been a complete disaster.
Fortunately young Brazilian players were not affected by the change and Futebol de Salão continued as it was but only until the mid nineties, under 9’s played with size half ball (10% rebound) a little larger than cricket ball in size, under 12s with a size one ball (10% rebound) and size two beyond that with the 10% rebound.”
Brett Melverton says
Interesting info. My son started futsal with you guys on Friday night. Never watched a game live. We both loved it. I was interested in the ball used quite solid, heavy with little rebound. I liked the type of skill it demanded from the player. So the only difference is the ball? Technically speaking they are playing Futebol De Salao not futsal then?