By: Omar Jatta
The Gambia Football Federation through it’s official website www.gff.gm has announced the launching of two new committees for Beach Soccer and the five-a-side high pressured game, Futsal.
The committees who will be operating under the Football Federation were inducted on Wednesday 9th March, 2016 at the Board Room in the GFF Secretariat, and was overseen by the Federation’s President, Lamin Kabba Bajo. Also present were the members both Committees.
In his opening speech, President Bajo thanked the committee members for the trust and confidence bestowed on them and for accepting to be members of the committee.
“I want to assure you that the GFF Executive will do everything within its powers to help your committee to succeed in its mandate,’’ said Mr Bajo. Adding the first mandate for the Committee is to look at the work registered by the task force Committee of the Beach Soccer and build on their successes.
“The challenges are surmountable hence you are the pioneers of the Committee in the Gambia, but i have no doubt that you will serve well in the committee, because your composition is of mixed abilities, veterans, experts and the young.”
The President of West Coast Regional Football Association Mr Abdou Karim Sey is appointed as the Chairman of the Beach Soccer committee and Mr Alagie Faye, a GFF Executive Member as the Chairman for the Futsal Committee. The two men are also identified as Co-coordinators for the Beach Soccer and Futsal Committees. They will be the liaison officers for FIFA and CAF in terms of coordinating local Beach Soccer and Futsal activities for the international bodies.
In his acceptance speech on behalf of the two committees, Mr Sey thanked the GFF President and Executive for the confidence placed on them to serve in the committees.
“I want to say that the trust you put on us is accepted and will be fulfilled to the letter by all of us,” said Sey, who went on to call upon his committee members to live up to the task by carrying out activities in the right perspectives.
For his part, the Futsal Committee Chairman, Mr Alagie Faye also thanked and expressed his appreciation to the GFF Executive for identifying them as pioneers of Beach Soccer and Futsal committees. Adding the committee will take their roles adequately to fulfil their mandates.
WHAT IS FUTSAL AND WHY FUTSAL?
Futsal comes from Spanish – fútbol sala or fútbol de salón, which can be translated as “room football”. It first started in Uruguay in the 1930s, but later became very popular in South America, and is now widely played across the world with official recognition from both FIFA and the regional federations including CAF.
It is an exciting, fast-paced, five-a-side football game, normally played on a flat indoor pitch with hockey sized goals and a size 4 ball with a reduced bounce. It is played to touchlines and all players are free to enter the penalty area and play the ball over head-height. Games are 20 minutes per half with no limitation on substitutions and played to a stopping clock (similar to basketball) with time-outs permitted.
There are some differences to the traditional version of small sided football ( Mini post as it is known in The Gambia), but the dominant elements are the same despite the amendments in the laws that encourage and foster skilful, creative play above the physical contact that tends to be a feature of five-a-side games.
The surface, ball and rules create an emphasis on improvisation, creativity and technique as well as ball control and passing in small spaces. It’s designed to make players more composed on the ball and to want the ball more. The nature of the game demands high technical skill and ability in situations of high pressure, and is subsequently an excellent breeding ground for football competencies that can be translated into the 11-a-side format of the game.
IT’S IMPORTANCE FOR FOOTBALL DEVELOPMENT:
It Is an extremely important way for kids to develop their skills and understanding of the game, as many of the top world class footballers played Futsal in their youth and credit it with supporting their footballing development, particularly in South America where it’s contributed to the development of so many high profile football players like Pele, Zico, Ronaldinho, Kaka, Lionel Messi to name but a few legends who have all played and enjoyed Futsal.
But Futsal has not just helped produce South American football stars, on the European stage Cristiano Ronaldo, Deco, Xavi, Fabregas amongst many others have played Futsal to develop their skills.
And the three time World Cup Winner, Pele said this about the game:
“Futsal was important in helping to develop my ball control, quick thinking, passing and also for dribbling, balance and concentration. Futsal was very, very important, no doubt.”
“Perhaps in regular football you cannot appreciate the talent. Everything is more physical. But in Futsal you have small details of quality, class and tactical aspects.”
The introduction of the game in The Gambia could be a good learning tool to help build the technical capacity of youngsters vying to become professional football or Futsal players. It will greatly enhance developmental programmes put in place by the football federation as part of it’s rebuilding and rebranding process.
