After England’s dismal display at Euro 2000 it’s clear to see that as a nation, we are still a long way behind the rest of Europe and the World in terms of technical ability. The next pressing challenge for the national team is how can we transgress from the hard 'honest' harrying of Dennis Wise to the sublime silky skills of Zinedine Zidane. A miracle maybe? No, the UK Confederation of Futebol de Salao may be the saviour we have been praying for.
Since primary school teacher Simon Clifford left Leeds for a seven-week trip to Brazil five years ago, the game that nurtured the talents of superstars such as Pele, Rivelino, Maradonna and Ronaldo has been gradually integrating itself into English grass roots football.
Futebol de Salao is a five-a-side game played on a pitch the size of a basketball court with a size two football. The ball is a lot heavier than normal, which guarantees that it stays on the floor and the longball game is not an option. This strong emphasis on skills and technique means that when it comes to competing in an 11-a-side game the players find it a lot easier.
At present there are 100 official Brazilian Soccer Schools in operation in England and Ireland with over 10,000 children attending. Also a number of professional clubs have realised the benefits of this training method, with Derby County, Everton and Manchester United being the biggest users of the ball and game.
Strangely enough the FA seem to be the only ones who have been slow to accept Futebol de Salao as a valid training exercise. Technical director Howard Wilkinson compared it to the football he used to play in the street as a child. However, it seems finally they are taking notice of what the UK Confederation are trying to achieve, as coach Angus Martin explains: We now have a good relationship with the FA, indeed Howard Wilkinson has asked Simon Clifford to lead a number of their in-service training days for Academy and Centre of Excellence coaches.
With the co-operation of the FA, an ever increasing number of youngsters involved, and participation and support from professional clubs, the future of Futebol de Salao in England looks bright. Yet, the attitude and dedication of our young players has to be right if the confederation’s work is to be fully successful.
"In other countries, players spend year upon year building on their skills, here players seem to think they are the finished article when they sign their first contract," says Martin. "We need to have players who are prepared to train to become masters, and then it is definitely possible to reach and surpass Brazilian standards, not overnight but over a ten or twenty year period we can add their aspects to our own game," he concluded.
England beating Brazil to win the World Cup, after a thrilling, exciting and technically superb display. Is this merely an undreamable dream fuelled by jingoism and alcohol, or could it be our destiny under the influence of Futebol de Salao?
