Playingindoor soccer futsal will soon be a reality in the state as the CentralGovernment is all set to start its first futsal academy in the country inKodungallur, Thrissur. Though futsal, a variant of football played on smallerpitches, mainly indoors, is popular in several countries, the game has not beenproperly introduced in India.
Aspart of promoting the game in the country, the Union Sports Ministry is set tostart the state’s first ‘futsal’ pitch and the country’s first dedicatedcoaching centre on the Kunji Kuttan Thampuran College campus here, said T NPrathapan MLA.
Thestate-of-the art facility, which is under construction inside the Kunji KuttanThampuran College campus, will be operational from next year, he said. TheCentre has earmarked Rs 1 crore for the construction the turf and otherinfrastructure facilities on the campus. A synthetic turf, specially designedto absorb shock, measuring 42 metres length and 18-22 metres width, will alsobe set up as part of the project, he said. In addition, facilities likefloodlight, cage netting to separate pitches, changing rooms and refreshmentcounters will be set up, he said.
Futsalis the only form of indoor soccer certified by the FIFA. The five-a-side soccergame is played on a hard surfaced, basketball-sized court with a smaller,heavier low-bounce ball. The duration of the game is 40 minutes with two halvesof 20 minutes each with touchline boundaries and without walls.
The goal post is also smaller than that used in normal football.
“Thoughthe term ‘futsal’ is unfamiliar to many people in the country, it willcertainly steal the show once it is introduced in a place like Kerala, wherepeople are crazy about football,” said I M Vijayan, former Indian football teamcaptain.
“Futsal,a popular game in western countries, has been gaining popularity for the past twodecades,” he said, adding that many international football players have startedplaying the game as it helps in the speedy development of footballingtechniques.
“Futsalwill become the next big recreational activity in the state as it can be playedwith maximum number of five players, including the goalkeeper,” said Francis,an avid football fan based in Thrissur.
Expertspoint out that futsal is comparatively more interesting as players get to be incontact with the ball more when compared to football. Various private schoolsalso can establish their futsal teams once it becomes popular here, they added.