Where no MISL style indoor option exists, Futsal is
certainly more beneficial than not playing at all.
However,
being the consummate analyst I've done an Indoor Soccer versus Futsal study and, as a result, firmly believe that, when
compared to indoor, the combination of a different ball, no walls, the hard
surface and having to split an outdoor squad into two Futsal
teams, takes away from the development of a great field player, goalie and
superb team.
The reasons for this are as follows:
When dribbling and receiving, the low bounce Futsal
ball does much of the work for the player because it doesn't explode away from
clumsier touches like a regulation soccer ball. This lulls players into a false
sense of security and allows them to get away with poor technique, so that when
they return to playing with a regular ball, they exhibit bad habits that have
to be broken before positive technical progress can resume.
When shooting or passing, the low bounce Futsal ball
stays artificially low. Consequently, upon
returning to a real soccer ball, players are less able to use the correct
technique and have to discard bad habits before progressing. This “two
steps forward one step back” method delays the grooving of correct technique.
In the world of Physical Education one of the key principles is specificity of training, i.e. making training as specific as possible to the real game. The only logical justification for ignoring the “Specificity of Training” approach is where the challenges attempted actually exceed the difficulty of those specifically posed by the real game. Because it is easier to keep the heavier Futsal ball low when shooting, players can be technically lazy yet still receive reward and reinforcement for poor technique. The Futsal ball disguises a tendency to "get under" a real ball and allows players to hide poor shooting technique until they use a real ball again. Players who have become familiar with striking a Futsal ball have to re-learn how to keep a normal soccer ball low when they return to the outdoor game. Consequently, they waste their winter learning opportunity in a process of partial self-deception.
Believing they are getting better when in
reality their technical skills are actually going backwards. There can be
little benefit to learning real soccer ball techniques with a Futsal ball. This is an exercise in simple logic, however, to test the theory empirically I used a Futsal ball in practices. When my players used poor
technique they were able to keep it closer in the dribble and lower in the shot
than a normal ball.
Although this may seem like a minor point, developing a great player demands
attention to even the tiniest detail. A hundred miniscule, yet positive,
realistic and specific adaptations can make an absolutely massive difference in
long-term development.
Conversely, the bad habits acquired
by using a Futsal ball can be very harmful.
While “No Walls” may appear to be an advantage the opposite is actually the
case. Maximum development will only occur while the ball is actually in play.
By comparison with indoor soccer, Futsal wastes
significantly more playing time because the ball leaves the field of play to a
far greater degree. Furthermore, Futsal is played
on a smaller field with a faster gym type surface than that of a traditional
indoor field where the turf is designed to simulate real soccer field
conditions. Therefore, the ball gets away from players and leaves the playing
area far more often. Even with highly skilled players the ball spends much time
out of play. Kick-ins are incredibly time consuming and restarting a Futsal game involves constant kick-ins that waste
significant time and bear little resemblance to the ebb and flow of an outdoor
game on a big field. This constant, “stop and go” restart game steals from the
clock and takes away from ball touches and skill development for the players
concerned. In indoor soccer players enjoy the maximum training benefit because
the ball is always confined to the field by the boards and the game rarely
comes to a full stop after an errant shot or pass. This results in
significantly more “live” playing time and more development for all concerned.
Futsal promotes negative coaching tactics. In
outdoor soccer and Futsal the tactic of kicking the
ball out of play is used to interrupt the game, waste time and allow the
defense to get numbers behind the ball. In indoor soccer the walls largely prevent
the use of this negative tactic. The walls also provide a way to keep passes
and kicks from less skilled teams in play thus providing greater ball time and
development for all involved.
Walls: The walls in indoor soccer not only keep the ball in play, resulting in
more playing time, they also offer each player a skillful alternative when
pressured by an opponent. A quick pass off the wall around an opponent is one
of the more intelligent and skillful plays of the indoor game. This option does
not occur in Futsal where any player who doesn’t have
the option of a pass to a teammate, and hasn't been trained extensively in the
“Training Soccer Legends” fakes and moves, has to boot the ball up field or out
of play, thereby giving away possession and reinforcing negative tactics and
skills. This quote from the Dutch
maestro Johan Cruyff reinforces this point: “During
those (street) games I’d use stone walls, teammates and even the curbs of the
pavement. My favorite move was to kick the ball against a wall and control the
rebound whilst running at speed, as this split second was often the crucial
difference between a great goal or loss of
possession”.
Fun: Kids enjoy the
specifically designed indoor soccer arena with artificial turf far more than the multi-purpose
sports hall or gym situation that Futsal is played
in. Kids feel they are playing the real indoor game when they visit an indoor
arena specifically designed for soccer and carpeted with indoor turf. Adults
pay little attention to this factor but to a child it is often the component
that makes the greatest difference.
Goalkeeping: Young goalkeepers love the indoor game because the newer turf
surfaces provide an excellent cushion for diving saves. By playing indoor
soccer instead of Futsal the goalie avoids the bumps
and bruises caused by going to ground on the harder surfaces typical of Futsal. For the goalkeeper to develop maximally any
unnecessary psychological barriers with regard to diving and 1 v 1 saves must
be removed. In indoor soccer it’s fun to dive around
on the padded carpet, therefore goalkeeper skill acquisition in the crucial 1 v
1 or diving save occurs to a greater degree.
Indoor is the only professional indoor game: The M.I.S.L. arena soccer game
provides the only indoor North American professional example for the young
player to emulate. Conversely, Futsal has no
professional presence in the
For all the above reasons the indoor game is a much better developmental and
motivational vehicle that helps maintain outdoor team unity during the long
North American winter.
Important Quick Note: It is easy to dismiss this comparative study between
Indoor Soccer and Futsal as relatively unimportant in
a young player’s developmental experience. However, the great coach realizes
that the margin between success and failure is often paper thin and will leave
no stone unturned, or opportunity neglected, in the quest for maximum
development. If perhaps just one or two players can enjoy a better learning
experience because their coach took the time to really think through the costs
and benefits of playing indoor soccer versus Futsal,
then the hours spent analyzing the costs and benefits are worth it. Any extra
opportunity to maximize a player’s potential is well worth the time and in
depth study necessary to evaluate the pros and cons before making a logical and
credible recommendation. As coaches it is our responsibility to examine the
plus and minus factors of all soccer learning environments before making the
appropriate recommendation.
Andy
Barney
Andy is the author of “Training Soccer Legends” a 320 page book with a
unique deceptive dribbling and goal scoring individual perspective on youth
coaching.
Andy has produced two best selling DVD’s, “Legendary 1 v 1 Moves” &
“Training Legendary 1 v 1 Moves”.
For additional info please visit http://www.kclegends.com/staff/legends_directors