A decision that came as a shock a few months back when the English Football Association unilaterally decided to cut all funding to futsal and dissolution of national teams - has only been confirmed in yesterday's news bulletin by the FA.
In their new strategic document that includes their plans and focuses up until 2024 - futsal is not mentioned whatsoever.
>>> Doug Reed: Futsal is not the enemy
In a way, history repeats itself. Although the FA's main emphasis in this new strategic document is to win a major tournament by 2024, it is going to be increasingly difficult to attain such goals if you're not following the latest trends. And the latest trends include the development of the futsal system throughout the world. Seems like everywhere, except in England.
😵 Not ONE mention of futsal in the @fa strategic plan 2020-2024! The sport in England is left with nowhere to turn. @fa are recognised as the governing body but they are trying to disown any responsibility for it. The failure of governance & its leaders could not be more severe. https://t.co/XU1xgH5yTk
— Doug Reed (@DougReedFutsal) January 12, 2021
The worldwide futsal community reacted in a sympathetic way. FutsalPlanet's annual award for the best national team in the world is "dedicated to all the England Futsal community, betrayed and abandoned by its own FA which in 2018 released their six years strategy “Fast Forward with Futsal” and then “cancelled the game” in the last months of 2020, even denying the Futsal National Team to take part in the EURO 2022 play-off games in North Macedonia."
>>> Leanne Skarratt: Women's futsal in England: Fight for our identity
Moved forward in every area? scrapping Futsal is going forward? 🤡 🤡 🤡 https://t.co/OrhDVoNOT8
— Liam Palfreeman (@liampalfreeman) January 12, 2021
It is unclear where all this leaves the futsal community in England. It is very clear, however, from FA's strategic document that FA does not plan on supporting the futsal community in the near future, or have any plans on its development. A whole generation of young futsal talents will be lost due to this decision. Not the best way to take care of your 'flock'.
Some of the formulations in FA's new strategic document are also quite unclear. The one that is "sticking out" is the one in which they elaborate how "thanks to the strong base created in the last four years", they are in a better position to "weather the storm".
From our perspective, it seems that this "better position" came at the price of dissolution of an entire sporting community.
The @fa strategy contrast with UEFA's which is aiming for 30% growth in overall participation at all levels by 2024. UEFA President "Futsal is continuing to forge ahead in Europe, thanks to UEFA's promotion of the sport, underpinned by a strategic vision which aims to enhance
— Doug Reed (@DougReedFutsal) January 12, 2021
>>> Petitions Demand Change in English Futsal Governance
Our kids no longer have a national team to look up too.. a pathway each and everyone one of them would of preferred over an international football pathway.. the girls felt hope knowing it was in your plans.. no longer ‘ForAll’ we won’t stop don’t worry do it for the kids. pic.twitter.com/OImFaxhzjr
— City of Pboro Futsal (@pborocityfutsal) January 12, 2021