Synopsis
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Futsal – The Perfect Game for Developing Football Skills " brings together, for the first time, the academic world and the practical context where futsal is applied. Drawing on detailed research, the authors build a compelling case for the inclusion of futsal in football talent development programmes, whilst also exploring its practical application in player training. This book is an essential resource for football managers, coaches and professionals, as well as serving as an educational tool for a diverse audience, both academic and practical.
About the Authors Chris Yiannaki is an experienced trainer of trainers with 15 years of experience in the education sector. Chris currently supports postgraduate students undertaking High Performance Masters and PhD programmes at the University of Central Lancashire. Research on futsal for over a decade, culminating in the completion of a Professional Doctorate, where he analyzed the benefits of futsal in the development of football players.
In addition to his academic achievements, Chris spent 16 years working for professional football clubs in England, coaching young talent. He also worked as a coach developer at the Football Association (FA), focusing on futsal coach development. Their combined experiences have enabled him to create this book, presenting for the first time an evidence-based approach to the benefits of futsal for developing football talent.
Michael Skubala has been involved in futsal since 2000, when he began his playing career, earning over 70 international caps for England. His career evolved into the technical area, working in several youth academies of professional clubs while working as a Physical Education teacher.
His success as a coach grew rapidly, leading to him working at the renowned Loughborough University, renowned for its sporting excellence. After winning titles with the Great Britain university team, he began playing for the English Football Association (FA), initially with the Under-23 team and, in 2016, took over as coach of the senior men's futsal team.
In the 2021–22 season, Michael coached the England national football teams from U15 to U20 levels, reflecting his prestige as a coach. In 2022, he took on a new challenge as Head Coach of Leeds United U21s, applying his experience in developing high-performance players. With over 200 international appearances as a player and coach, Michael also collaborates with UEFA on the development of futsal and football coaches, cementing his position as one of the world’s leading futsal experts and his influence on football.
