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Sports Reporter
NEWLY-FORMED Super Eagles Futsal Academy has come with a new gospel of Samba and Tiki Taka football at grassroots level in Zimbabwe.
The unique project, which is the brainchild of former Arcadia United player Philip Zulu, who has been involved in football development work in Zimbabwe and England, kicked off two months ago.
Zulu said the academy is aiming at scouting and coaching Samba programs around the country “so as to help develop the game using comprehensive modern training modules aligned with top flight professional football minimum expectations.”
“The Samba training sessions project officially started in April,” he said.
“We started with players from our academy as a pilot project. The technical level is very high. We have been scouting fine talent around and so far we are working with 30 young players.
“We are working with those that are between the ages of six to 19 years. Basically we are targeting junior and youth players.”
Samba soccer is a style of football that is heavily influenced by varying aspects of Brazilian culture and it consists of many different moves, some of them include dribbling, using different parts of your foot and juggling. Ultimately, it develops individual flair, where a player can naturally express themselves with the ball.
Zulu said the concept, which is highly technical and possession-based, came about after realising the deficiencies and technical ineptitude in the domestic topflight football.
“The quality of football is atrocious. So, the Samba concept brings a lot of technical composition of the game missing on the local football scene.
“We are looking at highly developed technical players. So we help to mentor in ball mastery, technical brilliance, their creative play, all elements of dribbling, fine first touch and all these things. We work in detail to develop these and the development is so intense and it’s long-term.
“Raw talent is typically what our grassroots Samba/Futsal programs are working with to introduce Samba and Tiki-Taka modules, through scouting in different areas of Harare and around the country.
“We are looking at all areas. For example, we have an 11-year-old from Mhangura, five boys from Domboshava, players from Mabvuku, Budiriro, Madokero, Dzivaresekwa, Whitecliff, Borrowdale, Hatcliffe, Chitungwiza, the Avenues, Mbare and some from Westgate,” said Zulu.
The academy started off at Alexandra Sports Club but is now based at the newly-constructed Madokero Samba Complex.
“Our new Madokero Samba Complex along Kirkman Road has been a great addition to the development of modern sports facilities infrastructure and, our philosophy of Samba and Tiki-Taka is perfectly suited in the application of this wide curricular of small-sided games.
“There is a big difference in terms of the application of the technical aspects of Samba because this is pure five-a-side pitch and we have had some orientation games to give the players a bit of understanding.
“You can actually project what’s in store for us if these youngsters apply these things confidently in 11-aside games.
“Definitely this Samba project is a dream come true for us.
“It’s proving to be the missing link. If we embrace Samba at grassroots level, we will see many changes in the quality of our players,” said Zulu.
The project is currently targeting schools around Madokero as part of the orientation.
“We will soon be reaching out to ZIFA, once our project is officially opened and ready to start running the Samba Leagues. The long-term plan is to invite futsal coaching instructors from Brazil,” said Zulu.
Online Reporter