Frank Chiarella is their Head Coach and he told us about his views on the season so far and his aspirations for the weekend ahead.
The FA National Futsal League
Grand Finals
Saturday 31 May 2014
St. George's Park
How important is it for you to reach the last four of The FA National League Grand Finals?
I think you go into any season with targets and reaching the Grand Finals was a certainly something that I felt was more than achievable with this group of players. I knew when I inherited the squad that there were players in the team that were capable of playing at the highest level in England, they also wanted to play against the best teams, so arriving at the Grand Finals is something we had already planned for. I’ve not seen a better group of players throughout our National League and Super League campaign but now we expect to be challenged.
You have had a positive season in both the National League and also the Super League what would you say are the foundations that this has been built on?
We have remained unbeaten for the entire National League and Super League campaigns which has been very pleasing for me and my staff, but is rightly a credit to the players. I think that achievement speaks volumes about how the squad has remained focused on the job that we needed to do this year. We also conceded just 18 goals this campaign en route to reclaiming our second league title in three seasons, which was a club record. This year we have got our defensive principles right and worked hard on this because we know going into the Grand Finals you are not going to outscore teams, you have to be able keep things tight defensively. We will need to defend for long periods during this competition. I have great confidence in my players being able to execute our game plan.
What do you know about your opponents?
We have been keeping an eye on the performances of all of our Grand Finals opponents throughout the season to see their progress, to get a sense of their strengths and weaknesses. But to be honest, we don’t go into this competition really having to fear any of them. They are all good teams with good squads. Whoever we face, we know we have to be really on our top game to ensure that we have a chance of making this final game. Players and coaches deal with tournaments like this in different ways given what is at stake. But for me, if my players believe in themselves and their team-mates we can take this title and become English Champions.
The Grand Finals has the hallmarks of being an entertaining spectacle, for someone new to Futsal what would you say are the main differences to football? And what should they look out for?
I’m sure anyone coming to watch the Grand Finals and seeing Futsal for the first time will first and foremost be entertained. Rather than making comparisons or highlighting the main differences to football, I think any novice spectator just needs to open their mind to the game. I think it will be clear how physically and mentally fit these players really are. Watch their decision making, the natural instinct and intuitive nature of the players, and also the individual brilliance that they bring to the court.
What would it mean to lift the trophy be crowned as National Champions and also secure a place in the UEFA Futsal Cup?
To reach The Final would be going beyond anything that this group of players have ever achieved in the Grand Finals in recent years. To actually win it and qualify for the UEFA Futsal Cup would be a huge achievement. Rest assured, we will be doing all we can to create history for the club and crown what has already been one of our best seasons to date. The club wants to challenge for major honours, I believe we can or else we would not be here.
