Attention parents! DFB is revolutionizing children’s football – that’s how people think about it in Lübeck
Four corners, a center circle, two penalty areas and two goals – this is what the soccer field looks like as we all know it. But from the 2024/25 season, this will no longer apply to G, F and, in some cases, E juniors. The DFB Federal Youth Day has spoken out in favor of letting smaller teams compete against each other on smaller fields – as in the “Funino” game form, where two-on-two to five-on-five are played on four mini-goals.
Festivals instead of league system
It is nothing less than a revolution for children’s football, which will be officially decided on March 11, 2022 at the DFB Bundestag. In addition to changed team strengths and small goals, according to the DFB, there is a “rotation principle” with fixed changes. From the G to the F youth, there are no longer championship rounds, but so-called “festivals”, where several teams compete against each other in tournament mode. The transition to small field goals should only take place gradually from the E-Youth. The changes do not cause a storm of jubilation everywhere.
This is Funino
The term Funino is composed of “Fun” (English for “fun”) and “Nino” (Spanish for child). It describes a special form of play in children’s football in which teams of two to five players face each other in a field that goes from the sixteenth line to the center line and is limited on the sides. Each team protects two goals and attacks on two goals. Coaches only oversee what is happening and hold back. There are just as few goalkeepers as there are referees – the players should decide for themselves when a foul has occurred.
The Lübeck district association is still skeptical about the introduction of Funino – because the small special goals are too expensive, too many supervisors are needed and many clubs simply didn’t want it. At least that’s what the association argued on January 16 in a broadcast by the Deutschlandfunks. But the decision of the DFB stands: The structures must be created by 2024 in order to be able to carry out the new forms of play – also in Lübeck!
Ratzeburger SV and TSV Groß Grönau go ahead
Meanwhile, Ratzeburger SV and TSV Eintracht Groß Grönau were doing pioneering work in the region. Thorsten Philipps has been organizing Funino tournaments for the latter for two years. The next one is on February 26th, officially titled “Netter Grönauer Fairnino Cup”. In addition to Groß Grönau, the kids from defending champion Phönix Lübeck, VfL Tremsbüttel, TSV Bordesholm, VfL Lohbrügge and TSV Altenholz are taking part. There’s four pitches with few breaks, it’s supposed to be fun. At the end there is a FairPlay prize for the team whose coach shouted the least.
E-youth coach Philipps is convinced of the new concept: “The children internalize the switching game, make decisions faster and have more ball contacts.” This is exactly what should be achieved, says the DFB Vice President for children and youth football Ronny Zimmermann. “We need to think like children, not like adults. Only children who develop fun and joy in the game will stay in football.”
Graduated plan at the SHFV
The Schleswig-Holstein Football Association (SHFV) already has a clear timetable up to the mandatory introduction in 2024. This season, the new forms of play will be used in the G youth, in the next season in the F juniors and in 2023/24 in the e-youth. In this way, gradual acceptance should be created. There is also a project team led by sports director Björn Rädel, chairman of the youth committee Lutz Arp and Benjamin Abel, who is responsible for “future development” at SHFV.
The SHFV has had “a lot of positive experience” in dealing with the topic in clubs and associations, says youth coordinator Henning Graw. Due to the smaller team sizes, the trend should be reversed to form syndicates. The forms of play bring another interesting innovation with them: fans and families should not stand directly on the edge of the field on Schleswig-Holstein football pitches, but in a “fan zone” about 15 meters away and avoid heckling – in line with the primary goal of the new measures : The kids should be able to develop their creativity undisturbed.
By Andreas Breitenberger
Reference-www.ln-online.de
