Having overcome his ankle joint injury, Lewis Holtby has fought his way back into FC Schalke 04's starting line-up, or maybe that should read "weaved", with 21-year-old Holtby being more known for his agility and ball-handling than lunges and deft clearances.
It is no coincidence, therefore, that the Miners' midfield virtuoso, who also captains the German U21 national team, is a committed supporter of the Futsal variety of the game. DFB.de met Holtby ahead of the DFB Futsal Cup that, following a tentative start in 2006, is now firmly established on the agenda of German football. Organized as a final-four tournament, this year's competition is going to take place in the Lübeck Hansehalle on Friday and Saturday this week.
DFB.de: Lewis, how come you're such a Futsal fan?
Lewis Holtby: Because with Futsal, you never cease to learn new things, especially as a young player. I grew up in Erkelenz, playing youth football for Sparta Gerderath and Borussia Mönchengladbach. In the winter months, we used to play a lot of Futsal.
DFB.de: And where does it differ from the indoor football of old?
Holtby: For one thing, the ball is a little heavier and has less bounce, allowing for more fluent passing and combinations that lead to more goal-scoring opportunities. Another difference is you have proper sidelines, no walls or boards, which greatly reduces the chance factor of the game. All this works wonders for younger players' ball control.
DFB.de: Now that you're captain of the German U21 team and a Schalke 04 regular, would you say that Futsal has played a major role in your career?
Holtby: "Major" would perhaps be stretching it a bit. The ones I've got to thank for most are my coaches – Markus Högner, Jörg Schmadtke, who had no trouble throwing me in at the deep end in 2007 to play for Alemannia Aachen in Bundesliga 2, not to forget Thomas Tuchel at FSV Mainz 05. But if you're looking for a really good method to teach you skills and technique, Futsal is the game to play. Unsurprisingly, it's a Brazilian invention - Futebol de Salão, hence the name.
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Having overcome his ankle joint injury, Lewis Holtby has fought his way back into FC Schalke 04's starting line-up, or maybe that should read "weaved", with 21-year-old Holtby being more known for his agility and ball-handling than lunges and deft clearances.
It is no coincidence, therefore, that the Miners' midfield virtuoso, who also captains the German U21 national team, is a committed supporter of the Futsal variety of the game. DFB.de met Holtby ahead of the DFB Futsal Cup that, following a tentative start in 2006, is now firmly established on the agenda of German football. Organized as a final-four tournament, this year's competition is going to take place in the Lübeck Hansehalle on Friday and Saturday this week.
DFB.de: Lewis, how come you're such a Futsal fan?
Lewis Holtby: Because with Futsal, you never cease to learn new things, especially as a young player. I grew up in Erkelenz, playing youth football for Sparta Gerderath and Borussia Mönchengladbach. In the winter months, we used to play a lot of Futsal.
DFB.de: And where does it differ from the indoor football of old?
Holtby: For one thing, the ball is a little heavier and has less bounce, allowing for more fluent passing and combinations that lead to more goal-scoring opportunities. Another difference is you have proper sidelines, no walls or boards, which greatly reduces the chance factor of the game. All this works wonders for younger players' ball control.
DFB.de: Now that you're captain of the German U21 team and a Schalke 04 regular, would you say that Futsal has played a major role in your career?
[bild2]
Holtby: "Major" would perhaps be stretching it a bit. The ones I've got to thank for most are my coaches – Markus Högner, Jörg Schmadtke, who had no trouble throwing me in at the deep end in 2007 to play for Alemannia Aachen in Bundesliga 2, not to forget Thomas Tuchel at FSV Mainz 05. But if you're looking for a really good method to teach you skills and technique, Futsal is the game to play. Unsurprisingly, it's a Brazilian invention - Futebol de Salão, hence the name.
DFB.de: The last UEFA Futsal Championship…
Holtby: … made for great watching on TV - absolutely awesome! Spain beat Russia in the final, precision passing at the highest tempo. Very Barça-ish!
DFB.de: And where do the German teams fit in?
Holtby: Obviously, Futsal has a much longer tradition in Spain, South America, or Russia, so we Germans have a lot of catching up to do. But I'm sure that the DFB Futsal Cup in Lübeck will show that we're on the right track, and that all of the spectators are going to have a great time. I'll definitely keep my fingers crossed for the participating teams.
