Futsal national teams, coaching staff presented today: continuity with Osimani and Selva

This morning, the staff of the two futsal National Teams were presented. There are no major changes regarding the key figures, in particular the two head coaches, Roberto Osimani and Matteo Selva, who spoke about their renewals from the press conference desk alongside Valeria Canini. It was in fact the Head of the FSGC Futsal Department who opened the discussion, placing the emphasis on continuity: "We are very pleased with the path futsal has taken in the past and with the way it is currently progressing. It is precisely on this basis that we decided to extend our relationship with head coaches Osimani and Selva. We are convinced that the path we have embarked on is the right one and we want to continue in this direction. As for the staff, there too we have largely confirmed everyone. The main new features are represented by ‘dual’ roles such as assistant coach Moretti and team manager Simoncini, who are involved with both teams and in the same positions. This goes in the direction of building a futsal project that is truly unified, with close and constant dialogue between the two sides that make it up." The floor then passed to Roberto Osimani, in charge of the senior National Team since 2016 and currently working on a pathway that will lead the team towards its next official commitment, which is not exactly around the corner: "As far as my renewal is concerned, I would say that it brings with it an ever-greater responsibility. To avoid the risk of falling into a stalemate, it is important to find new objectives that allow you to grow even when there is no official fixture on the horizon. At the moment we have no official matches scheduled and therefore we are focused on continuing the renewal work that began even before the qualifiers in Germany and which must carry us through to the next ones. The average age of the team has dropped significantly and that is the direction we are heading in, without forgetting the other half of the group, the veterans. The new players need more and more experience, and of a formative kind. And the Under-19 National Team plays a fundamental role in their development. I’m certainly not saying this just because Matteo is sitting next to me, but because I am looking at the facts. For Germany we called up at least three boys who only a few months earlier had played in the qualifiers for the Under-19 EURO. It is through these steps that we want to help our players grow." The one who does have an official commitment just around the corner is Matteo Selva. The San Marino coach is preparing to take on his second spell as head coach and at the end of January he will be in Gibraltar for the Under-19 EURO qualifiers. His first campaign brought with it the historic achievement of 3 November 2021: the 2-1 win over Estonia at the Multieventi. This time the opponents will be Gibraltar and Montenegro, drawn into San Marino’s group – coincidentally – on 3 November this year. And, for the first time in three editions of the EURO, the Under-19 National Team will be playing away from home. "3 November 2021 is a date we remember and will always remember with great pleasure," Selva says. "That match showed that with hard work results can come. And I would say this is a key point of the mentality that coach Osimani has tried to instil in the senior National Team players from the moment he took charge. When a good opportunity presents itself, you have to be ready to seize it, and this is a lesson we must all keep in mind, always. The win against Estonia helped us to have more confidence. Those players have made way for others, but the new group know all about that 3 November, which represents for them an extra and very tangible motivation. As for playing away, I see it as a positive factor: the boys will be forced out of their comfort zone and that will shape them. What really disappoints me is having a three-team group, because one less match means one less opportunity for experience. But so be it. Our opponents? Montenegro are very strong, while Gibraltar are, in theory, closer to our level. But we will certainly underestimate no one."

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