The University of Warwick’s Deputy Director of Physical Education and Sport will travel to Serbia later this month as Team Manager for the Great Britain Men's Futsal Team. 

James Ellis is taking the team to the World University Championships, which will be held from 23-30^th August in Novi Sad, Serbia. Also travelling with the team will be the coach, Michael Skubala who is an ex-England Futsal International and Warwick graduate. 

Futsal is a variant of association football and is played on a smaller pitch, usually indoors. The Great Britain team has been drawn in the 16-team tournament in a group with Russia, Ukraine and Oman. 

James Ellis joined the University of Warwick four months ago. He has been England Universities Head Coach since 2006 and was first selected to be Team Manager for the national Futsal team at the last championships in Slovenia in 2006. 

He said: “Futsal is a developing game in England, on the continent it is used as a player development tool, in fact the Spanish who are European and World Champions use it as part of their technical programmes.  

“In England, we now have a national league which is attempting to support the development of the national team. Myself and Michael (Coach) have had the group training here at Warwick in July and we are hopeful that they can fulfil their potential in Serbia. We will be play in a tournament of high calibre with many National Team Coaches leading the teams, some being made of full and U21 internationals.” 

Notes to editors

For  more information, please contact Kelly Parkes-Harrison, Communications Manager, University of Warwick, k.e.parkes@warwick.ac.uk, 02476 150483, 07824 540863