Decoding futsal defensive game situations through the eyes of coaches

Abstract

Following an interpretative approach, this study sought to understand, from the perspective of elite futsal coaches, the critical information that shrouds the game dynamics of defensive situations in futsal game (i.e., defensive organisation, defensive set pieces, strategical defence). Ten male futsal coaches (age: 48.30 ± 5.85 years; experience 18.10 ± 4.12 years) who currently coach elite futsal teams were selected. A total of thirty-four video clips related to different defensive situations were selected. Qualitative data was obtained through semi-structured interviews and analysed by content analysis. In analysing defensive game situations, coaches emphasised both individual and collective defensive behaviours. Much of the focus was on individual actions to maintain defensive stability, such as tracking, defensive exchanges, marking, and roles within the team’s defensive structure. Still, when the coaches intended to characterise defensive information, they focused on understanding information related to the attack and its inherent strategies. Expert coaches balance their knowledge about and of the environment in preparing their team for competition. Thus, the ability to recognise and retrieve critical information both before through video analysis and in-loco, during competition are vital to guide the team. Thus, developing these skills must be paramount in coach education courses in futsal.