'Trequartista'

 

There are many terms for the mecurial position of the number 10. The 'Trequartista' a noun we use here in Paris to describe the playmaker who drifts between the midfield and forward line.
This issue footballgirl.com lists the best players in the world today in this position. The true number 10's who win matches and have coaches calling Sabbine (see marketing) for dvds.

So take a look at that on our newly designed frontpage. There is new hope within that list. The past 5-7 years has seen the position dissappear from top level football. One exception being Camille Abily of France. Apart from Brazil's formidable Marta most of the list are under 23 years of age and highly skilled both technically and tactically.

A perfect example of this is Spain's Amanda Sampedro Bustos. Only 18 years but she knows her position and knows it well. When to push forward, when to turn and bring the movement of the play back and most importantly of all how to control the flow of the game. On and off the ball.

Looking back at the recent Algarve Womens football Cup and the England v USA game and you can clearly see that there is a lack of 'Trequartista's at the top level. You could count England's Kelly Smith but her club nor country use her in that position and when she does drop to get the ball England look toothless in attack, as the wingers (in a 4-3-3) stand on the sides.

Supporting Act
Therefore to integrate a number 10 you must also have players who understand what their role is 'off' the ball.

The worst display of this at the highest level was shown by Brazil during their 'epic' semi-final 2008 Olympic agme against the U.S.A. Yes, Marta did score a great individual goal but the mistakes are the exact reason Brazil have not won either Olympic or World Cup trophies.

Throughout the game Marta received the ball on the left. Wide and isolated at times from her team mates. Her teamates (Daniela) supported from midfield but there was a breakdown in fluidity every time she received the ball. Everyone stopped to watch including some defenders, who struggled to defend positionally facing their right.

The best display was Japan in during the 2008 U17 World Cup. Their 4-3-3 changed to 2-5-3 and 3-4-1-2 during their 7-1 destruction of France. Japan are the leaders of offensive possesion football. No team touched the ball more times or completed more passes at the Algarve Womens football Cup in March. They also played with a minimum 2 'Trequartista's in every game. Homare Sawa from the past 10 years to Mami Yamaguchi now and Iwabuchi in the future Japan have an abundance of talented footballgirls.

Asian players lead our list and Japan stand out along with South Korea when it comes to 'pure' talent. This month you will also be able to hear Tiago Merlot and Denmark's highly rated tactician of a coach Kenneth Heiner-Moller's thoughts on the Japanese (''4 pratices a day?) on footballgirltv (youtube).

Apologies

That leads me onto a long and overdue apology to all of you for the delay in this new issue.

We never expected the amount of players, coaches and clubs that would contact us for management and marketing advice. While some where hopeless in listening to Sabine or Santi others are getting ready for their new sseasons with our ideas in place. Talking of Santi, I must say a deep thank you to a guy who has entrusted his baby to a 19 year old like me. It has taken two years of travelling and writing to reach here with this issue being my first as Editor in Chief. For those of you who have emailed their support I say thank you very much and especially to my parents who have always pushed me to do something in football!

Danke,

Someone with less football knowledge but still vital to us (well studio mai teo) is Silvia. We were not the best of friends for the first year (as everyone knows) but she has shown me the wonders of creativity and made our offices incredibly comfortable. The visions of her and Tiago's mind really are immense but I can not get my head around her 'free' dress sense..takes the word unique to a whole new level!!

This month we also have a new designer of the month to go along with another set of fantastic stadia in our number one section Temples. Footballgirltv on youtube also shows the first 4 parts of the footballgirl v studio mai teo season, as I step up creatively this year.

Two more extremely creative footballgirls I have known for the past 2 years are also leaving us. The Ribeiro sisters Bianca and Paulina 'pau pau' will be working on their new Algarve Cup website fully, which should be incredible, looking at their artwork.

This month sees the start of the summer league season which means the long wait is over for the semi-professional English league. We will also know who will be playing at the Champions League final in London along with that is the World Cup this summer and we await to see if the outcome of this 4 year event has a positive effect, in increasing the number of footballgirls.

Lastly a big kiss and hug to footballgirl Sandrine Dusang of France. Everyday until she returns to the field from all the players, coaches, teachers, clubs and parents involved with footballgirl.

Anja,