Simran Chand 
José Gerardo, a veteran Portuguese coach, has been appointed as Fiji’s new national futsal coach.
He replaces the outgoing coach, Jerry Sam.
The 63-year-old recently returned from coaching the national team of Kuwait and joined the Fijian national team last month.
He brings over 35 years of coaching experience, having coached teams in Portugal, Spain, Italy, Hungary, Romania, Poland, Azerbaijan, China, Sweden, and Fiji.
According to Fiji Football Association CEO Mohammad Yusuf, Gerardo aims to spend three years developing futsal in Fiji.
Speaking to FBC Sports, Gerardo says there is a lot of natural talent in Fiji but they will have to start with the basics to get their skills right.
“I have watched the southern futsal league and the secondary school futsal championship last week, I believe kids need to have good coaches to guide them. Coaches also need to have the right knowledge to set good example for their players.”
He says that the Fiji football technical team has done a great job so far and he hopes to continue with the development with them.
Gerardo believes his coaching style transcends language barriers.
While acknowledging that his English is still improving, he knows his ability to communicate effectively with players, drawing on his experience coaching in numerous countries.
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