Soccer Circus comes to Dubai

Football enthusiasts and even those kicking a ball for the first time could get a chance to experience playing in the big league at Soccer Circus, the first state-of-the-art football facility in the Middle East.

"You don't have to be a footballer to play this. You are not playing against David Beckham or Kevin Keegan, you are playing against yourself," said former European Footballer of the Year Kevin Keegan at the media launch of the facility in Mirdif City Centre yesterday.

The brainchild of Keegan, the leisure attraction is centred on a series of individual skill games for all levels of ability, followed by the 'big game' in an immersive stadium atmosphere. Skills required for goal scoring, tackling and defending, are honed in this unique football experience of Majid Al Futtaim Leisure.

"It is fantastic to be part of an initiative that is bringing football to players of all abilities in the Middle East. The Soccer Circus team has invested years in the research, development and delivery of this concept and I am delighted with the results. I hope that this will be a stepping stone for many young football enthusiasts to get a chance to improve their soccer skills and feel the adrenaline rush that accompanies a game well played," added Keegan.

It took 10 years for the former England captain to develop the mechanics of the leisure game inspired by the fun methods adopted by a coach in New Zealand.

"In this case he had cones and had cut them all to different sizes. He let kids come along and waved them so they could kick at moving targets. It was proper coaching but still the technique had to be right. Then I started to think and when I lived in Spain I did some drawings. I was looking for ways in which everybody in the family could play and have fun," said Keegan on the evolution of this concept.

The former England manager said it was particularly useful for kids who do not like to exercise. "If you make it fun they would do it. The main thing is to exercise because a lot of them sit at a computer and play games. They are not doing anything physically. This is the opposite. It's high-tech, but you are doing the work. Instead of watching a hero in a video game you are actually in there," Keegan, 59, told Emirates Business after participating in two impressive rounds.

With automated games, interactive experiences and three five-a-side pitches, Soccer Circus and Team Zone at Playnation target families seeking indoor activities during the summer.

"You may be a young footballer or a dad. Every body in family can play it. It doesn't matter who you are or what age or ability you have got, indeed what physical fitness you've got, you can actually have a fun time at Soccer Circus. At the same time it gives them an authentic experience of what it is like to play professional football," said Clive Mockford of Newcastled-based Engineering Creatives.

Craig Hart, Vice-President of Majid Al Futtaim Leisure, said: "Soccer Circus with Team Zone is ideal for fans who enjoy playing and watching the game."

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