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The Homeless World Cup was created in 2003 as a way of bringing the homeless of the world together with football as a common interest that could better their lives. Most major countries have teams associated in some way with their FA, and the England manager Richard Brown was kind enough to take some time to answer my questions on the England team and the upcoming tournament.

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Since coming in 2^nd in the inaugural HWC in 2003 in Graz, England has finished successively worse, can the hard work the boys have been doing pay off?

I HOPE SO, WE HAVE CHANGED THINGS AROUND THIS YEAR, SUCH AS HAVING REGIONAL TRIALS, AND SELECTING THE TEAM EARLIER SO THAT THE FINAL SQUAD HAS LONGER TO SPEND TOGETHER IN TRAINING

 

What are your goals for the boys at this year’s tournament in Melbourne this upcoming December?

THIS YEAR WE ARE AIMING TO GET ALL THE SQUAD TO A MINIMUM OF LEVEL 1 COACHING QUALIFICATION SO THAT WE CAN DELIVER A ‘SOCCER’ CAMP FOR THE KIDS OF MELBOURNE WHILST WE ARE OVER THERE – AND TO WIN IT OBVIOUSLY

 

Describe the selection process for the team, such as scouting, training, etc.

WE HAVE REGIONAL TRIALS, THIS YEAR AT 6 PROFESSIONAL CLUBS AROUND ENGLAND, THEN WE MEET AT MANCHESTER UNITED TO REDUCE THE SQUAD TO THE FINAL 8 THAT WILL TRAVEL TO MELBOURNE. WE WILL ALSO SPEND 6 FULL DAY SESSIONS TRAINING THE TEAM

 

What is your relationship with the FA?

GREAT. THEY ARE ASSISTING WITH THE COSTS AND PAYING FOR THE SQUAD TO GET THEIR COACHING BADGES

 

How was the HWC national team initially founded, and what positive steps have you taken since then?

THE TEAM WAS FOUNDED FOLLOWING THE 2002 INSP CONFERENCE, AND WITH ASSISTANCE FROM MANCHESTER UNITED.

 

What is the street soccer scene like in England?

IMPROVING. WE HAVE DEVELOPED LIVERPOOL HOMELESS FC AND HAVE GOT THROUGH OUR FIRST YEAR, CULMINATING IN A TOURNAMNET THAT WAS WON BY LIVERPOOL FC COACHES. WE ARE TRYING TO REPLICATE THE MODEL ACROSS THE WHOLE OF ENGLAND.

 

What positive changes have past and current players made in their lives since working with the England team?

 MANY HAVE GONE ON TO PLAY SEMI-PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL, WHILST THE MAJORITY HAVE GONE ON TO EMPLOYMENT AND STABLE ACCOMODATION.

 

How proud are you and the lads to be representing a nation which such a proud footballing history as England at the national level?

THE PASSION AND PRIDE OF REPRESENTING ENGLAND IS SHARED BY ALL INVOLVED IN THE ENGLAND HWC TEAM

 

Can we expect something like “international friendlies” in the future with street soccer?

WE RAN THE FIRST HOME NATION TOURNAMENT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, WHICH HAS SINCE BEEN HOSTED BY THE IRISH TEAM. BUT THAT WOULD BE A GREAT DEVELOPMENT.

 

How much of a help is it to be able to train at Manchester United facilities? BEING ABLE TO WORK WITH A CLUB LIKE MUFC IS GREAT

You can get involved by checking out the England team's website, www.bigissueinthenorth.com, and the homeless world cup official site, www.homelessworldcup.org. The competition was recently the focus of the ESPN documentary film "Kicking It."

- Andrew McCarten