Kick off for Manchester United Soccer Schools and Dubai Sports City

Over the next four months, football-mad youngsters from the UAE and beyond will be the first in the region to experience the MUSS coaching philosophy, which is specially adapted from the coaching programme at Manchester United's Youth Academy and at Manchester United Soccer Schools throughout the world.

Under the watchful eyes of MUSS coaches, Tony Byrne and Alex Weaver, and local coach, Abdul Rahman, who has been extensively trained by the MUSS coaches to deliver the MUSS programme, over 500 local and expatriate boys and girls aged between 7 and 16 years will learn how to dribble like Ryan Giggs, pass like Rio Ferdinand and shoot like Ruud van Nistlerooy.

For the duration of the programme an exclusive Manchester United Soccer Schools facility including a state-of-the-art synthetic football pitch and changing rooms has been secured at Al Wasl and this is now fully equipped with the specialist MUSS training equipment.

Along with receiving expert coaching, the youngsters will have their progress monitored regularly by specially adapted skills tests. In their first session all youngsters receive a full MUSS/Nike training kit and MUSS goody bag and upon completion of the course, each participant will receive a certificate and a personalised coaching assessment.

As well as the programme being designed at improving fundamental football skills, there is also considerable emphasis on enjoyment, personal achievement and personal development.

Tony Byrne, MUSS head coach in Dubai, said: "We have all been looking forward to the official opening of MUSS in Dubai and I am delighted to have seen such an enthusiastic response to the course. We have a real mix of youngsters signed up and they all seem incredibly keen - we even have one young lad from Saudi Arabia flying into Dubai each week to attend !"

Malcolm Thorpe, Marketing Director, Sports Business, at Dubai Sports City, said:"Youth training and development is at the core of the Dubai Sports City ethos as it is at Manchester United and we are very proud of our partnership with MUSS. We hope that this programme is a catalyst for football coaching in the region, which until now has not included anything as authentic and innovative as this.

Thorpe continued :"I am sure all the participants on the course will benefit tremendously - not only in improving their football skills but also on a personal level. If we unearth the next young national football hero that would be fantastic, but the real aim here is to offer a great football experience to as wide an audience as we can."