SOCCER TRAINER.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 136, 10 June 1936, Page 19

SOCCER TRAINER.

FOR AUSTRALIAN TEAM. MR. "TAFFY" DAVIS APPOINTED. Adding to a long list of appointments as trainer of athletes and footballers of different codes, Mr. "Taffy" Davis, of Auckland, has been appointed by the New Zealand Football Association as trainer of the Australian Soccer touring team which arrives at Auckland on Wednesday next for a six weeks' stay in the Dominion. One of the acknowledged authorities on physical culture in New Zealand, Mr. Davis is himself a physical specimen, and some years ago he was awarded the world championship in a competition conducted by an •American physical culture society in which photographers were sent from every, part of the globe, and adjudged on dimensions and co-related development. He was chosen

as the best developed man in the world." I] He was selected by the New Zealand * ■Rugby Union from an application list of (J over 300 to train the last British side to visit the Dominion, while he was also s> appointed trainer of the Australian and V the last two English League sides. He lI was in charge of the Springboks during j|J "their last visit to New Zealand, and also ;, trained the Chinese students' Soccer team: t In addition lie has been employed by many Ci prominent athletes from overseas. His E expert knowledge of massage, much of ** T.hich lie gained during the war, . has p earned him many flattering testimonials, p and recalls the fact that Mr. Davis arrived c i i -Auckland on August 4, 1914, going direct S to the Drill Hall, where lie enlisted.. He M was at the Gallipoli landing and saw ser- j' 7 e on several ot'ter fronts, his services jj ' -ing retained aftf.r the Armistice for n lr-.pscur treatment at Rotorua. liu