National Soccer League: Club Amalgamation Advocated

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30212, 17 August 1963, Page 11

National Soccer League: Club Amalgamation Advocated

The following letter on the proposed national soccer league was written by MR E. H. WILLIAMS. It expresses his personal opinions and not necessarily those of the Canterbury Football Association, of which he is secretary.

“The talking point made by ‘The Press' on August 3 has had its effect. Soccer followers are in some doubt as to the part to be played by Canterbury in the proposed national league, the blueprint of which is soon to be released by the national council. “National league was discussed in 1959-60 and was rejected by associations on the grounds that “the code was not ready for it” —or at least the administrators weren’t, even if the public was. “The local compromise was a suggestion for a limited league—among, say, the four main centres —and the present E.F.A. trophy series is probably the outcome. “The Rothmans championship tournament is not a success, notwithstanding the generosity of the sponsors, whose assistance to many sports is widely recognised. The E.F.A. trophy series has not been a success to date because of the difficulty in wresting the trophy from Auckland. “It would be most unwise for soccer administrators to ask public support for a national league com-

prising up to 12 teams from throughout the country if present club playing standards are not raised to an acceptable level, and as ‘The Press’ has suggested, new clubs must be formed from existing clubs. “It seems unlikely that the New Zealand Football Association would accept an existing club side for national league unless the club is strengthened by the better players from other clubs. This lesson has been learned from the Rothmans tournament. “The suggestion made by ‘The Press’ soccer correspondent for the formation of two new clubs comprised of selected players from existing clubs is rather impracticable for two reasons. They are:— (a) The resistance of club administrators to releasing key players for most of the season; and (b) The reluctance of clubs to get together and produce football of a standard acceptable to the public. Many people have recognised the need of amalgamation for some time, and advocates of amalgamation of the city’s clubs can see that with the advent of the national league, time is running out for some clubs. A good, balanced administration and high standard of football can only be produced by a reduction to 10 clubs in a city the size of Christchurch, and the addition of two clubs to the present 20 would only serve to weaken the code. “A section of soccer followers believe that amalgamation of clubs wishing to

strengthen their position is the remaining alternative and would bring about the ultimate goal of high standard football and better administration. The C.F.A., for its part, would better be able to co-ordinate the efforts of these clubs in the purchase of grounds and facilities. “Club administrators who can quickly grasp the pattern that is forming and who act with some determination to effect an amalgamation with sister clubs will have a marked advantage over clubs intending to carry on regardless of the current trend. Once the national league is an established fact we can expect a spate of ‘poaching’ of players, and the backward

club with no ‘top’ team to entice players will soon be playing social football, without purpose, or any hope of producing any sort of appeal to the better players.