Soccer Trials Showed N.Z. Will Have Sound Team

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30278, 2 November 1963, Page 9

Soccer Trials Showed N.Z. Will Have Sound Team

NEW ZEALAND’S soccer selectors came away from the trials at Masterton over Labour Day week-end relieved of a heavy weight The 18 players to go on next year’s first world tour have been chosen and the list presented to the N.Z.F.A. The names will be announced in a few days, when the tour arrangements have been finalised with the promoter, Mr Willi Treml, and clearances for the players have been obtained. If a pall of gloom surrounded the selectors after the first trial on the Sunday it was largely dispersed by the end of Monday’s game. The players threw off the lethargy and nervousness that marred the first trial, then played purposeful soccer with a high degree of ball control—and put everybody back into a good humour again. Thirty-three players were tried in the two games, and the 18 selected, the selectors affirm, are a blending of experience and youth that should serve New Zealand well on the tour and in the future. With the former English international. K. Armstrong, elected as coach to the touring team, 19 players will be available, for Armstrong has

indicated that if he is required he will also play. The team will include two goalkeepers. three full-backs, five half-backs, and eight forwards. As expected, P. L. Whiting (Wellington) and A. Stroud (Auckland) stood out as the two goal-keepers, and in this position New Zealand will be well served. Stroud, a former professional in Scotland, and Whiting, the national ’keeper for toe last two years, are both experienced and talented. The backs provided more of a problem, because there was a uniformity of performance, but three who showed up were the Wellington representatives, S. Scott and J. A. Evans, and the Waikato and New Zealand player, A. Leong. B. Mcßriar (Wellington) was not a success at back and played more usefully at centre-half in the second trial. Jo Kemp (Auckland) was the outstanding centre-half, and two other halves who probably won places were J. Lawson (Wellington) and K. Sudlow (Auckland). Three Otago players, E. Smith, J. Rae. and B. Boomer, were candidates for the other positions with Mcßriar and G. P. Bilby (Wellington), and the lucky ones may have been Bilby and Rae. Canterbury will probably have its sole representative in the forwards:' D. Torkington, of Western, had two good games and scored two magnificent goals. J. J. Ryan (Wellington) was also prominent, and these two players, and A. Inglis (Wellington), T. J. Pugh (Poverty Bay) and R. W. Ormond (Auckland) should fill five of the eight positions. There was more difficulty

selecting the other three forwards, and the players to have won approval may have been R. Moore (Wellington), R. Clews (Auckland) and B. Ritchie or G. Ma rment (Wellington). It is understood that the selectors made their choice only from those who played in the trials, which means that the three outstanding players in Christchurch soccer last season—G. Donaldson, G. Evans and P. Frost—were overlooked. If this was due only, or even primarily, to the South Island’s overwhelming defeat by the Los Angeles Kickers it was an unfortunate decision. It is hard to understand why all three were not invited to Masterton for at least the second trial.