Reply To “Rat Race” Criticism

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30536, 3 September 1964, Page 19

Reply To “Rat Race” Criticism

The famous English soccer club, Arsenal, has answered the criticisms made by the 17-year-old Auckland player, John Legg, who called professional soccer in Britain a “rat race,” and said that the only

conversation among players was how much money they could make out of the game. Legg went to England for a trial with the Arsenal club and returned to New Zealand after two days in London. His comments were printed in “The Press” on August 18. The letter was written by the Arsenal club secretary, Mr W. R. Wall, and was sent

to an Auckland newspaper. Pointing out that Arsenal had been reluctant to give Legg a trial because of the long journey he had to make and had finally agreed after the boy’s father said he was prepared to pay all his expenses, Mr Wall said:

• ‘The boy arrived at Lonl don airport one Monday > morning, unheralded, and , eventually found his way to ■ Arsenal Stadium where he t met Mr George Male, a memr ber of our staff, and myself.

“We accommodated him at a London hotel and arranged that he should visit our training ground, some 20 miles away, to meet our Manager Mr Billy Wright, and to have a training session with the players on the Wednesday. He was introduced to one or twd of our junior players in the meantime. “On the Tuesday he told

ns that he had been talking to his father on the telephone and that owing to urgent domestic problems he must return immediately to New Zealand, but could not get a flight until the Wednesday. “We said that if he still

wished to go to our training ground on the Wednesday morning he was very welcome and he said he would let us know. On the Wednesday morning he sent a message to us that he had business in Birmingham (some 100 miles away) and could not, therefore, attend the training session. “We never had any further contact with him and, eventually, we assumed that he had returned to New Zealand.. ..

“What I would like to point out is that John Legg met only myself, Mr Male, and one or two junior players, and did not, at any time, visit our training ground or meet our manager, Mr Wright, the club coach, and the majority of our players. “True, he would have spent Monday evening with one or two juniors and I suppose it

would be inevitable that these lads, on the brink of their professional careers, could be discussing their future as professionals.

“I see nothing wrong in this and it is the sort of conversation that would be expected among professional sportsmen. “I would further suggest that a lad of 17, having spent two days in London, would not be expected to be an expert on professional football in England.” Mr Wall ended his letter by saying: “Arsenal has a reputation and a tradition throughout the world where football is played, and for a slight such as this to be printed purely on the basis of the remarks made by a lad of 17, is very hurtful.”