RANDOM REMINDER

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30561, 2 October 1964, Page 26

RANDOM REMINDER

HELPING HANDS

It is a pity that all the football season has left now is a collection of friendly matches, fixtures which the average spectator views with some distrust. But when it all begins again early next year, club coaches should recall the success of the Sydney soccer player who under went hypnosis and benefited by it quite spectacularly. The system could be of considerable assistance here. Some Rugby players already have tried selfhypnosis, with dramatic effect. There have not been

many of them. But they can be found in dressingrooms, half an hour before a match, staring straight ahead of them, sometimes

beating their great gnarled fists on their great gnarled knees, and muttering to themselves. Think what could be done under expert supervision. One of the more diverting changes would be in the look of team photographs. The players would be there, with their heads set squarely on their shoulders, and there would be the usual collection of officials. But the dark gentleman with the pointed beard and the black cloak in the back row? Mr Sombre Hombre (hypnotist).

Special ones would be needed for test matches, because under international rules the players may not leave the field at

the interval. So the All Blacks would have to have someone with long-range equipment Of course, even in those matches where further treatment would be possible at half-time, it might not always be offered. A man whose team is down 23-0 at the change-over might think it time to become a marathon runner.

The first to benefit could be the New Zealand cricketers due to leave for England early next year. Great things could be done could they but be persuaded that Fiery Fred is really and truly Futile Frederick. There were times when the Australians appeared to have succeeded in this.