Five Reasons For Soccer Failure

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30562, 3 October 1964, Page 10

Five Reasons For Soccer Failure

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, October 2. Five reasons for the failure of the New Zealand soccer world tour earlier this year were given in a tour report released at a special meeting today of the New Zealand Football Association.

Four of the reasons were: 1. The national team was "not good enough to foot it With competition overseas.” 2. “We had been lulled into a false sense of security” by the results against teams visiting New Zealand in the last five years. 3. New Zealand had been assured by the overseas promoter, Mr W. Treml, that the standard here was good enough to match against overseas teams if he selected the opposition. 4. “The performances of our team were poorer than those of any other New Zealand team selected since 1937, either at home or abroad.” The report, prepared by tour officials, gave a final reason for failure, but the special general meeting took that section in committee. Coach Criticised The coach, Mr K. Armstrong,' was criticised in a report prepared by Mr 0. Hilton, assistant manager on the tour. “Right from the beginning I could not agree with his (Mr Armstrong’s) tactics suggested and applied during the games nor with his general attitude,” the report said. “As early as the first night in Hong Kong he tried to undermine the authority of

Dr. D. Saker (the party’s doctor).

“I feel his lack of psychology did harm to the team,” the report said.