Coaching School Games Discussed

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31092, 22 June 1966, Page 14

Coaching School Games Discussed

“If we cannot put these boys on English Park together why go ahead with coaching schools? Let’s just cater for back-yard soccer,” said Mr T. C. Gottermeyer, at last evening’s meeting of the Canterbury Football Association.

I Mr Gottermeyer’s statement was made during a discussion on the possibility of playing, unior coaching school players as curtain-raisers at English Park. No decision was made al-i though the chairman (Mr T. Smith) said that it was most likely that such a game would provide a future representative curtain-raiser. Mr Smith said that usually . only one curtain-raiser a month was not broadcast. He said that English Park was soccer’s only money-maker and that boys did not draw crowds. Last year two junior representative matches and a field day for 2500 boys resulted in 2500 boys and a handful of spectators being at English Park, said Mr Smith.

Clubs would not release iboys from morning matches ;and youngsters could not be expected to play in the mornjing and the afternoon, said IMr R. Storer. Television Soccer “The Rugby Union has won its case on television,” said Mr Smith, when Mr Gottermeyer reported that no other sport would be televised in New Zealand on the days of the tests against the British Isles.

Mr Gottermeyer did not agree. “We must be realistic,” he said. “How many people would watch any other sport on television when a Rugby test was on the radio? They are quite right from the financial point of view.” A suggestion made by the

chairman of the New Zealand Tootball Association Council ;(Mr R. S. Smith), who attended the meeting, that the association ask the council to take action, was carried. Referee’s Death i The Canterbury Rugby Union Referees’ Association has written to the C.F.A expressing regret at the death of Mr V. Smith. I The letter from the Rugby Union referees’ secretary (Mr D. J. Cunningham) said that t ie bond existing between the Iwo bodies made the soccer association's loss a personal one for the Rugby Union association.