SOCCER MEN ANNOYED

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31178, 30 September 1966, Page 15

SOCCER MEN ANNOYED

Cold Shoulder

From Aust. “The Press” Special Service WELLINGTON. New Zealand Football Association officials are annoyed with the cold shoulder treatment from the Australian Soccer Federation over arrangements for next season’s tours by the English club, Manchester United, and a Scottish team.

Attempts b y New Zealand administrators to confer with Australia on the matter have been ignored.

When it was announced in July that the teams would play in Australia and New Zealand during 1967. the secretary of the Australian federation, Mr I. McAndrew, said it was now up to his country and New Zealand to ratify the tours and decide where the games would be played.

•'We have sent a letter to Australia seeking more information about the visits, but they have not yet replied,” the chairman of the N.Z.F.A., Mr R. S. Smith, said yesterday.

Reports from Australia indicate the tours have practically been tied up—but the N.Z.F.A. has been told just about nothing of the arrangements.

Originally Scotland made approaches for three or four games in Australasia during an Asian and Pacific tour. Manchester United also showed interest in several games, probably two in New Zealand in July. The N.Z.F.A. has been

forced to write direct to the Scottish Football Association and also instruct its Londonbased F.I.F.A. delegate, Mr K. de Maus, to make personal approaches to both Manchester United and Scotland. The tour plans were announced in July when F.I.F.A. also approved the formation of an Oceania Soccer Confederation. including New Zealand and Australia. This should have introduced a much closer link between the two countries, but so far this does not appear to have taken place. An Australian report says a confederation meeting is to be held in Sydney soon, but New Zealand has yet to be told of this. “CAN’T SIT BY" Mr Smith said he was upset he had not been told of the meeting. “I don't mind reading it in the newspapers, but I think we should be informed first,” he said. “After all, we are only 24 hours away by airmail and a cable about such things does not cost much. “I realise that the confederation will have growing pains, but we can’t just sit by and be ignored by Australia.”

The confederation is a great opportunity for New Zealand to get into world soccer. It could mean the chance of a World Cup elimination group within the Pacific nations.

The same might also apply to the Olympic Games, a target New Zealand is probably more interested in.