Selector Defends Soccer Body

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31988, 15 May 1969, Page 15

Selector Defends Soccer Body

The South Island soccer selector, Mr G. Evans, yesterday defended the New Zealand Football Association from the criticism in “The Press” over the availability for club matches on Saturday of players in next Sunday’s national trial.

“The Press” soccer reporter wrote yesterday: “The whole problem has stemmed from the failure of the N.Z.F-A. to lay down a rule on the availability of players.

“H the N.Z.F.A. had had strong feelings on this matter it should have announced them at the time of selection instead of leaving it to individuals to decide.” Mr Evans said yesterday that at one stage during the selection of the trial teams at "Wellington last Sunday,

the N.Z.F.A. made a ruling that trialists should not play for their clubs on the preceding day. “This decision was made at the request of two selectors, myself and Mr D. Wallace, of Auckland, and the national coach, Mr L. Brocic. (The third selector, Mr J. G. Shankie, the convenor, was in hospital). We made our feelings known to Mr J. Cowie, the N.Z.F.A. chairman, who hastily convened a meeting of the executive members present. “It had been reported by Mr Wallace that the Auckland F.A. had already made a similar decision with respect to its own players. Naturally, we had in mind that any club with three or more players in the trial teams would have been able to get dispensation, although I personally believed that in trial and international matches dispensation should be gained for two or more players. “However, when the N.Z.F.A. decision was made known it caused considerable

concern among the Gisborne City players, whose club is at present leading the central league competition. “After the central league officials had reported that it was impossible to transfer any matches because of the tight schedule under which the competition operates, it caused me to have second thoughts on the matter. “I could imagine the Gisborne players, and those from other clubs in the central league similarly affected, arriving at the trial considerably disgruntled after missing their club matches the previous day. I would rather have players in the trial suffering from a slight knock than less than 100 per cent mentally prepared for the trial. “In these circumstances Mr Wallace and I asked the N.Z.F.A. to rescind its ruling. Mr Cowie agreed that the association could not rule for one league and not for another, and did so. The only compromise we could arrange

with the central league was to change Gisborne’s match next Saturday from Gisborne to Wellington to cut down the players’ travelling. “Therefore, if there was a failure to get a national directive on this matter it was the fault of the selectors, not the N-Z.F.A., but it was done with the best of motives under difficult circumstances.” “The Press” soccer writer comments: Mr Evans’s explanation has cleared up one or two points in connection with this matter, but the fact remains that the N.Z.F.A., having laid down a ruling, should not have changed it for the sake of any club or league had the N.Z.F.A. felt in the first place that the ruling was in the interests of the national team. Soccer direction can come only from the N.Z.F.A., and then it must be positive and comprehensive. In this instance it has not been so, and has caused unnecessary concern among players and clubs.