SOCCER OFFICIAL RETURNS Early World Cup decisions urged for N.Z.

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33587, 16 July 1974, Page 32

SOCCER OFFICIAL RETURNS Early World Cup decisions urged for N.Z.

(New Zealand Press Association! AUCKLAND. The chairman of the Auckland Football Association’s control board (Mr C. Dempsey) warned yesterday that New Zealand could not afford half-hearted preparation for the next World Cup soccer contest, the finals of which will be in Argentina in 1978.

“We must either begin now —- or forget about the next World Cup altogether,” he said on his return from this year’s competition in Munich, where he has been acting as the official observer for the New Zealand Football Association.

“On our present form we would have to pay spectators at the cup in Argentina to watch New Zealand, and that would not do our soccer image any good,” Mr Dempsey said. Mr Dempsey will report to the N.Z.F.A., suggesting major restructuring of the soccer scene and an all-out drive for funds of more than

$lOO,OOO if New Zealand is prepared to make a serious bid to reach the final rounds of the cup. “We must begin, and we must begin now by appointing a full-time coach or manager for the World Cup squad,” he said. “In my opinion Ken Armstrong is the only man for that job.” Armstrong is the Mt Wellington coach. Mr Dempsey said regional jealousies would probably not allow restructuring of competitions, including the Rothmans National League, to take place. “For example, I can not see a Christchurch club letting its best players go and live for a time in Wellington, if that is where the cup squad is going to be assembled. It would mean the loss of stars for the national league. “But it needs this sort of effort — or nothing at all.

One thing is sure, we cannot enter the next World Cup competition and regard it as a game against Australia — as we did last time.” He said he knew that soccer was not the No 1 sport in New Zealand and that a successful cup foray would need the support of the public — the sort of support, from people' and business houses—that was behind the All Blacks.