DOUG MOORE HAS ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE South Island soccer coach has already made a profound impact

Press, 21 July 1976, Page 22

DOUG MOORE HAS ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE South Island soccer coach has already made a profound impact

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BARNEY ZWARTZ

Any married man can affirm that the hardest thing about soccer is getting out of the house to play it. Among the notable exceptions to this is Doug Moore.

Moore claims he wakes up every morning with a smile on his face (not a New Zealand characteristic), happy because he holds one of only four full-time soccer jobs in New Zealand. He is the South Island coach. At 31, he has achieved much. His inexorable march up the ladder of soccer success, which his ambition craves, is now well under way, provided he receives the fortune necessary in such a competitive arena. And his chances are good because he has many of the requisite qualities. He is determined with a hint of ruthlessness, selfconfident, incisive and knowledgeable. He is one of the most learned soccer men in New Zealand, an academic in the word’s best connotations. with the humility of the learned of any sphere — the more he knows, the more he knows how little he knows. He is also an immensely likeable man: patient, candid. and perpetually goodhumoured. with the invaluable ability to communicate complex ideas in simple terms. Moore has had a profound impact in the six short months he b been in New Zealand. His intense enthusiasm has already generated a response in the unlikeliest people and his work rate has been strenuous. He was a good player with a fanatic:.! interest in the game, so it was quite an achievement for him to come to terms with the tact that he would never be a great player. The sacrifflee and effort he has made in pursuit of a soccer career has been considerable. In England he always had to contend with the difficulty of having a famous soccer father —- although he was not influenced bv his father at all. Bill Moore was a player for Stoke City before the second world wju, which finished his career;.then a trainer with Torquay. Notts County and. a couple of times, England. He later had two spells managing Walsall. Doug played tootball tor -Staffordshire. Villa juniors and Wolverhamption Wanderers juniors while at school and hoped Wolves would sign him as a professional. It was a “real shatterer” when they did not. He also represented his county at badminton and athletics to keep fit for football, and had a cricket trial for Nottinghamshire, but was not really inter-

ested, which he now regrets. He played professional soccer for Walsall between his father’s two managements, then played sem i-professional until breaking his ankle. He. got involved in coaching, having ' already attained his preliminary badge, when he took an outstanding junior side, of whom two represented England at under 18 level. His success was widely noted and he later coached Staffordshire for two years, during which time they were unbeaten.

Moore gained his full badge at Lilleshall’s top course, also attended by several professional plavers, of whom four passed. It cost him his teaching job as he was not allowed the time off and had to resign.

He was now at the crossroads when he had to decide whether to go into practical soccer with a club or work for the Football Association doing courses. He opted for the F.A., wanting the money and experience. In this period he also worked as Birmingham County’s chief coach, did coaching work with Birmingham City, went close to jobs with Derby County and Plymouth Argyle, and lectured in geography. Somewhat of a protege of the E.A.’s director of coaching. Allan Wade, Moore turned down a lucrative position in Saudi

Arabia. He would have made $l4OO a month tax free with fringe benefits, but got no job satisfaction or achievement. The Yom Kippur war decided him. He declined an Australian position before Wade contacted him out of the blue advising him to apply for the South Island job. His knowledge of geography and ihe presence of the national coach. Barrie. Truman, who is highly regarded in England, decided him.

Arriving in January, he has visited as many people as possible, including 10 visits to associations outside Canterbury and innumerable courses, learning as much. about this country’s soccer background as he has been teaching and passing on the latest overseas ideas. "The first six months have, been much more active and hectic than 1 had hoped, and I am very pleased. 1 thought it would be slow, that I would have trouble breaking down the barriers and building a programme, but the programme is running awav with me,” he said.

He sees his job as trying to promote the game hi every way. It is difficult to define in other than glib phrases and meaningless platitudes, but it. means a lot to him. Communication is the most, important factor.

"We tend to have several problems that are bedevilling England, be-

cause so many here are English born and bred.” The Dutch player is no different in build from the English, but his techniques are so much better that analysis shows it has to be the way he was brought up, with 10 to 14 being the vital years. “And this is my job. I have to see that coaches here have the weapons, the ability to put these techniques across, and this is what 1 hammer at my courses rather than fitneSs and winning,” says Moore. He sees the traditional English policy of encouraging strength and fitness, which enabled it to carry all at youth level but little at the top. as very' shortsighted. Fitness can be gained at any stage, but skill must be taught young.

“England is now recognising her mistakes, learning from West Germany and Holland, but. it. needs humility. I just hope 1 am not going to see English mistakes duplicated here, because we haven’t got the talent to burn in this country.”

One method he advocates to ensure the best development of young players is to hold an annual camp for 40 or so outstanding juniors and nurture them through io international standard, which is the waV Sweden and Hungary, among others, qualified for the World Cup. Junior camps are al-

ready being field in holidays. On the standard at the top in New Zealand, he says; “It is higher than 1 anticipated, and would compare favourably with lop non-league soccer in England, which is in fact what it is. “It is facile to compare it with league football, because then you ask if any part-timers are as good as full time professionals, and the answer is that they jolly well shouldn't be. “On their day, the top clubs can embarrass top league opposition — witness Christchurch United against Hearts — and some regional clubs are developing along the right lines, but then there is a great gulf to what would merely be social soccer at home.”

Moore strongly admires Don Howe — how Leeds United’s chief coach, before manager of West Bromwich Albion and chief coach of the Arsenal double winning side — and Dave Sexton, manager of Queens Park Rangers, formerly Chelsea.

Both coaches emphasise skill, study the game deeply, and have an immediate impact on the players under them.

That bol> are quiet men, who do their own thing their own way with no fuss or fanfare, and have not achieved as much fame as their achievements warrant, says something about Doug Moore. But Moore makes no secret of his ambition. Ultimately, like all coaches, he wants his own side because that is tn the end the only yardstick he can measure himself bv.

Meanwhile, he is prepared to go in many directions, such as New Zealand, trying to pack experience into the years so he is better prepared to take his chance when it comes.

"1 used to say there were 92 jobs in the world, and I want only one of them,” says Moore, referring to the 92 English league clubs.

“Accepting that soccer is a precarious life is half i he battle. I have already come a few croppers in my time, but I have yet to be sacked from any job, and when that inevitably comes it might dampen my enthusiasm — I don’t know.” His wife, Pam, and two children are important to him even in soccer — which, according to Pam, dominates him 100 per cent — because they can act as a safety valve. At this stage it appears likely Moore will be in charge of the under 21 side on its domestic tour later this year. In spite of the manifold difficulties of

moulding a team and tac- ; tics under these circum- | stances, this will be New I Zealand’s best chance to | judge how Moore will sue- I ceed in soccer. It will be ) his first such practical ) test in this country.. •