Auckland F.A. told to drop two tour matches

Press, 12 April 1978, Page 32

Auckland F.A. told to drop two tour matches

PA Wellington New Zealand's biggest soccer attraction for many years will take place at the risk of a confrontation between the New Zealand and Auckland football associations.

The chaim.an of the N.Z.F.A., Mr Terry Killalea. yesterday confirmed that an England party containing nine full caps and nine under-21 and 23 representatives will play four matches Two of three tour matches fn Auckland, arranged independently by the local association. have been squashed hy the association’s executive in an unprecedented move. Mr Killalea will fly to Auckland with the deputy chairman, Mr Graham Bilby, and a council member, Mr Ernie Gould, on Friday to Regional Council, principally the Auckland chairman. Mr Charlie Dempsey. The English tour has been organised by the N.Z.FA. promotions director, Mr Graham Moore, who. under the terms of his contract, is liable tor an' loss incurred 'm/ Moore arranged three other games for the team — in Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Jakarta — on Monday, hours before an N.Z.F.A. deadline to finalise arrange“The tour is on — it has the executive’s blessing,” Mr Killalea said yesterday. '‘Graham stands or falls by this tour and we are concerned that it is a success because it will then lead to other things. “So we have declined two tours by the Auckland asso-l ciation, one of which was

offered us as a joint venture. Our first responsibility is to j Graham and we feel bringing three teams into the (country will jeopardise the F.A. tour’s success, particularly for promotion in Auckland,” he said. Auckland is traditionally [the key to a tour’s success •and Mr Killalea knows the ; market there cannot take [much competition. Mr Dempsey has meanwhile arranged three match|es- A return of the Bobby (Charlton All Stars on May 5, the English division one .side, Derbv County, on May ! 17 and the Scottish team, Dundee, on May 23. Mr Killalea said his 'executive felt that Auckland should be allowed one game, I the All Stars fixture with ‘Auckland, because the other two were later and would influence the F.A. tour. Mr Dempsey said last night he did not want to comment until after the (meeting, on Friday. “But ’ am quite sure that whatever takes place will be good for New Zealand football.” he said. England will play four matches, one against an I Otago team and three against New Zealand. The proposed itinerary is Otago in Dunedin on Monday, June 5, New '’ealand at Christchurch on Wednesday, June 7, at Wellington on [Sunday. June 11 and Auckland on Wednesday June 14. The date of the Christ-

church test is unfortunate, writes David Leggat. The last occasion a mid-week fixture was played at English Park, against Luton Town last May, it proved a financial disaster. The acting chairman of the Canterbury Football Association (Mr Maurice McKenzie) said last evening that the loss from the Luton match was “a shade over $3000”. However it is not practical to have a mid-week fixture in Dunedin and although it would be very desirable to have a week-end match at Queen Elizabeth II Park it is unlikely that the touring team would be prepared to play on two successive days. The C.F.A. has no financial interest in the match, except what the N.Z.F.A. might make. However, Mr McKenzie pointed out that it was a ‘‘fairly expensive” tour and it would be a bad move to attempt to undersell the match. At this stage he said that, in his view, the absolute minimum entrance fee would be $2, preferably $2.50. “If we charge any lower than that, people will ask ‘is it really worth seeing at all’?” said Mr McKenzie. The 18-man party, one of the most attractive billings in New Zealand soccer history, seems certain also to be one of the strongest — superior to both the pre-

vious England touring teams in 1969 and 1961. England’s star striker, Mike Channon, is likely to be among the party. “I requested Kevin Keegan, but Hamburg would not release him, and Channon. I can’t confirm Channon’s coming, but there’s an excellent chance,” Mr Moore said. “English professional foot--ball has many facets that can dictate availability at any stage and this could apply to members of this team.” The top names announced so far include the internationals Paul Mariner and Brian Talbot of the Ipswich side that will contest the F.A. Cup final in May, the Aston Villa full-back, John Gidman, the Manchester City 'keeper, Joe Corrigan, and the Liverpool trio of Phil Thompson, Terry McDermott and Dave Fairclough. The Ipswich manager, Mr Bobby Robson, will manage the team. All are first division players. The players are.— Joe Corrigan (Manchester City), John Gidman (Aston Villa), Alan Kennedy (Newcastle), Irving Nattrass (Newcastle), Phil Thompson (Liverpool), Terry McDermott (Liverpool), Dave Fairclough (Liverpool), Gary Owen (Manchester City), Brian Talbot (Ipswich town) and Paul Mariner (Ipswich Town).