Strong soccer side

Press, 13 April 1978, Page 32

Strong soccer side

PA Wellington The English Football Association side to tour New Zealand in June should provide the nucleus of England’s 1982 World Cup squad, said the New Zealand Football Association’s promotions manager (Graham

Moore) yesterday. The English F.A. Cupj finalist side, Ipswich, would i provide at least three play-1 ers in the 18-man squad, which would include nine] under-21 players. The tourists would include; the Ipswich striker, Paul j Mariner, who has been a( consistent scorer for Ipswich | since his signing for Plymouth Argyle and has also been capped by England. The mid-field man Brian | Talbot, was also an England.

Mr Moore was unsure i who the third player would J he but hoped that it will be the defender, Mick Mills. New Zealand fans will be ible to preview the Ipswich men’s performances by netching the F.A. Cup final to be televised live from tVemblv Stadium on May 6. Another visitor to New Zealand will be the Manrhester City goal keeper, Joe Corrigan, at 1.95 m one of the tallest goal keepers in

the English league. With him will be a club-mate midfielder, Gary Owen. The most experienced English international in the party will be the Liverpool defender, Phil Thompson, who took over England’s number-four shirt against iNorthern Ireland in 1976 and [had collected five caps in a row by the end of the season. I Thompson scored one of (England’s three goals in its 3-2 win over Italy in 1976 in | a match in which Corrigan ;and Mills also appeared. Also in the New Zealand

-squad are the Liverpool j team-mates, Terry McDerjmott, at Mid-field, and David Fairclough, a striker. . The only others named by iMr Moore were Aston liVilla's defender. John Gidman, and two Newcastle defenders, Alan Kennedy and (Irving Nattrass. : “The remaining eight names should arrive in the linear future.” said Mr Moore. “We asked for Mick Chanrjnon (Manchester City) and j Kevin Keegan to be included nin the party originally. I "We’ve been told that 'I Keegan is definitely not • (coming, due to his German i,club commitments, but have fl yet to be told about Chanilnon.”

When the N.Z.F.A. chairman (Terry Killalea) announced the English team’s visit he said that his association had studied Mr Moore’s financial statement on it before giving its agreement.

“The promotions manager’s job stands or falls on these tours. He has a contract that he will promote the games for our benefit L d for his. “If he is not successful, then he stands to fall. That was the arrangement entered into last May when Mr Moore was appointed.” Mr Killalea said that there could be a change from the itinerary originally released. “The financial-promotions committee recommended a game against Otago and three test matches against | the New Zealand side. While (the venues have been decided on, the opposition has yet to be.” The original plan was for Otago to play the F.A. side on June 5 in Dunedin and for three tests: at Auckland on June 14, at Wellington on (June 11, and at Christchurch lon June 7.