Terry Conley back

Press, 5 September 1980, Page 24

Terry Conley back

By

DAVID LEGGAT

He may .have been the unwitting victim of the worstkept soccer secret of the year, but after much speculation and unconfirmed rumour, Mr Terry Conley was last evening' officially named as Christchurch United’s new coach. Mr Conley will replace Messrs Brian Hardman and Terry Mann, who guided the team in this season’s Rothmans League. He returns to the club he managed from 1971 to mid-1978, when he was sacked for refusing to turn down an offer to take charge of the New Zealand team, which forced hint to break his contract. In the last two seasons, Mr Conley has coached Blockhouse Bay,. which was relegated at the end of this season. He admitted it had been a difficult two; years, “but the players did all they could.” ' • Mr Conley, who has signed

a two-year contract, said he accepted the responsibility for- Blockhouse’s relegation, but reiterated his well-known attitude, that: “things will, be done my way: The players

will do their job on the pitch.” Among the differences he noticed between the Auckland and Canterbury administrators was a more professional approach,in Auckland when compared with the C.F.A. of two years ago. “But you always got the feeling that as long as you were part of the set-up in Auckland all was rosy,” said Mr Conley. “They were not really interested in what happened outside Auckland.” Mr Conley said his immediate priority was meeting and talking with the players, several of whom played under him two years ago. He added that he could be looking for “one or two” new players for 1981. For the record, Mr Conley led United to four Chatham Cup wins, in 1972, 1974, 1975 and 1976, two Rothmans League titles in 1973 and 1975, and had a share in the 1978 title when Mr Hardman took over.