Nick de Meyer named as new Rangers coach

Press, 22 October 1980, Page 42

Nick de Meyer named as new Rangers coach

By DAVID LEGGAT Nick de Meyer, who has been associated with the Rangers soccer club in various capacities since 1968, has been named to coach the club in the Rothmans League next year. Mr de Meyer will replace Mr lan Marshall, who stepped down after guiding Rangers through its first season in the league last winter.

Although he has been involved mainly with the club’s younger players, Mr de Meyer does not see any difficulty in adjusting to coaching the club’s top team.

"Boys at the under-18 or

•19 level are more difficult to i take than the senior play-1 ers,” he said. “The senior players know what they ] have got to do and you can talk more easily to them than to a junior player.” Mr de Meyer is no stranger to the national league, however. From 1970 until 1974, the opening ytars of the league, he refereed 29 league matches and earned a reputation as a strict and firm referee. Reflecting on last season’s team, Mr de Meyer said he was “quite happy” with the defence but was not entirely satisfied with the attack. “I will want a little more attacking flair from the stri- 1

kers,” he said. With this In mind, hfe conceded he had his eye on one striker, at present outside Canterbury. But over all, Mr de Meyer is happy with, the present Rangers squad, and he added that there are “one or two” younger players who might be able to force their way into consideration. He also has an advantage over other candidates for the Rangers job. Many of the club’s top prospects have been coached by him at some stage of their formative soccer years, thus giving Mr de Meyer considerable insight into _ the amount of talent available from within the club.