Australian eyes on N.Z.’s soccer stars

Press, 3 June 1981, Page 28

Australian eyes on N.Z.’s soccer stars

Bv

DAVID LEGG AT

The outstanding success enjoyed by New Zealand’s World Cup team will inevitably result in the continued exodus of the country’s top players to the more lucrative Australian Philips League. Six of the 18 players in the New Zealand squad. Brian Turner. Steve Sumner. Duncan Cole. Glenn Dods. Rihard Wilson and Clive Campbell, are already playing for clubs in the Philips League. It is not unlikely that as many as another five could well be playing there within the next few months. This is the price the Rothmans League will have to pay for the triumphs of the past few weeks, when New Zealand soccer has captured the public attention as never before. The two particular heroes of the World Cup campaign, Steve Wooddin and Grant Turner, were the first, and most logical, candidates for approaches from Australia. They were the two who did more than any in. New Zealand’s opening match at Auckland against Australia., Wooddin, a 26-year-old Liverpudlian. came to New Zealand towards the end of the. 1977 season, after playing for Tranmere Rovers. While his ability has never been questioned, his attitude and work-rate has. But he has excelled himself in this series, scoring goals, setting up goals and doing his share of defensive work. Grant Turner’s rise to footballing prominence has been

swift and remarkable. Until last year, he was regarded as a talented player, but one who lacked the necessary discipline to reach the top. In short, he was one of the bad boys of New Zealand soccer. Last winter, he was taken to Gisborne City by Kevin Fallon and his progress has been stunning. He made his New Zealand debut against Mexico and scored in the 4-0 win. Since then, he has become one of the key men in New Zealand’s World Cup bid. Turner has scored six times in the seven Cup qualifying matches, and his aggression and determination has been a highlight of the team’s performances. In addition. his wonderful goal which made certain New Zealand’s 2-0 win against Australia in Sydney will be perhaps the one ~ enduring memory of this campaign. Another who is sure being hotly pursued is the 19-year-old central defender, Ricki Herbert. He has improved steadily during the qualifying series.’ after an indifferent opening match against Australia. There, he was beaten in the air virtually every time

by the lanky Australian. Eddie Krnvecic. but has shown a maturity well beyond his years since then. His combination with Bobby Almond has been the chief reason why New Zealand has not conceded a goal in its last six Cup games. Almond has been approached by r overseas clubs since New Zealand returned from its world tour of 1979. His masterly control and distribution has. if anything, improved in the last year. But he has always rejected offers to move to Australia, and it would take an especially tempting proposition to persuade the bearded defender to leave New Zealand. Perhaps the player who can claim to have been the biggest success in the team is the little right-back, John Hill. The 31-year-old Irishman was a surprise inclusion in the squad, and his naming in the final eleven for the opening match was nothing less than astounding. But he has held his place with a series of sound, consistent displays — no. frills, but plenty of guts. Only one player, David Bright, seemed less likely to win a place in

the team before the group matches began. Now Hill would be one of the first selected. Keith Mackay, known as ’’buzzer’ to his team-mates for his tireless running in the midfield, would be another prime candidate to cross the Tasman. He. Cole and Hill have given New Zealand stability and overlapping strength down the right flank. But while New Zealand's efforts cannot be praised too highly, it must be remembered that it has y#t to come up against a team which has been good enough to continually pressure it. both defensively and in attack. Australia’s attack was entirely devoid of imagination, while its defence was clearly suspect. Indonesia lacked any real striking power, being reduced to harmless shots from outside the penalty area, and had a defence which failed to come to grips with even the basics of the task. Taiwan defended admirably in Taipei, where its cause was aided by a shocking playing surface, but produced little in attack. Fiji was simply not good enough in either facet. New Zealand will not falter now. but the real test awaits it in the final qualifying group. That will be an opportunity to discover just how good this New Zealand team is. and how far it can go.