Soccer side to play 'blind’

Press, 9 February 1982, Page 32

Soccer side to play 'blind’

PA Auckland . The Hungarians will go in “blind” in their soccer clash with the New Zealand World Cup side at Mount Smart on Thursday evening, but they will not be under-estimating their opponents. The team coach Kalman Meszoly admitted last evening‘that he had not seen any television film of the New Zealand team on their long, hard road to the World Cup finals but, just as quickly, he added that he had some idea of what to expect from John Adshead’s side.

Speaking through an interpreter at the team’s light training session yesterday Mr Meszoly, aged 41, a former World Cup player and Hungarian coach since May 1980, said he envisaged the New Zealand team as being “a strong team of fighters with big hearts.”

“It was a great achievement for your team to get to the finals,” said Mr Meszoly. “I, like many others, have a very good opinion of them.” Although a little disappointed with his side’s results in Australia — fours wins, a draw and a loss — Mr Meszoly said the 5-0 win over Vojvodina of Yugoslavia at Olympic Park in Melbourne last week-end was its best effort of the six.

Early in the tour the side had suffered from a long flight and the lack of recent play, as the _ Hungarian domestic season is in winter recess until February 21, he said. But once the side acclimatised, Mr Meszoly was pleased with its progress, especially as five first-choice players have remained in Europe on club duty with non-Hunvarian clubs.