Watford a cut above Irish, says Adshead

Press, 21 May 1982, Page 24

Watford a cut above Irish, says Adshead

by

ALISTAIR ARMSTRONG

The English first division side, Watford, will provide New Zealand’s World Cup soccer team with a different class of opposition than it met against the League of Ireland, says the national coach, John Adshead

New Zealand plays the first of its three World Cup build-up games against Watford in Christchurch on Sunday. Speaking after the national squad’s arrival in Christchurch yesterday from Invercargill, where it played the last of its tour matches against the League of Ireland, Mr Adshead said he was expecting a “very testing time” for his side from the English team. “From the League of Ireland to Watford will be like the difference between a central league side here and Mount Wellington (a leading Rothmans national league team),” he said. The change would be felt in organisation, something that the Irish side could only develop a limited amount of after being brought together from a league. Organisation would be the main strength of Watford, Mr Adshead said.

“They are a side that has just gone into the English first division so the players are really going to be in an extremely confident mood,” he said.

“They have been probably one of the most consistent sides in the English league this season and, in my opinion, most first division sides from England would fancy themselves against most international opposition in the world. So we are going to. get a very testing time from Watford.” The absence from the 16man Watford touring squad of a stiker, Ross Jenkins, who is being rested after an arduous season, and Gerry Armstrong and Pat Rice, who are required for the North Island World Cup team, would not noticeably

weaken the opposition as far as New Zealand was concerned.

“You are talking about an English first division squad of players — this will be a top first division side,” said Mr Adshead.

Commenting on the New Zealand team’s progress in its build-up for Spain so farm, the coach said that the main area where he was at present looking for improvement was in keeping ball possession. ■ “We have just got to get a little bit more composure now. Ball possession at this level is precious and we will be just looking to keep the ball a little bit better and get a better quality of passing than we have been doing. The odd finishing lapse such as occurred in Invercargill was not something to worry about at this stage,” he said. “We could have had three or four goals on Wednesday but at least we created far more than we had done in previous games, and that is the main concern at the moment. Shots that are missing the post by a foot, like on Wednesday, are quite likely to go in tomorrow,” said Mr Adshead.

Meanwhile, it was a rest day for the New Zealanders yesterday. The squad, minus the two injured players, Steve Sumner and Duncan Cole, will train at the grounds of Christchurch Boys’ High School this morning and at Queen Elizabeth Park, the venue for Sunday’s match, tomorrow.

Mr Adshead said he would probably name his team for Sunday after tomorrow's training session.

The coach was fairly noncommittal about who would be in the opening line-up, and said his assistant, Kevin Fallon, would be simply “picking the sides to do the job” against Watford.

“But obviously over these matches we will be looking to settle the side down into a formation that we expect would take the field in Spain.”

If there were any players making fresh inroads for a game in Spain, the reserve goal-keeper, Frank Van Hattum, was one, he said.

“Van Hattum has had two sparkling games in this series and he certainly hasn’t done himself any harm with his performances.”

Asked if he felt nervous about his team facing the newly-promoted Watford, Mr Adshead replied: “Are we hell. If we were nervous about them how do you think we would be going to feel against bloody Brazil? (one of New Zealand’s first round opponents in Spain).”

The coach could certainly take some heart from the performance of New Zealand’s Asia-Oceania co-World Cup qualifier, Kuwait, which beat the English first division. club, Manchester City, 21, in a warm-up match in Tangier.

“That was a very good result for them," he said.

New Zealand could do the same to Watford, if it kept a level head: “We know we will be in for a very testing time and we will be approaching the matches as such,” Mr Adshead said.