Steve Wooddin returns

Press, 6 March 1984, Page 40

Steve Wooddin returns

By

DAVID LEGGAT

Contrary to the impression Australians like to give, its national soccer league is not particularly strong, according to the New Zealand international, Steve Wooddin.

The skilful striker has just arrived in Christchurch to join Christchurch United for this year’s Rothmans League, his first contact with the competition since June 1981.

Then he joined South Melbourne from Dunedin City at a time when New Zealand’s top players were welcomed by Australia’s leading clubs. At that time, Wooddin recalled, the overall standard in Australia was high. Now, with the national

league having increased from 16 to 24 clubs, players who are not up to scratch are being signed up, and Wooddin said, the standard is slipping. Clubs are now reluctant to approach New Zealand players as, with the international commitments New Zealand has at present, players are likely to be away for up to two months of the season.

“They obviously wouldn’t be too happy signing on anyone who was going to be away for that much time,” he said. “They were quite happy about it in 1981, but then New Zealand started beating Australia and now there are problems with the Olympic Games with more time off.” The financial situation for

players is still good in Australia, however, added Wooddin. The top clubs, and there are “three or four” which are making money, will splash out a lot of cash in the search for success.

“Take South Melbourne. They played Heidelberg, last week-end; both Greek clubs,” said Wooddin. “There was a crowd of 14,000.”

Wooddin had been contemplating returning to New Zealand, and his mind was made up when he realised that South Melbourne’s new coach — “they’ve had four in the time I’ve been there” — Len McKendry, a Londoner, did not rate Wooddin’s style of play.

It was a case of coming back to New Zealand now,

or in another two years after taking a second Australian club contract with another Melbourne club, George Cross. “I never intend to stay there for good,” said Wooddin. “I don’t want to live there.”

He will play for United in his familiar left-sided attacking role as soon as his clearance from Australia reaches the Canterbury Football Association.

Then there is the small matter of regaining his place in the New Zealand team for the Olympic qualifying series in Singapore in April. With Wynton Rufer unavailable and a distinct shortage of genuine, promising strikers, his place should be assured.