Soccer skills
Sir,—When will the soccer coaches in this country learn that lasting benefits for this sport can be obtained only from teaching ball skills to players aged seven to 14? That is the only time they will acquire these skills. It is futile spending lots of money on those above this age group unless we are content with our present style and ability of play. After watching some of our top 25 players in Singapore in the pre-Olympic tournament, I suggest not many will be content. Soccer is a game of ball skills and creative imagination. Unless our players reach an internationally accepted standard in this regard, our nation will always be rightly regarded as second-rate in world soccer. Reaching the World Cup finals in Spain was marvellous and a tremendous circumstantial achievement; but it also should be regarded as a flash in the pan which is not likely to be repeated unless we change course. Only in the development of skilful young players lies a promising future.— Yours, etc., COLIN HOUSTON. April 22, 1984.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19840424.2.85.5
Bibliographic details
Press, 24 April 1984, Page 12
Word Count
176Soccer skills Press, 24 April 1984, Page 12
Using This Item
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the Press. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Copyright in all Footrot Flats cartoons is owned by Diogenes Designs Ltd. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise these cartoons and make them available online as part of this digitised version of the Press. You can search, browse, and print Footrot Flats cartoons for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Diogenes Designs Ltd for any other use.
Acknowledgements
This newspaper was digitised in partnership with Christchurch City Libraries.