Mr Arok seeks rough ride for Scots

Press, 13 November 1985, Page 80

Mr Arok seeks rough ride for Scots

AAP correspondent Tony Vermeer Sydney Australia should play its World Cup qualifying match against Scotland on the “roughest” ground available and under a scorching summer sun, the Socceroos’ coach, Mr Frank Arok, has told Australian .soccer officials. -

The Australian Soccer Federation president, Sir Arthur George, arriving back in Sydney from an overseas trip, headed straight into a meeting with Mr Arok to discuss the coach’s views.

Arok is opposed to the ASF’s choice of Olympic Park, Melbourne, as the venue for the return match

with Scotland on December 4, the game that should decide which team qualifies for the World Cup finals in Mexico next year. Mr Arok said that inviting the Scots to the carefullymanicured Olympic Park would be like asking them to play in their own backyard., “It is a typical Eng-lish-type ground, with beau-

tiful smooth grass, just what they like,” he said. “I don’t have anything against the ground, but I want the roughest surface available because they are not used to it — it will upset them.” Mr Arok said he favoured either VFL Park, or the Melbourne Cricket Ground as alternatives, but the final

choice lay with the ASF. “We must get the best advantage for our team because Scotland will be sure to do that in Glasgow,” he said.“We will have to play in their freezing temperatures, so I would like to play them out in the middle of the day when it’s boiling hot.” The Australians leave for Britain today.