Battle of the big men

Press, 13 June 1986, Page 22

Battle of the big men

By

DAVID LEGGAT

One of the more interesting personal duels in Sunday’s vital Rothmans Soccer League match between Christchurch Brother United and National Mutual Miramar on Sunday will be between the two key attackers on the field, John Hanson and Greg Brown. Victory for United, lying third on the league table, six points behind the leader, Miramar, will leave it perfectly positioned at the half-way stage for a serious challenge for the championship title. Its form this season has suggested it is capable of beating any team in the league and that is due in substantial measure to the form of Hanson. Not only has he averaged a goal every second match so far, but he has played a decisive role in many goals credited to his team-mates. An ideal target man, he leads the attack with strength and determination. Powerfully built, authoritative in the air and extremely difficult to shake off the ball, Hanson’s shoulders happily bear the brunt of the physical work up front.

At the other end of the pitch will be Brown, who has made himself the biggest crowd-puller in New Zealand soccer since arriving from England in the middle of last year.

He scored nine times in 11 matches for Napier City Rovers; got another two in the Le Coq Sportif Chatham Cup final; and has already scored 12 goals in 10 matches for Miramar this season. His tight ball control, allied to sharp speed off the mark, export finishing and a similar physique to Hanson make him the most dangerous striker in the country. If Hanson had the chance to choose his ideal attacking partner, it would be Brown. “I feel I need that type of player alongside me. He’s more of a runner, who plays off people, whereas I’m more of a target man,” said Hanson. Arriving early last season, after three seasons at Bradford City in the English fourth division, and one each at the northern premier league clubs, Scarborough and Goole Town, Hanson took time to display his best form. It took him 11 games to get his first league goal and he admitted to being unsettled for a time. Uncertainty over his movements at the end of the 1985 season contributed to his disappointing form, but that is now far behind him. Hanson recently got married and is in the

process of taking out New Zealand citizenship. With that earlier Indecision resolved, he has turned his full attentions to soccer with impressive results this year, and the desire to eventually represent New Zealand. With everything falling nicely into place the personable 23-year-old with the formidable footballing presence has no regrets about leaving England. "I saw it as a new lease of life. In England if you don’t make it when you are a young lad it is very hard to break through because there are so many players about. When I left Bradford I thought at first it was a bad mistake, but the way things have happened it couldn’t have worked out better.” Hanson readily admitted his pre-conceived notion of the standard of New Zealand soccer was wrong. “It is a lot better than I had thought. People coming from England underestimate the standard here. There’s so much stick about so many Poms being here, but there are some very good Kiwi players about.” However, he pointed an accusing finger at the “name” players in the national league for not

producing their full potential. Too many, he felt, are cruising along on their reputations. The ones to take the eye are those who get less recognition and fewer plaudits. His immediate sights are set on helping United to its first league title since 1978, and he believes it has the qualities to succeed. After its 4-2 loss to DB Wellington in the first round — “they ripped us apart; the best team I’ve played against here” —• United’s only hiccups have been two single-goal defeats when, by general consent, it was worth at least a point. “I think sitting third we’re in a better position than Miramar. They’ve got to be under more pressure to stay at the top than we are. We’ve got the squad and the manager to do it. At the moment we’re all buzzing and we’ll take some stopping.” United’s eariy-season

difficulties over the coaching position are a distant memory and Hanson enthuses over lan Marshall, who took over from Laurie Blyth a week before the league began. “The players have got a lot of respect for lan. He is one of the best coaches I’ve worked under,” he said.

United peaked perfectly for its confrontation with Miramar at Queen Elizabeth II Park with its 3-1 victory over HanimexNorth Shore last week-end in Hanson’s view its best performance of the year. If he, and United, can keep up that sort of form on Sunday against a Mirimar team which tends to rely heavily, on the considerable talents of its own burly striker, the second half of this year’s league campaign can be contemplated with a heartening optimism by a club which has had little to enthuse over in recent years.