Canty soccer coach’s call

Press, 20 May 1987, Page 72

Canty soccer coach’s call

By

GARY BIRKETT

The Canterbury coach, lan Marshall, has called for more representative matches to be included on soccer’s domestic calendar. Mr Marshall will coach the Terry Conleyselected Canterbury team when it faces Auckland under lights at English Park this evening.

He said the time was ripe for more games of this type to be played. “We could handle one representative match a month during the season. It would be great to play the likes of Otago, Wellington, Auckland, Waikato and even Franklin throughout the year. It was 25 years that

Auckland were last here' — I hope we don’t have to wait another 25 before they’re back.” While the players won’t have the pressure of playing for national league points on their shoulders they will be playing for provincial pride and places in the starting line-ups for the Queen’s Birthday weekend matches against Everton. Canterbury, which with one exception is the Christchurch national league squad, was due to train last night Mr Marshall said a few players were nursing , knocks but he was confident the injuries wouldn’t prevent them playing. The main doubt is over the availability of the AU

White striker, John Hanson, who withdrew from the Christchurch team last Sunday before it travelled to Auckland for personal reasons.. Even without Hanson, Christchurch 1 beat North Shore, 1-0, and that augurs well for Canterbury’s chances this ingThe players all know one anothers’ games well and that will be a decided advantage for Canterbury. Not that'Auckland is short of match practice. It has beaten Franklin, Waikato, Tahiti, New Caledonia . and drawn with Queensland In recent weeks. Its coach, John Adsheadj who needs' no introduction, has pledged

to play attacking soccer and Mr Marshall is taking up the challenge. “It should be a highly entertaining game. We have the incentive of playing for South Island pride. It would be nice for southern t soccer to get a result against Auckland. I’m hoping it will be the same type of game as the F.A. Cup final — open, exciting but with us on the right end of the scoreline.” - On paper Auckland has no apparent weaknesses. It includes 12 full internationals plus such talent as the former Watford professional, Keith Pritchett, and the league’s leading scorer, Billy Wright, who reportedly has many outspoken views to express during

the course of a game, notably to referees, linesmen and other players. The match kicks off at 5.45 p.m. and will be refereed by Arthur Edwards. The squads are.— Canterbury: Alan Stroud, Alistair McCosh, Paul Hillis, Gary Lund, Ceri Evans, Kevin Calder, Keith Braithwaite, Graeme Archer, Paul Nicholls, Johan Verweij, Danny Halligan, Hanson, Allan Carville, Mike Fallen, Andy Daffin. Auckland: Alan GUgrist, Duncan Cole, Pritchett, Craig Simpson, Robert Ironside, Garland, Ricki Herbert, Grant Lightbown, Dave Witteveen, lan Masson, Keith Mac Kay, Tony Oliver, Nigel Somerville, Glen Adam, Allan Boath, Bob Wilshire, Wright.