SOCCER FORUM

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 169, 13 April 1932, Page 16

SOCCER FORUM

Ban in the Colleges A BAR TO PROGRESS Outlook for Season On Saturday the Soccer season will open once again. Prospects at the ,no “ luent are that, associations and clubs may have to lace a more difficult period even than last year, but all are putting then shoulders firmly to the wheel to maintain the game at the highest standard possible. Trimming Sails. Sports in common with business and commerce, have had to shorten sail to maintain an even kfcel, and gates, which fell considerably last season, cannot be expected to improve this year. Adjustments have hud to be made accordingly, lu ull centres where city reserves are m use more or less substantial reductions have been made in the charges by the local authority. This reduction, ami possibly a little more in most cases, has been passed on to the clubs iu the way of reduced affiliation fees, while the associations themselves will benefit by a reduction to half of the fees payable to the New Zealand Football Associatiou. No doubt- the clubs will relieve their members of some of the financial obligation, although most of them have been working on small margins. The cost of travelling is a big consideration these days, and in this respect management committees cun help by arranging fixtures entailing the least amount of travelling.

Prospects. . . It is not an easy matter to indicate what the prospects are for the season, and' it is doubtful if such speculation is profitable. From a financial aspect, if the season can be managed by-balancing a smaller budget it will be all to the good. From a playing point, of view will there be any improvement in the standard ? That can hardly be expected iu view of the fact that two or three of the best players have left the country since last yea_r, and their places will be hard to fill. Petone is the worst sufferer in this respect in losing Leslie and Watson, although one or two other good men who had signed’ on for other clubs have returned to the fold. On the other hand we are justified in anticipating keener competition in the first division if only from the fact that Lower Hutt—a vigorous combination —has replaced Institute in the competition. The Institute senior team had literally “gone to 'the pack,” and the advent of the Hutt club should give the first division a needed stimulus. Two senior clubs from the Hutt Valley in the first division should give a bit of spice to some of the games. Whether Petone has any chance of retaining the championship is a matter of conjecture. In the main the clubs will be represented by much the same players, one or two of whom showed distinctly improving form toward the close of last season.

The Games. Lower Hutt will be at home on Saturday to Waterside, and the game should be good enough to produce a little gate for the W.F.A. Petone will travel to Seatoun, and will find quite a’number of enthusiastic supporters in this suburb. Thistle will go to Porirua to play Hospital, and Diamonds and Marist will play an early game at the Stadium as a cur-tain-raiser to the Navy v. Wellington, the proceeds of which will be for the family of the sailor who was washed overboard from the Diomede recently when returning from Sydney.

The Missing Link. Both the New Zealand and Wellington associations have held their annual meetings recently. At the meeting of New Zealand delegates the Saturday morning sitting was a round-table conference to discuss the most difficult problem, how to keep a hold on the boys who have been taught Soccer in the primary schools between the time they leave school and become old enough to join the senior clubs. Auckland and Otago have to a great extent overcome the prejudices against the Soccer game in the primary and secondary schools. Wellington and Canterbury have established the game fairly well in the primary schools, but every effort to get the game played at Wellington or Rongotai Colleges in Wellington, or in Canterbury secondary schools, has been thwarted. There are 30 school teams in Wellington, and as these lads proceed to one or other of the colleges is there any fair and just reason why they should not be allowed to play the game they adopted in the primary schools? The powers that be, however, have resisted all efforts. They hold the key to the situation. They break the vital link that is necessary to enable the clubs to replace older players retiring from the game. It leads one to the conclusion that some unseen force is at work to prevent the bridging of this gap which is stagnating the Soccer code in Wellington and debarring it from raising the standard of play. Those in charge of the conduct of the Soccer code have no desire to take away a single boy who desires to follow the New Zealand national game of Rugby, but there are many boys who do not either play or follow Rugby, but would play Soccer if the ban were lifted. A year or two back two or three Soccer learns could have been found at Rongotai College, after the Rugby teams had beeu selected, but not the slightest encouragement was .given that Soccer would ever be permitted in the school. Has the Board ot Governors no say in the matter when the desires of parents aud boys are to be considered? Ln Auckland and Otago the powers that be have seen reason, and Soccer is played iu nearly all the colleges without any detriment to the sister code. The Wellington Association will be justified in takin" stronger.action than it has done in the past. Hitherto the problem has been discussed with hushed voices for fear of impeding progress. The association is up against a blank wall. Can it surmount it?

Alterations to Laws. The following are the alterations to the laws of the game which come into operation this season: — , „ . . Law 5.—-Throw-in : When the ball is.in touch, a player from the opposite side to that which played it shall throw it in from the point on the touch-line where it left the Held of play. lhe player throwing the ball must stand with bo h feet on the ground outside the touchline, facing the field of play, aud shall throw the ball in over his head, with both hands in any direction, and it shall be in play when thrown in. In the event of an infringement of the foregoing, the throw-in shall revert to the opposite side. A goal shall not be scored from a tlirow-iu, and the thrower shall not again play the ball until it has been played by another player. Infringement of this portion of the law shall bo penalised by a free-kick being awarded to the opposite side. . , . Law B.—Goalkeeper carrying the bait: Carrying bv goalkeeper is taking more than four steps while holding the ball or bouncing it ou the band. The following ruling was obtained by the New Zealand Football Association from the Football Association in reference to Law B:—Can a player drag his feet along the ground, granted that he does not raise bis foot off the ground . Law 5 states (he player must stand with both feet on the ground. To stand.is to cease to move —to maintain an attitude. It would therefore be a violation of the law for a player taking the throw-in to drag cither of his feet along the ground. Fixtures, Grounds and Referees Owing Io city reserves not being available next Saturday only first division mutches will commence, the following being the fixtures, grounds aud referees First Division League Championship.—Miirist. v. Diamonds. Kilbirnie Stadium. 1.45 p.m., Mr. A. E. Caisley: Lower Hutt v. Waterside, Hutt Recreation Ground, 3 P.m., Mr. J. Sanderson; Thistle v. Hospital, Hospital, 3 p.m., Mr. T. Plant; I‘etone v. Seatoun, Seatoun Park, 3 p.m • M r. G. Jackson. Senior Division benefit match, 3.1<» p.m. The Navy v. Senior B representatives, Kilbirnie Stadium, Ji ft, Smith.