SOCCER TOUR

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 253, 22 July 1936, Page 16

SOCCER TOUR

Australian Manager’s Impressions

“The game to-daj» was the hardest and most thrilling of the tour,” said Mr. 8. Storey, manager of the Australian Soccer team, at the conclusion of the third test match at Blandford Park on Saturday (states the “New Zealand Herald”). "My team was fully extended to win by a score which was Somewhat flattering,” he said.

The Australian manager said he did not think New Zealand had produced its best possible team in the test series. He considered that G. Smith, the Canterbury centre-forward, and A. Jeffreys, the Wellington half-back, were two of the finest players his team had encountered on tour, yet neither was selected for the tests.

This would indicate a fault in the method of selection. He thought that the players of 'both major and minor associations should have been thoroughly tested prior to t'he representative games. The selection of candidates for the test elevens could have been narrowed down by a North and South Island fixture.

Commenting on the possibility of a New Zealand secondary schools’ team being invited to visit Australia, Mr. Storey said that, if a definite scheme was proposed by the New Zealand authorities, he would be pleased to bring the matter before the attention of the Australian controlling body. He said the game was making good progress in the Australian secondary schools. Mr. Storey was impressed by the general standard of Soccer football in New Zealand. The players were of a fine type and, when the tendency to rely on "kick and rush” methods had been eradicated, the standard would rise considerably. The greatest weakness was in passing the ball, the players not taking sufficient care that their passes reached their objective. However, he felt that the visit of the Australian team had done a great deal to prepare New Zealand for its matches against the English side next year.