CAN NEW ZEALAND BOYS PLAY SOCCER?

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 67, 16 September 1922, Page 14

CAN NEW ZEALAND BOYS PLAY SOCCER?

" Homies" m inclined to lay down the law. and say that New Zealand boys will never play Soccer as the boys at Home do, a very wide statement to makeindeed, but they base their argument on the wide statement that New Zealand boys do not see Soccer played. That is no compliment to the standard of Soccer out "here, but perhaps there is .something in the argument. There is, however, a- very sound reason on the other side why New Zealand boys should.play Sogcer as well as -boys anywhere elseproviding always that they are taken in hand and taught the game in all ite points—colonial boys have, as will be generally admitted, greater initiative. "Vanguard" talked over the general question of' boys' football with one of New Zealand's best-known coaches, an ox-professional player of one of England's big clubs,.this week, and upon that point the coach was emphatic. Granted, ho saidi Now Zealand boys do not see Soccer as they might see it in England or Scotland, and granted, again, that the game is not second nature to them and that there, is not the same inducement as in the Old Country—i.e., to work up to professional form and the privileges and returns that go with it, the fact remained that colonial boys, if properly guided; got down to the fine points of the game in rsmarkably quick time. There was no doubt in his mind that the prettiest Soccer to-day in Wellington was to be se«n in the lower grade matches. . . ■ •

Coaching, however, was essential in junior grade football, and as a matter of fsct it was ill the lower grades that one saw the results of coaching, in other words, the' seniors far too often left coaching arid practice alone, and their play fell away accordingly. As far as he knew the Watersiders were the only senior team which got down to regular work, and the Watersiders had climbed to the top of the League table-in 'the second year of the club's life, and, wjthout doubt, their men played the prettiest senior Soccer to be seen on Wellington fields this season.

There was not the slightest doufyt in his mind that Soccer would rise to big things out here within,the next two or three years, particularly if attention was paid to the juniors. All that they needed was a little more training, for the ability was certainly there. ■ Two main points should be impressed upon young players^ to play ''place 1' and to play team play. ;.'"Place" was the big essential of. Soccer, but the place game without team play was plainly useless, and generally there, was too much individualism among the youngsters. There were the first jobs for thp, coach. '

A team shpuld not be content to develop one style of attack or defence alone; for after all, a team was only aa good as the opposing team allowed it to be, and if one style failed against a team an alternative stylo might allow a walk home to victory. ■ j Half the local teams failed to make their best showings for the simple reason that the players were, in their wrong places and nothing.but practice work would allow of a correct placing of team members being made. Once that were done the trailing proper commenced. . Play schemes were important. The blackboard was /draughtsmenwere better, the boys working out their systems of attack or defence, the theory that would later be. put into field practice. Ball control should' be tackled right away, and the best method was the flag or pin method, for if a boy could juggle tho ball through' flags or pins he could juggle through a defence. , Ball control, plus "place and understanding, won matches-

Heading practice was another of the big ■ needs, plenty of it, and shooting should not be done at a simple target, hut at a target within a target;"it was not enough for a youngster to be able to land the ball within the open goalmouth, for the successful shot was the player who shot -to the two feet which . the goalie could not possibly reach. Firsttimers should always be encouraged; the unexpected piled- up points. The coach should cut out all talking at practice; if there was talk to be done, he was the man to do it; then, when matches' c wGre played, talking would be the last thing the players would bother themselves with. . ■ < '

The choice of skipper was a big thing for the team. Most junior/skipper's were chosen because they wore .good fellows, but though- the good fellow was rightly enough first off the field, ythe boy "with initiative was the. fallow for .the job of captain, since he was directly re- ponsib|e tor his team ,01106 the whistle bjevy. The ideal skipper was both, and generally he could be found. He, li9<3 apgther .job, that of keeping his men together out of seaman, foi' the o]ub which did nioderately well last sea.spn was often enough the club that did remarkably well this yeiir. Social gatherings of Hie prppgr kind did a lot more for football than «oipe folks imagined, and the right kin<J of following, the' following of 'whjch was very noticeable in. the case of some of the junior, teams, undoubtedly kept the sporting spirit of the game at its best. .. „ ' "'._ "Keep the parents interested and the game is all right." Apart from the desire to win matches, youngsters, said the coach, should keep' in good nick for their own safety, When two men met in making far the ball, and one was ti-ajned and the other was not, the, trained mwi' would stay on his feet. The "soft" player tqo often cqniplained of -the tactics of 'the other, but ■ generally tha feet was thnt he was not up to & fair , and'Rnnave charge. In that regard it should bn impressed p.p all players that i he mnn cr'iw" who hended abpJl below shoulder high look the responsibility of an accideiir upon himself. It was all very well for the bnnkar to cry dnwn the kickc. jmd Kay th;\t,. he shpu'd nut ha\-R k;f|;Bc!. Init the' plsivcr w)io headed '.at the ]q.\v bii!! J.-f] 'liniself to blame. !f lie trot awuv with.it. -well Jind irocd: if not, ho Jjad himself to blamr:. .. .

'"•I'ivst and foremost ixl busy early in Lhn sens V.l)'.- ■ ' : ".'."

T-r. 'I, B.'.fclr.'n. p'-'?y?V'"MK! 'ion- secretary of the Waterside Cliib.. is leaving

Wellington shortly to take up bis residence in Christchurch. As full-back to the Waterside team, he has been a fine player throughout the season, always playing a fine heady game. He was a ■member of the Hospital team prior to joining tho Watersiders, and frequently represented Wellington as a ; half-back in Brown' Shield matches. As seeretaTy, he has also been of great assistance to his club, and his position will be hard to fill. In joining the staff of the Sunnyside Mental Hospital he will.not be lost to the game, as a very fine team is associated with the hospital. ' .

It was with sincere regret that local followers of the game heard of C. Dacre's accident last Saturday. He was playing for North Shore against Northcote, and came into . collision with an opposing player, the result being a compound fracture oi his arm. He is one of the few players who have represented New Zealand at both football and cricket, and his accident is particularly v" fortunate in view of the English visit of cricketers during the coming season.