SOCCER

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 38, 13 August 1927, Page 22

SOCCER

BY ' VANQUArtD"

THE CHAMPIONSHIP

SCHOOLBOYS' TOUR

XOTES OF INTEREST

It is clear that if V.M.C.A. win their next three matches they will again win the senior championship. They are yet to meet Brooklyn, Seatoun and Hospital. None of these teams sh^'ild prove an obstacle for Young Men. Marist who are one point behind the leaders, have to play Brooklyn, Hospital, and Diamonds. The latter .may be a tough proposition, but on present season's form Marist. should have nothing to fear. While, of course, taking into account the uncertainty of Soccer, and the fact that a draw would lower V.M.'s colours to the level of Marist's, it does not seem probable that Young Men will be beaten. That being so, it seems fairly certain the V.M.C.A. will come out winners (and if Marist win all their games) winners by ono point. D;amonds have worked themselves up the championship ladder in a commendable way, and as long as the team is unchanged should be a strong side next season.

The Wellington Team. The selectors certainly had a difficult task when they met to pick the team that to-day meets Auckland at Auckland in the first match this; season for the Football Association trophy. Aeeiaonts in recent matches have put two representative players on the injured list, and two other men, who otherwise would have been included in the side, have been unable to obtain the necessary leave to make the. trip. Bently, the V.M.C.A. goalkeeper, admittedly the best Wellington man between the posts, was injured in the knee when playing against Diamonds and has had to retire- from the game foi a while. Cudby, the Marist winger, suffered a dislocated shoulder a fortnight ago, and also has had to stard down. Both these men represented Wellington against Canada, and would certainly have been included in the team had they been fit. Ballard, the T.M.C.A. winger, and captain of the IS'ew Zealand team in the third and fourth Test matches against Canada, was unable to make the trip, as also was Campbell, of Petone, who represented New Zealand in two Tests in the halfback line. With these four men excluded from selection, the selectors had anything but an easy task, but the team they have picked is, under the circumstances, a strong one, and one that should do credit to itself.

Tarrant, of Institute, has taken the placo of Bentley. - Tarrant has not been playing up to previous season's form this year, but nevertheless, he is a first-class goalie. „ No fault can be found with the fullbacks, Gibb of Hospital, and M'Girr of V.M.C.A. They are an excellent pair, and as safe a pair of backs as could be picked.

The position of right half gave the selectors some trouble. They picked Trott, of V.M.C.A., who may be relied upon to work hard. Thomas, of'Marist, tho centre-half, will captain the side He is a consistent player, and a skilful tactician. Burke, also of Marist, the left half, is one of the best halves in New Zealand.

The forward line waa the part of the team in which most change has been made. Barton, the Marist right winger, has had experience of representative play. He will have as inside man Dickinson, of Institute, \rho this season lias shown that he is worthy of inclusion in a Wellington team. Anton, of Brooklyn, fills the centre-for-ward position. Marshment, the wellknown Marist forward, is playing at inside left, and Hamilton, of Petone, is the other winger. M'Leod, of Diamonds, is emergency.

Tlie selectors, Messrs. W, Smith, W. B Hicks, and A. Williams, have made a good job of the material available. They arc to be commended on their choice.

A Second Spell Effort. Superior training stood Diamonds in good stead in their match against Institute on No. 2 ground at the Basin. Beservo. In the first spell Institute had the better of mattors both in general play and in goals scored, but in the second spell Diamonds had their opponents well beaten, and rattled on four goals. Hcarne, probably one of. the most versatile players in Wellington, was in goal-seoriug mood, and ho had Tarrant, the Institute goalkeeper, well beaten on several occasions. If he were more scientific in his methods, Hcarae would be hard to beat in the centre-forward position. On Saturday he was somewhat fortunate in finding Tarrant out of form, the Institute custodian letting goals go through which under ordinary circumstances ho would have had no difficulty in saving. It is to be hoped that Tarrant will give a better display in representative matches. Institute's weakness on Saturday was in defence. The backs stood up to it fairly well in the first spell, but in the second they went sadly to pieces and allowed the Diamonds forwards to do practically as they pleased. Institute have a good forward line, but with a weak defence their efforts are largely wasted. Bilby, the right wing, continues to improve, and the aiiy is not far distant when ho will gain a place in. representative football. Dickinson and May are both solid forwards, and it is gratifying to find that the former has received recognition from the selectors at last. He should make good in representative football. Of the Diamonds team, Hearne was the outstanding forward, but good support came from Daniells, Smith, and M'Leod. The defence was also quite satisfactory. Ewing, in goal, had little to do, but, he made one or two excellent saves. Generally, the standard of pJay in the match was not high, an outstanding fault being wild kicking in front of the goal. Both sides threw away many chances of scoring.

A Disappointing Display. The exhibition of football in the Chatham Cup match between Petone and V.M.C.A. played on the Basin Eeserve last week was disappointing. Petone, who are leading in the senior B competition, were reported to be in fine fettle, and it was expected that they, would extend Young Men. The latter played well within themselves, and their position was never seriously threatened by Petone, who were dangerous only in the first fifteen minutes or so. Petone .started at a great pace and had Y.M. thinking seriously, but the game soon slackened, and Y.M. forced play. Nicollo played substitute goalie for Young \[en, and again gave a first-class display. The re tone halves aM forwards

did not come up to expectation, and their defence was not sound.

Intention Counts.

In handling, as in charging, it is the intention that counts, rather than the deed. Entirely unintentional handling is not handling within the meaning of the law. I have seen a back handle a ball and deflect it into his own goal. This was quite unintentional! The goal, of course, counted in favour of the opponents.

A peculiar case occurred recently in connection with a goal kick. The goalie eper was about to take the kick, and Hie back was putting the ball down for him. The day being windy, the back took a little longer than usual to steady the ball in position. He was accused by the referee of wasting timo.. Much depends on the score of the match at the time when anything of this sort happens. If a back's team is down a goal at the time, the back will hardly be likely to waste time intentionally. His team will be "all out" to make up the leeway, and every minute counts when you are a- goal down. If, on the other hand, the back's team is a goal up at the time, then it behoves the back to avoid any c nduet that might even look as though he intended to waste time. Canterbury's Chances.

What chance does Canterbury stand now in the interprovincial Soccer matches for the English Association Trophy series? asks the Christchurch "Sun." From the beginning of the present season the Canterbury Football Association has been suggesting that the selector put a team into training. Apparently the body lacked persistence or a real appreciation of the seriousness of the position. The fact remains that on one excuse or another the selector has picked his team very belatedly; the recent representative matches against Buller and South Canterbury were proof of this. Now, in spite of repeated urgings and promptings both by critics, by the committee, and by the ■Jhosen trainer, with the first representative match only a week or two away, the team remains unpublished. Late developments have given the province the material for a first-class team—but what chance will clever individualists have against well-trained teams, such as Auckland, Wellington, and Otago will produce? The trainer who agreed early in the season to get the repvesentatives into condition for the hsrd matches ahead, haa now definitely refused to start work with them, even if picked, for obvious Teasons. The fault lies in two places—with the Canterbury Football Association for not being insistent, and. with the selector. It is time the Football Association woks up to this question of representative teams. The position has been just the same for | some seasons past now. Points for Backs.

Why is.it that backs are so often the players concerned when there is any trouble with the referee? (writes W. M. Stay, the international back of Celtic, Scotland, in an Euglish sporting paper). This season there have been one or two cases fat could not possibly have happened in connection with any player but a back* The full-back position, in fact, is an unusually difficult one from this point of view. Every back must know tho rules—and the unwritten rules—very thoroughly. Charging and tackling, handling, penalties, goal kicks; these are all very much in the province of the back.

There should be no doubt about what constitutes a fair charge. Handling, pushing, and tripping are all taboo, but a player who touches another with his hands or arms, or who trips another, has not been guilty of unfair play unless he does it deliberately. Charging in the back is forbidden, unless tho player charged has turned away to avoid being tackled—and that is an. important point. "Violent" and "dangerous" charges are condemned, but the amount of dangerous play thjit occurs in football nowadays is very little.

Weiglit or Skill. Sprains are part of the lot of every footballer. These are rarely the fault of another player, however. An inexperienced footballer is sometimes kicked when attempting to head a ball without remembering the necessity of keeping tKe head np when heading; this, too, is largely the fault of the player concerned, oi- is purely an accident. I think most backs know that a nudge at the right moment will do more than a heavy charge. Backs are rarely the biggest men in a first-das team, and they are not often the heaviest. Many centreforwards and centre-halves can give backs a stone or more. If charging depended on force, you would soon see bigger men recruited to fill the last-line position. You do not see first-class backs indulge in shoulder-to-shoulder charges nearly so much as schoolboys. The more skilfnl a back the less he uses the direct charge. I know some good backs who do charge regularly, and there is certainly nothing wrong with the shoulder-to-shoulder charge, but generally the opponent is dispossessed without force from being used.

Various Tackles. The back may mcc* his opponent face-to-face and dispossess him by "blocking" the ball with his feet. He may tackle by going down on one knee and pushing the ball behind the oncoming forward. Should he be running beside another man in a chase for the ball, a nudge at a carefully chosen moment will be of much more use than a violent charge. Undoubtedly the best way is to beat your man in a sprint for the ball if you can.—don't wait to charge if you have a chance of getting to the ball without it. If a charge is necessary, then a sense of balance and timing are of more value than vio-

lence. Violence always rebounds agaiast the man who starts it. If a centre-forward is charged, he is usually heavy enough to do it better than you can. If a wingforward is charged, he may be fast enough to slip away while the "onslaught" is being prepared. That is the trouble with heavy charges—they really take longer than a quick tackle. Don't Argue! Much trouble has been caused by in- 1 noeent players who have indignantly repudiated suggestions made against them. The wrath of a player wrongly accused is understandable, but it is best simply to state the facts once, and leave it at that unless you are asked by the referee to say more. Very often a player who is perfectly right puts himself in the wrong by saying too much. The less talking on the footbalJ field the better.

Schoolboys' Toar. Hverything points to a successful tour of Now Zealand by the Australian schoolboys, who arrive this month. Mr. H. G. Bishop, secretary of the Australian Public Schools' Soccer Association, writing to the Council of the New Zealand Football Association, states:— "I can assure you that the team wo are sending will give a splendid exhibition of football worthy of the public support. We trust they will have some really hard games, and that the boys of both countries will be benefited by their encounters on the playing arenas, and by social contact. "We shall look forward to seeiag a team of New Hea-

land boys in Australia next season. Our manager will be empowered to make arrangements accordingly. We are hopeful that the novelty of international schoolboy contests will prove of sufficient attraction to the football loving public that all expenses will be recouped. The tcur lias undoubtedly stimulated interest in the code on this side of the Tasman, and we trust it will also prove of similar benefit to you." An International Game. Undoubtedly the international game of football is Soccer. It is played the world over where football is played. About six weeks ago Italy and Spain met at Bologna, in the presence of 80,000 spectators, and a few weeks before that 70,000 attended a match at Vienna between an English professional team and a Vienna Club team. Speaking of the progress of the code, a London 'Sporting Life" writer says: This growth may be said to have begun with the ushering in of the present century. The pastime was played in Prance, in Germany, and a few other countries prior to 1900, but only to a limited extent. Taking Spain, Holland, Sweden, Germany, and Switzerland, where almost every village has its club to-day, I question whether there was an_ aggregate of more than 100 clubs 25 years ago, whereas now there are thousands. In England we have at least 30,000 clubs, all under the jurisdiction ol: the Football Associaton, but so rapid has been the growth of the game in Germany ttfat it is practically certain, if the present ratio .of increase continues, England will in. a few years give place to that country. Exact figures are not available, but I am assured on excellent authority that Germany now has more than 25,000 clubs, and with regard to France the number is legion, and is being added to annually at a great rate. Sparsely populated Switzerland has some 250, Holland 350, Sweden between 700 and 800, and Spain a, similar number, while the new-ly-formed self-governing Czeeho-Slova-kia boasts of being near the 1300 mark. These are figures which must give us pause, and the more so as with the vast increase, in numbers there is a corresponding improvement in the quality of the play. In Appreciation.

Appreciation, of the services of Mr. Colin Eeid, trainer to the Canadian footballers, was expressed in a letter received, by the New Zealand Council from Mr. J. Adam, manager of the visiting team. "May I at this time thank you for choice of a trainer for the touring Canadian team," he stated.

"I can only say that Mr. Colin Eeid has been a gentleman, has been efficient, and has spared no pains or hours in working for the betterment of the team. It was with regret that we said 'good-bye' to this capable man. I would like you to thank him for us for the efficient manner in. which he kept the team in top form."

Canada's Farewell.

A letter, dated Ist August, was received by the New Zealand Council from Mr. J. Adam, manager of the Canadian team, this week, as follows: "On the eve of the departure of the all-Canadian football team for Canada, may I ask you to accept on behalf of the party, Mrs. Adam, and myself, sineerest thanks for your kindness to us during our stay in New Zealand. Words fail me at this time to adequately express to you on paper the thanks we wish to convey. We have had a wonderful time, and you, the members of the New Zealand Council, have done everything possible to make us feel at home. I hope our men, have, as we says in Canada, 'delivered the goods,' and that Association football will receive the encouragement it deserves. It is pleasing to me to receive letters from schoolmasters in New Zealand, complimenting the Canadians on the style of play, and appreciating very, very much the-visits to schools and colleges. Some of the masters have promised to allow the round ball a place in the.schools, and I feel that if we have done nothing else than this, our mission work has been profitable. I extend to you all the greetings of the members of the Dominion of Canada Football Association. On my return I will send you my report. With all good wishes, and wishing the Association game throughout New Zealand an excellent, year."

SENIOR "A." T. W. T,. D. V.M.C.A. .... 11 9 2 0 Marist .11 S 2 1 Diamonds ... 12 8 2 2 Hospital ..,12 6 5 1 Thistle .... 12 3 G 3 Institute .... 11 ;s 7 1 Seatoun 11 2 B 3 Brooklyn .... 12 1 0 2 Goals. Clip. F. A. Pts. 32 1!) 18 31 21 IT 42 IS IS 2S 27 13 .SO 3d fl 20 29' 7 23 3:) 7 21 40 3