ASSOCIATION

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 150, 26 June 1937, Page 11

ASSOCIATION

GAME IN NEW ZEALAND

ENGLISH MANAGER'S VIEWS

Improvements and deficiencies in Association football as played in New Zealand were discussed in an interview today by Mr. C. Wreford Brown, manager of the English amateurs, who played the final Test at Athletic Park this afternoon. Mr. Brown has noted a definite improvement in the code since the tour opened, but concedes that the Dominion could not be expected to field as good a team as the pick of English amateurs. ' In England, said Mr. Brown, the selectors had a very wide choice, so that New Zealand could not hope to come up to the same standard. There seemed to be a possibility, though, of at least one English coach coming to New Zealand, and if he did so he would be able to assist coaching generally m the country. There could not be a marked; improvement in the game in the Dominion unless and until the secondary schools took it up. "Those who discourage Soccer being played in this country are not doing a service to their country, because Soccer football is now a world game, and if New Zealand has not some part in it it will be put out of the running," said Mr. Brown. Mr. Brown attributed the success of the touring team to the players having intimate knowledge of. one another, an understanding that could be attained only by constantly playing together. That was where professional men in England had the advantage over the amateurs. . Asked whether there was any significance in the playing of Association football again at Eton, Mr. Brown said he thought it was recognised that Association was now an international game, and it was up to everybody, whatever his social position, to take part. It was the same in the Army. It was the soldiers' game, and it was the officers' job, although many of them played Rugby, to participate'in Association football. Mr. Brown has been on many tours, but never has one been so enjoyable as the New Zealand visit, he said. The grounds were good, and, generally speaking, so was the refereeing. An interesting talk on the various phases of the game was given yesterday by three members of the team, Joy, Leeks, and Pickering, to the Wellsteel Football Club, a team playing in the local inter-house Saturday morning competitions. Joy discussed the English centre-half's type of play generally, stating that the centre-half was primarily a defensive player, confining himself' solely to watching, the opposing centre-forward. Pickering described the wing-half's play, Leeks that of the full-back. . .. ,