EIGHT DEFEATS OR TIES.

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 148, 25 June 1938, Page 23

EIGHT DEFEATS OR TIES.

To be exact, eight can make such a claim—Spain, victorious over England, 4 to 3, at Madrid in 1929; France at Paris, S to 2, in 1931; Czechoslovakia at Prague, 2 to 1, in 1934; Hungary, 2 to 1, at Budapest in 1934; Belgium, at Brussels, 3 to 2, in 1936; Austria, 2 to 1, at Vienna, in 1934 (the Austrians also drew 0-0 at Vienna in 1930); Germany, which forced a draw, 3 to 3, at Berlin in 1930, but lost 3-6 in the recent game at Berlin; and Italy, which shared two goals at Rome in 1933. You will notice that all these results were obtained on the Continent. At a time, let me add, when the Englishmen were on tour after eight months of hard League and Cup play at home. When Continentals have visited England, it has been a different story. It has, in fact, been this story:— Belgium lost, 1-6, in 1923, and 0-4 in 1924. Spain lost, 1-7, in 1931. Austria lost, 3-4, in 1932. France lost, 1-4, In 1933. Italy lost, 2-3, in 1934. Germany lost, 0-3, in 1935. Hungary lost, 2-6, in 1936. Czechoslovakia lost, 4-5, in 1937. I refer only to international games

suit of a disagreement on the vexed amateur question. On the European Continent, where the word "international" means much more to Soccer folk than it does to the British footballing community, there are three international tournaments of outstanding interest—for* the World Cup, the'lnternational.Cup, and the Central European Cup. The first-named trophy is described as for the championship of the world, the second concerns the national teams of Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Italy, and Switzerland, and the third is an Interclub affair, bringing into competition the crack sides of Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, and Italy. A former prominent participant in all three tournaments was the Republic_ of Austria, suddenly swept out of existence a few weeks ago and dramatically merged into Germany. FAME OF DEPARTED AUSTRIA. Some of Austria's stars were chosen by the German Soccer "heads'* to play for Germany against England on May 14. And this was only to be expected. For the Austrians are one of the most powerful forces in the game and have come to be regarded as inferior only to the British in technique. As a matter of fact, their style lias ; developed more or less along British lines, on the lines of traditional Scottish play—that is to say, to keep the ball near the ground and favour closepassing. During the twenty years of its existence as a separate nation, Austria gained victories at Soccer over, among others, Scotland (5-0 in 1931), Germany, Switzerland, Hungary, France, Belgium, Italy, and Sweden. A fine "bag," I submit. . While there Is no professionalism in Germany, there has been paid play in Austria, mostly in and around Vienna, for several years. Sportsmen of the Jewish race have always been prominent in Austrian Soccer, and one of the! best-knp-,vn amateur clubs is—or, I

part in Soccer's spectacular development. At the elope of each season here, clubs radiate to foreign parts— not only to the European Continent, but to lands of the British Empirt overseas and to the Americas. Even as I write, an English team is playing matches in the United States—the Islington Corinthians, who have been making a most extensive tour about the globe. Truly may It be obscerved Of Soccer football that it is a sphere of British influence. KING'S INTEREST IN SOCCER Over a cup of tea in the Six John Wilson Town Hall at Airdrie with Provost David Gray, vice-president of the Scottish Football Association, and .president of Ardrieonians Football Club, the King, during his tour of Scotland last rrionth, talked of Soccer. Referring to the English Cup final the King said he could not understand why Preston, with eight Scot* men in the team, could be called an English team, to which the Provost laughingly replied: "It requires Scotsmen in a team to win." His Majesty displayed his democratic tastes when he told the Provost that there i was nothing he liked bett«f than to watch a game of football.