ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL.

Evening Star, Issue 17366, 31 May 1920, Page 7

ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL.

TO THE EDITOH. Sir, —In reply to our visitor, " Tocballer Xo. 1, ' I think ho should have waited for a 'Saturday or two to see pome of the matches that are- to be played, and then he could form his opinion. He would then be in a position to sura up the standard of Soccer in Ota go. - He must remember thai there are many players in Dunedin who were not privileged'to get a game with the H.M.S. Renown men. It seems to me that the best men are not selected. Futhermore, you have only to look at the players chosen for the versus Canterbury match and yon can see that what I say is correct. We have some of the best players in the Dominion who have never had a chance to prove their abilities. . Trusting " Toeballer No. 1" will in future not form his opinion on a one day's match, as it is an impossibility,— I am. et *-f on Ckntee Forwasd. May 29. TO THE EDITOR. Sir.—l am. quite in concord with the remarks of your correspondent "Tocbailer No. 1" anent the poor standard of Association football that prevails in Dunedin at the present time, but when he attempts to probe the reasons for the decline of the game, both in s+cndard and popularity, and lavs the blame at tiie door of the O.F.A' I he"" to difier. The O.F.A. is a body of ardent spirits who have the advancement of the Soccer game as one of their chief aims. I believe some of them were, in their day, players of renown, but my connection with the game does not go back far enough to enable me to correct "Toeballer's " information on that point. Their action in urging tho New Zealand Council to arrange a tour throughout Zealand of "an amateur English eleven is very commendable, I and shows that thev are alive to the great advantages that would accrue from suoh a visit. " Toeballer " scorns the idea. But what better means is there of attaining a" higher standard of play and a better conception of tho finer points of the game than to have these illustrated to us by the play of such, ehahmpions of the game as would corno here with an English eleven? Such a visit would be a great stimulus to the game generally. What the. recent visit of the English tenuis champions did for the tennis game, the visit of an English eleven would do for the Soccer game. I quite agree that explayers who were prominent in their day should be encouraged, even pressed, into service as coaches, but this is a duty that lies, I think, with the various clubs and not with tho O.F.A. That the Soccer game in Dunedin has received a severe -set-back in tho last -few years is painfully evident. There has been a largo withdrawal of public interest in fa-vor of Rugby, and the "Cale," which was for many years a Soccer stronghold, has also passed over to the_ Rugby' game. Our University, which puts several Rugby teams into the" field, is nol; able to boast one Soccer player. That there is nothing wrong with the , game itself is evidenced by the immense popularity which it enjoys in the Old Country. It if? the way it is played that is at fault, and it behoves not only the O.F.A.,'but also every Soccer club and every Soccer player to strivo after a high standard of play, which will bring back to the Soccer game the full measure of publio interest and support which it enjoyed 10 years ago. —2 am, etc., v Player. May 29.