SOCCER FOOTBALL

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 September 1928, Page 12

SOCCER FOOTBALL

, NOTES BY “PISTOL."

I now come to my last notes of thp season. Summing up Soccer on the Coast this season from a playing standpoint we have seen a great improvement which augurs well for next sea.son. Taking a supporter’s view of the management .committee, 1 say there is room left for a good deal of improvement. Of course, I am only one, but after having thirty years experience in the game I have come to | the conclusion that we must have a management committee whose heart and soul is 1 in the game. The present management committe composes of six gentlemen, who, I hear from Dame Rumour, intend to resign en bloc at the end of the season. Well, these gentlemen, in my opinion, have done their best as far as they could. Still, I must say there is room for those who have tact and knowledge and know how and when to use it. I have been asked if the delegate system would be any good. Well, my answer is this: That, if the clubs would elect three or four energetic unattached men to the management committee, and a delegate from each club, I blieve that the Soccer code would improve on the Coast. Of course it would be no good for <x club to send its delegate who was only there for his dub 8 interests, but one who was out for the benefit of Soccer on the Coast. 1 will give the following, to sum up the past season from every standpoint, so thalj when the general meeting takes place, commonsense will prevail. The strength of Soccer to-day on the Coast is in the wisdom and reliability of its government. The strength of the clubs is in the judgment and tact of .those who would fashion their destinies. The strength of the players is in their, love for the true sportsmanship of the game, and their determination to maintain the highest standard of play, and the highest code of honour both on and off the field. The legislators and clubs as represented by their players, all look to the ofiicials of the game to unite in one effort to maintain, the game on the Coast, both in play and in sport. The confidence of the supporter on the Coast in the Soccer code, is merely the reflection of the confidence they have in those who govern the game. The stability of the clubs and their entire future depends on the trust they are enabled to put in those who control football, both on and off the field. There may be times when some . illminded critic,” suffering at the time from a bad bilious attack, may seek to sap the foundations of the game s stability, by ridiculing the reputation of the men, who, through the passing years, will not allow the purity of the game to be marred by men who seek triumph through riding roughshod over rules and regulations. To the man who loves his football, and who plays the game, the rigid determination of the gentlemen who form our fotball councils and management committees, is the bed rock of safety, in their minds. Men may come and men may go. We may have many changes m personnel here and there, but so long as the policy of fearless honesty re's mains, confidence reigns supreme. Those who love the game may well pride themselves on the outstanding fact that; the reputation of the game is built upon the sturdy, honest, fearless character of men who know nei- , ther narrow, personal, nor club mter- ' est. The sound, stable policy upon which the glorious fabric of our game ■ has been built Which is being handed down from generation to generation. It will be to the credit and glory of our clubs that they will have no room in controlling authorities for any other than those who will at all costs, and at iftiy sacrifice, maintain the highest and best traditions of the game. Of course, I have left my readers to read between the lines. Also, I have been asked to select the management committee which, in my opinion, would serve Soccer best on the Coast next year. Now, as lam entirely in favour of the delegate system being restored, I append six names of gentlemen who are unattached and who, I am sure, are all out for the good of Soccer. Messrs Airey, Robertson, Brailsford, Hill, Sharpe and Rev. WBell. If there is no delegate system in vogue next season, I am sure the above-named gentlemen, if selected would do all in their power to help the Soccer code on the Coast. I would now like to say a few words to the players on the Coast to-day. I am thoroughly disappointed with them in regard to their training methods. I know for certain that on the Coast there is not one club which has a night set apart for training,, and players attend. To all and sundry, it is a timely, much too timely, reminder that the playing season is drawing to a close and though we. ; have had only one game in the past few weeks, I have never found a player spending five 1 ' minutes in thinking how he can improve his play, or become more effective to his side. Surely, when players are idle, and especially in the close season, a little time with a ball or with a pencil and paper working out schemes and problems and seeking to gain more sublety and skill would not be lost or wasted. Too many players are too content to leave others to do the thinking. I should dearly like to be present at a meeting of players called to discuss the W and M formation of forwards. The decision arrived at would not disturb me, but the intelligence displayed' in arriving at the decision would greatly interest me.

There are a few players who are always worth watching when they get the ball, but the very ordinary plaver is too self-conceited to realise that he can best serve' his side by attending on others. If you watch some players you keep wondering what their next trick will be to beat an opponent, while others play on the same lines week in and week out, and ,never imagine there can be improvement in their methods. Well, as the season is drawing. to a close I trust that the players will have a greater determination to improve their play, so that when next season begins, we will steadily improve on the Coast. The-games down for decision this week are at Dunollie and Dobson. I expect the two visiting teams to win.