SOCCER FOOTBALL

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 October 1928, Page 4

SOCCER FOOTBALL

NOTES BY “PISTOL”. We now come to the last Saturday of the season, and I think as we look on the past season every Soccerite will be pleased to see it finished. I believe that my readers will agree with me when I say that there could have been more games played this season. One has to deplore that Saturday after Saturday was lost when games could have been played. Last season there were three competitions finished, namely the Westland Cup, Hazeldine Cup, and the Medal Competition. In my notes at the beginning of the season I brought before my readers the need of having the fixtures played off as early as possible, so that we could have fulfilled all our rep. engagements. This advice was not taken, with the result that the rep. match with Nelson was turned down. Now, I don’t think that lam a paragon of virtue myself, and cannot make a mistake. An old Scotsman’s saying comes to my mind just now, when he said: “The best of men make mistakes, even myself!” Nevertheless the arranging of early fixtures is a boon to Soccer on the Coast, as at the start of the season, great interest is taken in every game, and the clubs always manage to get a fair gate. Therefore I would like to bring before the Fixture Committee that, what is needed is to have the games off as early next season as possible, so that if we are able to retain the Petei’ Dawson Cup, we will have engagements from all the premier rep. teams in the South Island. At this early stage, I predict that if everything is done in a businesslike manner, we will have a bigger following than ever we had on the Coast before. A good deal more could be said on this subject, but as I have other things to write about, I will leave it in the meantime.

Now I would like to give a bit of advice to all those who are interested in the welfare of having a good strong club in Greymouth next season. It is now time to be up and doing, and not to wait until a month before the season opens. I would suggest, theerseasons opens. I would suggest, therefore, that a meeting of all those in'terested in the club should be called along with the players, and that some definite steps should be taken to have as sound a team as possible placed on the field of play for the opening game. I have heard it said that a good president and secretary are needed for this club. I think that the president can easily enough be found, and as regards to the secretary, I would suggest that the Greymouth club get the services of the late secretary of Runanga, as he has the welfare of the game at heart, and I am sure no one will dispute the fact that Runanga committee, supporters and players have to give him credit for Runanga being where they are to-day, viz., in the final of the medal competition. Therefore, with a few live men getting together early and having a meeting to get things into order, I am sure that we can have a team second to hi Greymouth next season. I will now give my readers a few 'lints on how the half-backs and backs should play the game. As I have said already that I played centre-half it will appear to you that this is my “pet” subject. I intend, therefore, to give you an article this week, and before next season opens I will give you another descrin f : “cm a different angle. Therefore I would iny readers to keep this beside them until my next article appears. FIELD TACTICS.

The half-back should be quick in anticipating moves; that is, he should try to think a move ahead. This is one thing that is sadly lacking among our half-backs on the Coast. T remember when I was playing that if the ball was coming along the ground or in the air, I always took stock of the position of the various players on my side, and I knew where the ball was going before it came to me. The half-back must be a speedy and fearless tackler. “He who hesitates is lost” applies equally to Soccer as to other games. One great point for the half-back to remember is to get the ball to the ground as quickly as possible, and when making a pass to the forward, to make it a ground one if possible. The reason for this is that it allows the forward to take the ball in his stride. It should be borne in mind that if the half-back passes the ball in the air, the forward has to get the ball to the ground, and, by the time he has succeeded bringing the ball to ground he is probably being tackled by the opposing defender. I watched a rep match this season, when a certain half-back was under notice, and this half-back mostly sent the ball in the air to his forwards either waist high or sometimes a bit lower with the result that when that forward had to bring the ball to the ground and before he could part with the ball one of his opponents was there to intercept him. One who takes upon himself to judge the best player on the field must know the game from A to Z. Before a game it is advisable for the wing halves to come to an understanding with the fullback as to which man in the opposing side they propose to mark. In my opinion, the best policy is for the half-back to mark the oposing inside man and for the full back to mark the outside man. This style of game always pays, and I am informed that Mairs and Caldwell employed these tactics in the rep. match against Buller with great success, so much so that Blair and Scott were held at bay during the whole of the game. Therefore if two young players could come to such an understanding with one another, it augurs well for our future imp. matches that we have players quite willing to learn. This style of play is not always possible, however. For instance, if the half-back should happen to be nearer the opposing winger when, ho receives the ball, the half-back would then tackle the winger while the full-back would, in the meantime, keep an eye on the opposing inside man. This is all I will say on this all-important subject in the meantime. These instances that I have brought before you have happened this season and as they are fresh in your minds, no doubt if taken heed to by the half-backs, it will improve their play to a great extent. A few weeks ago in my notes f said that it would be better if the W'.F.A. divided itself into sections. Well, after having listened with interest to various opinions given, I have come

to the conclusion that it would really be a boon to Soccer on the Coast, as I think we would have more teams on the Coast especially junior teams It should be the aim and object of the Management Committee to try to give the juniors more fixtures. Too much attention in some respects is given to the seniors and none to the juniors, which means at no distant date that the class of Soccer will deteriorate on the Coast. If my scheme were taken heed to I believe that there would be plenty of games for both seniors and juniors. There could be two junior teams entered from Greymouth, two in Runanga, one in Dobson, one from Taylorville, and, if there were enough interest shown by those who have, the game at heart in Blackball, I think they could enter two junior teams, which would make a total of eight, and plenty of games would then be assured for the juniors. In the present season I have heard many of my readers express the opinion that they would like “Pistol” to publish his own name. I believe that if I did so it would detract a good deal of interest which has been shown in my notes. Therefore lam just going to answer you how Burns did at a gathering one night: — Here’s a bottle and on honest friend! What wad ye wish for mair, man? Wha kens, before this life may end, What his share may be of care, man? Then catch the moments as they fly And use them as ye ought, man, Believe me, happiness is shy, And comes not aye when sought, man. My bottle is my holy pool, That heals the wounds o’ care and doot; And pleasure is a wanton trout. An’ ye drink it dry, ye’ll find me out.