ROUND BALL GAME

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 251, 20 September 1933, Page 9

ROUND BALL GAME

SNAPS FROM THE SIDELINE. (By “Centre-Half.”) Last Saturday’s match at Palmerston North was a practice more than anything else and as such provided an opportunity for a useful work-out, although not very much was accomplished. It was a remarkable commentary that only nine a side could bo mustered, and this after two juniors had been included, but these things must be taken in a philosophic light. It was interesting to see some of the erstwhile players back on the field if only for a run about. Graham has not handled tire leather for some time, and still made a good showing against the four fine shots of Young and the fifth from Coombs. Childs did a good deal of useful work and showed that in times of emergency the Athletic side need have no qualms about entrusting him with a large amount of the Work; already this season he has been a help. One was particularly impressed by the play ot young Hearsey, who has a football mind and action and may bo confidently looked to in the future to reproduce some of the form of his father, who has saved Athletic from a great deal of worry on occasions. It is understood that there is not likely to be a replay for the league championship as there is no provision in the rules for this. It would be a fair indication of the merits of the respective teams for St. Andrew’s and Athletic to be the joint holders of the cup this season. An interesting team has been selected to meet Wanganui next Saturday and anything may be expected. Youth and experience have been again blended well on paper and it only remains for the players to reproduce the form of which they are capable. It was a pleasing idea to bestow the captaincy on Travers and it will be interesting to see how lie handles his team. There are good potentialities, if they are only employed. The junior competitions will end on Saturday with the presentation of the trophies won during the season and the curtain will thus be rung down on a very active period. The boys have displayed a great deal of initiative and if this quality can be preserved the future is bright for the code in the Manawatu. On Saturday a good display was given between the Convent School and Wanganui Marist Brothers’ School, and the work of the local lad, Jenkins, came in for a great deal of eulogistic comment. The visit of Te Awe Awe to the River City was another indication of the value of these inter-association matches among the boys. Playing an opponent offside (says a Home paper) is somewhat easy for-a full-back. But what are we to think about a goalkeeper who can do the same? The question is prompted by an incident in the llangers-Partick Thistle Clinrity Cup tie. Here are the details: —Jackson, Thistle’s goalkeeper, sensing danger from McPhail and Fleming, started to move out. Donnelly, centre-half, immediately made tracks for goal to cover Jackson apparently. Jackson on his way out passed Fleming, who got the ball from McPhail and scored. The point to be noted is that Jackson was past Fleming, leaving the latter with only Donnelly between him and the goal, when the ball was played by the other Rangers man. “There’s a Thistle player on the goal-line,’ screamed a Rangers man when the offside decision was given. “How the deuce can Rangers be offside?” Another expressed the opinion that it didn’t matter whether Jackson was out of position or off the field as another player was between Fleming and goal. "When will the football fan really learn the offside rule? Italy is organising a World Association Cup tournament for next year, and is planning at Rome a stadium which may hold 150,000 people. Nearly 30 nations have entered for this competition. Among them is Haiti, and we would probably be surprised if we knew how well the Haitians play Association has attracted so many young Germans in the country’s mass out-of-doors movement that players now number over a million. Almost everywhere abroad the number of teams is growing. The provision of equipment, the travels of visiting teams, their use of hotels, the engagement of professional players and club and ground workers make an appreciable contribution to the world’s employment. The spectator of international football notices a diversity of styles, though the contrasts are never sharp. One such spectator who has seen national and other leading teams of 10 countries during the past few years epitomises the French style as “nippy, ’ the German as solid, the Italian as ultra-enthusiastic, and the Austrian as classic. The French are erratic, frequently throw away scoring chances after lightning attacks, and are handicapped bv lack of weight. It may be a coincidence that the Germans’ reputation for doing some things in a mechanical way is supported by thenfootball. The average Italian seems to regard every match as a cup-tie.