SOCCER TOUR PROPOSED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21577, 23 August 1933, Page 10

SOCCER TOUR PROPOSED

TEAM FOR ABROAD SUGGESTION FROM ENGLAND AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND [by telegraph—own correspondent! "WELLINGTON, Tuesday Some of the difficulties in the way of arranging a visit of an English Soccer team to New Zealand are set out in a letter from Brigadier-Genei-al W. R. N. Maddocks, representative in England of the New Zealand Football Council. Reference is made to the likelihood of a team composed of Australian and New Zealand players touring England and the Continent. Brigadier-General Haddocks' letter, which was read at a meeting of the New Zealand Football Association this evening, stated that he had had several discussions concerning a visit by Englishmen, and his proposal was considered by tho International Selection Committee of tho Football Association Council. lie was working on tho understanding that, if a team visited Australia, it should e'emo on to New Zealand and play four matches, one each at Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland. No definite proposal, however, had been received from Australia, but later one of that country's representatives withdrew a request for a tour of the Commonwealth and suggested that an Australian team should visit England. The suggestion made by the writer that the team sent from Australia should comprise New Zealand players, as well as the reasons for the remoteness of an English visit, aro set out in the lotter, which states that the tour would cost £IO,OOO or more. Inquiries also were made regarding tho possibility of sending out an amateur team, but it was found that it would not be possible to collect a suitable one. "It is wonderful," the letter concludes, "how the game has taken on in Europe. Austria, Italy, Switzerland. France, Spain, Belgium, Germany and other places are putting the highest class players on to tho field. These nations would welcome a tour by Australian and New Zealand players." The New Zealand Council has decided to get in touch with the Australian authorities with the object of learning their views on the matter.