THE SOCCER GAME

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 11825, 10 May 1924, Page 10

THE SOCCER GAME

NOT nun FOR TOE PARLOUR MUST BE KEPT BRIGHT AND SPARKLING GAMES WITH NAVAL MEN

Li going into the merits and demerits of the play of both the Navy team and Wellington players, it is a pity that it lias been found worth while to delve into the wordy warfare which arose during the visit of the Australian team on the subject of playing the. man instead: of the ball, but in the writer's opinion it is due to the local players to say a few words on their behalf, and in doing so to add that these views are expressed after many years of senior soccer experience at Home, both professional and amateur, and are not merely 'based on the exhibition given by the Australians and Navy men. The cry was raised by- the Australian team, and because the New Zealand Council were unanimously of the opinion that rough play should he put down with a firm hand does not justify the assumption that the council is opposed to fair and even robust charging in certain and) proper circumstances. As a matter of fact, there very often arises an occasion when the only way to prevent an opponent scoring is to get in a solid charge to put him off the all, and a fair shoulder to shoulder charge is quite permissible in such circumstances, and is to be expected. What sort of an uproar would there bo if tho tackle was cut out of the Rugbygame? The .game would lose half of its attraction, yet to soccer eyes the tackle 13 a far more dangerous practice than a shoulder to shoulder charge could ever be. It is not desirable that soccer should become a parlour game, and while we have experienced men to conduct the matches in Now Zealand they may he trusted to out out the “rough stuff,” hut not to spoil the game and rob it of half its vigour. The man who cannot take and give a good honest charge when the occasion demands should ho out of the game. There are many good players in Wellington, without going outside, men who havo had only New Zealand experience, and others who have also had Home experience with strong clubs, and few, if any, would agree with tho idea of eliminating charging from the game. When that happens the code is going to lose much of its attractiveness. PRACTISED AT HOME. Those who imagine that charring is not indulged in at Home are labouring under an impression that is entirely- erroneous, and tins applies to league games as well as cup ties. It is true that cup ties have invariably been of a more robust and less scientific type of game, but it is no question of argument that the cup ties have always provided the greatest enthusiasm and ex citement. only excepting the final league games, and those where clubs are fighting for promotion or to avoid relegation. Make no mistake, there is no standing on ceremony when goals are in the offing, and where a good honest charge is going to help the man with the •ball to get through, or the defender can charge the man off the ball and save his side, that charge is gi Ten - There is no rule which says that charging infringes the laws of the game. It does not. But rough or dangerous play is certainly- provided l for, and the power to deal until this is left to the discrimination of the referee. \ POOR. REFEREES. Poo»- referee I He is tihe man who gets more knocks than ha’pence, and whenever he is called upon to give a decision in regard to rough play how rarely does ho please both sides, to say nothing cf the spectators, who are usually divided into two factions! And the referee not only has to face tho oritkiisms of spectators, and upon occasion the players—although tihe latter is against the rules on the field —but is also subject to Press criticism, and gets it. Yet it is only fair to him to say that on the whole the games are very fairly conducted. Very often the referee will see a little more than the spectator, sometimes a little less, hut it may he generally accepted that the referee does not blow the whistle for every trifling offence that catches his eye. and herein he shows his wisdom. A player may erven be offside and the referee knows it, Ibut he is not called on to stop the play unless the offside man is about to take advantage of his position and play the hall. But let the player make a move to gain advantage from the breach of the rule and the whistle will go sure enough. There has been very little to cavill about in tlie conduct of recent games, and those in which the Navy have been taking part provided nothing for which tho referee might have been reproached. There were one or two instances of illegal tactics being adopted, but so far as can be recalled these were very properly penalised, and they were tihe exception rather than the rule, so that the writer’s humble orinion is that there was little to justify resurrecting the controversy of players playing the man instead of the hall. THE LOCAL COMPETITIONS. It is pleasing to see that Y.M.C.A. are getting into their stride, and are meeting with a greater modicum of success than fell to their lot last year. That they should manage to inflict defeat on AVatersiders, one ot the strongest combinations in the local competitions, at their first meeting this season is evidence that better things may be expected of them, and that they will be seriously in the running for the championship is almost beyond doubt. With equal fortunes they should be ill the first two at the close of the season. They have the players, who, d lot- called upon for too many representative games, are quite competent io plaoe the young men comfortably at tlie head of the table. Hospital, in drawing and winning, bare probably done a little better in the two games than they expected, while Thistle cannot feel that they havo dona so well as they should have done, having lost three points out of four already. Watcreidcrs will find \t hard work to catch up with the two points they have lost, for to lose a league game is something unusual for them. And there is no getting away from the fact that they were more than lucky to secure two points, let alone one, when they met Institute three weeks ago. Institute wore expected to give, a better account of themselves against Marist than *hcy did, but Marist havo a much stringer team than of yore, and those teams which regard the Brothers as of little account may find themselves considerably nit of their reckoning Diamonds inflicted rather a slashing defeat on Karori, who look like being tho Cinderella of the “A” division, but they always give a good sporting game, and they are a team that one would lx) sorry to see relegated. “B” division teams were in a great scoring n.c.od last Saturday, and to infusion of new blood appears to bare doDO 6ome good. There are one or

two teams in this division which can give a really clever and entertaining exposition of soccer, and with the experience which onJy conies with tiino they will form worthy opponents in the days when they arc taking part in the senior “A” championship. CUP TIE GAMES. Tho difficulties with regard to tn© early rounds of the Charity and Chatham Cups have heen overcome, find the opening rounds take place to-day. Y.M.C.A. should survive the match with South Wellington, but should not under-estimate this hustling side, who will make a determined effort to null off a win. Waterside v. Welgasco ;s practically a foregone conclusion, it* being a question of the number of goals, but a cricket score is not desirable. Marist v. Thistle is a harder game to predict, but if Thistle do not show letter form than they did against Diamonds then it is a win for Marist. Institute, who hare just left the division, are due to meettheir old opponents, Scottish Wanderers. and this should he on© of the entertaining games cf the day. ’Stutes should win, but the Wanderers have sprung a surprise before to-day, and in a cup tie the unexpected often happents. Put ’Stutes, without running away, should live to fight another day, and another team. Diamonds also will need to put up an improved showing on the opening game, although Brooklyn should not t>e a very tig hurdle for them, hut the forwards must put on their shooting hoots, for such shooting as they did in the Thistle game will got them nowhere. Hospital will entertain JohnsonvilJe in the Charity Cup only, while the remaming games in this* competition are Petone v. Swifts at Pctone, and Y.M.C.A. (B) v. Sea-toun at Kilbirnie. The winners should he Swifts, Hospital and Seatoun.

SOCCER HISTORY

SOME REP. GAMES DEATH OP ALEX. M. lIHXDERSON (From Air Williams's book.) CHAPTER V. At the annual meeting on March 25th, 1897, Air G. F. Woolridge was re-elected secretary. Only five teams took part in the first division, and for the third year in succession Swifts were iu the premier position, winning the Voinis Shield and the Association Challenge Cup. Although Swifts won the trophy outright they presented it back to tho association as a challenge trophy, hut not to be won outright. Queen’s Park won tho junior championship, Red Cross the third division, and Pearls the fourth. Ruahine beat Wellington, at Wei lington in the Brown Shield by 2—o, Wellington lending them three local men to replace three of theirs who had missed the train. One of them waa Hawthorn, who should never have been left out of the Wellington team. It was a poor game, and Charlie Hailwood had to leave the field with a sprained ankle, tlie result of a bad foul. A junior rep. team was sent to Wanganui, and although Wellington tost the score was not recorded. Some of the players made the journey there by boat, but refused to return that way owing to sea-sickness. Air F. J. Rolleston was elected secretary to the W.F.A. in 1898, hut at tlie end of the season went to reside in Timaru, where in later years he became Mayor, and in 1922 was elected to Parliament. Air F. J. Courtney became treasurer that year,, and the valuable work he did for the game will be referred to at a later stage. Petone Club was re-formed this year but Thorndon disbanded, and Rovers won the championship after losing only ono match. Diamonds .won the junior grade, and Red Cross and Pearls repeated their successes of the previous 6©aeon. Wellington played two games iu the Brown Shield, defeating Ruahine by C—l, thus avenging the defeat cf tho previous Beason. Tlie new players, F. G. Alaeters and W. J. Taylor, appeared in the Wellington team, and played a great game at half-back. Playing the same team in the final against Auckland three days later Wellington lost to a strong team by 3—l. In this game Courtney fisted tho ball out of the goal mouth, Bernstein, the goalie having missed it. Carmichael, the Auckland captain, converted with a shot like a cannon ball. It was stated that the referee asked Carmichael if ho would take a goal o* the penalty kick, and Carmichael replied that he would taite the only penalty tlie rule allowed, a penalty kick. Air Williams thinks the one who stated this was nitsinformed on the matter. DEATH OF THE FOUNDER. To the enthusiasts of the game at this time, tlie year 1898 was a gloomy unc owing to tlie death of the founder of ’the game, Alex. M. Henderson. Quite a shock went round the town when it was reported that Air Henderson, secretary of the New Zealand Football Association, and also of the Wellington l’hysical Training School, had died suddenly. He had been confined to his house for a week with influenza, but, had refused to see a doctor, his room-mute nursing him. On 'January 28th iiis mate went to work at 9 a.in., leaving Mr Henderson much as usual. At 10.30. Dr Harding was called in, and found him in a dying 'condition, and shortly after he passed away. Bronchitis was the cause of death. Mr Henderson was a native of London, and was 36 yeare of age. •Ho was a great lover of the Association game, and it was due to his untiring efforts that the game obtained .such a firm hold in Wellington. He ,was really tlie founder of the N.Z.F.A. and secretary at the time of his death Tlie re were over 4W> people present at fliis funeral, including representativcf of a number of local sporting bodies and both football co<les. Tlie loss the ■association had sustained was recorded •in the annual report of that year. Subsequently a fund was raised for a me•morial stone, which was erected in Karori cemetery to his memory by lovers of tlie game. He represented ’Wellington on three occasions, tiyioe against •Canterbury and once against Auckland. playing half-back. Play for the Henderson Memorial Challenge Chip ■commenced in 1901, among teams of the third division, and never a season should go by without recalling the magnificent work he did for tho game.