JOBS FOR FOOTBALLERS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20708, 4 May 1929, Page 15

JOBS FOR FOOTBALLERS.

MELBOURNE. DIFFICULTY. PROGRESS OF PROFESSIONALISM. (Pbosi'Oto Owk Cosresfondkkt.) v SYDNEY, April 25. New Zealaßders, with, their freedom, from professionalism ’as far as; their footballers are concerned, willi perhaps, ■ •find it 'difficult to appreciate the problem y that is facing some of the p big clubs in-Melbourne-r-tliat of; finding work’ for their players. ' / ' ' ;Foc»tball is a. real business'.!!! -Melbourne—more s6_thau in any other inirt of Australia. There, of course, they play according to Australian rules—and Melbourne people say that it is the only real football there is.. An effort isbeing made to introduce Rugby, but it ia surely doomed to failure. The All Blacks might he able to tell us iuore 1 definitely of the prospects after their visit to the southern capital this'yehr. In Melbourne footballers are brought from the country if they are - good players, and in - most instances' they make it a condition that they should bo . provided with work—work, of course, that will not interfere in any way with their training. In these days. of unemployment, the. task of finding work for a country player is no easy matter, and there _ has been a storm, at .one of the council meetings because it was revealed that, a’n officer had - provided work ior a country footballer to the exclusion-of all the local unemployed who hid been clamouring for work for weeks, past. f In addition to the remuneration that comes from the position that is found for him, a Melbourne - footballer also - received a fixed payment of, say. £2 10s or £3 10s a week ■ from, the club for which he, plays, plus a bonus on the profits at the end of the year ''--n bonus in tlie case of one club—Carlton —last year meant an additional a - week to the players who took bait’ in evciy match played by the clubdurnm the season.- . 1 ■ :° Pp - When employment is sought for a , footballer, the municipal ' council is usually the first - employer .. to ; be ■ approached, and usually ' the councils are only; too ready to *fmd places for of repute,. ’ A. good football team in a municipality, it is said,, adds a great deal; of dyic pride to the residents,-especially if.the- • club be a League club.. Coburg has been trying hard for the last couple of'years ' to become a League club. It was*even said that when Richmond won the me-■ miership for the first time last year-the population of* the suburb suddenly- in-’ creased. , “ You caij’t find an,, empty house in Richmond now the Tigers,aiv premiers,”, was the club’s boast. ' 1 •