A FOOTBALL CURSE.

Waikato Times, Volume 109, Issue 18283, 21 March 1931, Page 11

A FOOTBALL CURSE.

"COMPETITION MAD.” BETTER SPIRIT WANTED. Is Rugby .football 'in New Zealand being played'in the true spirit of the game? The question was raised by a speaker at the annual meeting of delegates to the Wellington Union, when a mailer affecting the local senior grade competitions was under discussion. , , . “I strongly think our competition system is gelling away from the proper spirit of the game," said Mr G. 11. Weir, or Ihe Wellington Football Club. "Too much penally is paid for losing a maleh. Everything in . this country is competition. Wc. are competition mad. Tills should not'be. We have not got the proper Rugby spirit between clubs. We should not have to go out and meet our Union learns in a game of life and death as we had to do last year.” lie referred to the fact that Mr J. Baxter, the manager, of the British team in New Zealand last year, had expressed the opinion that New Zealanders took their football too seriously. There was no doubt that the game was taken seriously, and one regrettable indication of this was the increasing number of accidents. Away With Cups and Shields. “The curse of football in New Zealand, to my mind, is the presentation of cups," remarked Dr. P. F. McEvedy. “Too much importance is •placed upon trophies. Take away the cups and shields and I think football will be the better for it.” Dr MoE%edy explained how the matches were arranged and played in England, and pointed out that tlic only weakness was in the fact that the clubs took Ihe “gates.” There was a different spirit about football in England. It did not mailer whether the game was won or lost. The question was: Did vou enjoy the game? Or was it a decent game? They did not take any notice of a licking there. They went out on to the fields for healthy exercise. ~ . , , Dr. McEvedy suggested that club officials here had a grave duly in controlling Hie spirit of the clubs. They should sec to it that their membeis had the true Rugby spirit, and that would go a long way towards enabling the teams to go out for clean exercise and clean enjoyment without unnecessary risk. He was of opinion that far to ! o much was left to the referee on the playing field. The British team which visited New Zealand last, season had provided a wonderful example of live type of game that was wanted, and that example should be followed. “By doing so wc should have a cleaner ami belter spirit in football than we have In-day." lie added. “Keep the came open, make, il spectacular, and make it a much nicer and cleaner game lo play. Play it in (lie spirit of I lie game.”