Shamrock To Have Soccer Coach

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30980, 9 February 1966, Page 15

Shamrock To Have Soccer Coach

Yet another Christchurch soccer club will have the services next season of a professional coach by the appointment yesterday of Mr R. Groves to the Shamrock club.

Shamrock, a senior club for many years, with the largest membership in Canterbury, has thus gained probably the most experienced and widelytravelled club soccer coach in New Zealand.

He began as a professional player at the age of 17 and during the war played for the British Army. After a period as staff coach with the Council of Physical Education he became player-manager and coach of the Irish club, Sligo Rovers, during which the team finished second in the Eire league and cup.

Later he became coach to one of the leading Dutch clubs, A.D.0., and other followed in Germany, Italy and France. Allied to his interests in

soccer, Mr Groves has also had many years as a cricket coach, and it was. in the latter category that he went to Australia in 1953. There, he became later national fitness officer of Darling Downs in Queensland, coaching schools at cricket, athletics and swimming. Mr Groves made his first visit to New Zealand in 1960 where he was appointed soccer and cricket coach .in Wellington. He also managed the New Zealand soccer eleven in its first match against the

touring English team captained by Tom Finney. He returned to Australia in 1962 to coach the leading Sydney dub, Hakioh, and returned to New Zealand last December, and has been living in Napier. Mr Groves, who is one of the few men to hold a gold badge and highest diploma for physical education that can be won in Australia, has been appointed physical education master at Burnside High School.