MORE TOURS URGED FOR SOCCER TEAMS

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31006, 11 March 1966, Page 13

MORE TOURS URGED FOR SOCCER TEAMS

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON.

The New Zealand Football Association council believes national soccer teams should make more overseas tours. Its report to the annual meeting on March 25 states: “The council will have to give some thought to arranging tours overseas even if only of a short duration.

“The recent experiment with our under--23 and under-21 teams already shows the potential in New Zealand. ‘•lf this is to be encouraged and advanced, then stronger opposition must be sought. “It might be considered by some that we are setting our sights too high, but we cannot expect to reach top-flight football unless we are prepared to be progressive in outlook.” Fiji Kept Waiting The council also feels that in the coming season it should do something to arrange a return tour of New Zealand by Fiji. “This has been outstanding far too long and a decision must be made,” the report, states. The council records disap-, pointment that last year's tours of New Zealand —the Easter tournament which included Australian State sides and the visit by the English, clubs, Blackpool and Sheffield; United—did not receive better s public support. On the exhibition matches played by Blackpool and I Sheffield United, the report;

says: “May be the fact that they did not play any local teams had some bearing on this (lack of public support), but the objective was to show the public in New Zealand football as it is played by the first division clubs in England.

“It is also possible that the I tour was too long and that i too many games were played, , but it was our first attempt ' at a tour of this type and 1 nevertheless a profit was ! shown,” said the report Associations Unfinancial A number of teams in New Zealand have been playing in competitions to which they are not entitled, according to the council report. It says: “This state of affairs cannot be tolerated in the future.” At present there were 12 associations which had not forwarded their affiliation fees to the council. The attitude of associations has caused the executive considerable problems, particularly in regard to the finances !of the N.Z.F.A., and it is lapparent something must be I done to ensure associations I are fully aware of their resI ponsibilities. I “As a result it will be i necessary at the annual meet- ' ing to amend certain rules to ' ensure that the information ’required is received at the I .correct time and penalties I imposed on defaulting associa- • tions. “It is quite apparent that ! the N.Z.F.A. has lost considerable revenue which it cannot accept if it is to carry out a progressive policy in respect of football in New Zealand,” says the report.