ASSOCIATION NOTES,

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 864, 9 July 1910, Page 13

ASSOCIATION NOTES,

THE GASfE AND ITS CONTROL/' CAN THINGS BE MENDED? •(By CiiNriin-UAH'.) The Management of Soccer. After all, the squall which arose over the treatment received by Mr. W. Wood at the hands of tho Wellington Football Association, tho lieferees' Association, and the New Zealand Council, in connection .with his appointment as referee for the .resent' Brown Shield match, did not blow, over quite as quickly as expected. The storm is still agitating the "soccer" world, but there are new issues, involving the whole question of the present management of . "soccer" in Wellington, and some reference to the present S}>tein of constituting tho New . Zealand Council. During 'I lie past Week' certain events have happened to show that among a certain section of the players there exists considerable dissatisfaction with, the management, dissatisfaction brought to the surface by the feeling in favour of 'Jlr. Wood. (.Hi Monday night a meeting of players, at which -12 were present, unanimously resolved to sympathise with ■ Mr. Wood, and also to wait as a deputation upon the _ Management Committee of the Yi'.jV.A. with tito object of presenting that body with' a general statement of alleged wrongs that needed righting. The deputation duly bearded tho lions in their den, indulged iu some straight talk, and then withdrew. The most'interest.ing part of the proceedings was undoubtedly tho discussion which followed in the

"den" after the deputation left, but as the "licaV went into xunimittce on the subject, their "roars" must go unrecorded. At all events, the committee has .invited lit. Wood to definitely state whe'ther he desires to remain an active mem-, ber of the Referees' Association or not. This ought to end that part of the trouble one way or another. All supporters of tho soccer game will be gh-.d to see Mr. Wood return to his place in the .Referees' Association, and lu fee! assured that harmony will l> ;: , m ce /mire jestorcd. But it must not be' forgotten that, there must be a little give and take here and there. Neither side has been altogether free from blame in connection with tho Wood trouble, and neither side can therefore afford to take up an attitude of "well—l'll overlook—the—matter —this—once," and do the "forgiving parent stunt," as the Americans would ex, press it.

Constitutional Questions. A much more serious question is undoubtedly that of the present constitution of the controlling authorities in the Association game. It is a remarkable coincidence that the same section which controls a majority of votes on the Management Committee of the W.F.A. also holds the balanco of power at the deliberations of the Wellington Referees' Association and 011 the Now Zealand Council—a state of affairs verv .stronglv condemned by one of the speakers at the players' meeting- on Monday- iiieht. There may be, of course, very stroll" reasons why any bettor system of government cannot be devised at present. The New Zealand Football Association has an uphill battle to fight, and is a long, lone way from being financially and numerically as influential a body as the New Zealand Rugby Union. Its system of government must, therefore, ' have regard to the limitations imposed by a constitution which is not vet financially robust, and can only bo successfullv ad", ministered by tho whole-hearted anil entirely disinterested efforts of its supporters, working harmoniously for tho common good. The time i.s fast approaching, however, whe.ll the general system will require to be overhauled The game is going ahead, and the ramifications of tho New Zealand Football Association are extending in every direction, exploiting new districts and' adding to the soccer population. In a tentative way, it may be suggested that the New : Zealand Football Association should slrive to he a representative body in an actual sense. The annual meeting should be attended by delegates from each alliliated centre, and not by proxy, as is more or less the custom at present. As lo tho administration of the local governing bodies there is 110 doubt (hat errors of judgment have been made in the past, ami will he made in l.lie future until a race of infallibles is developed. If serious error is to be avoided, however, the interests of all clubs, referees, and players must bo thoroughly represented 011 tho Management Committee. If (lie present system of Management fails in that respect then it must be altered. However) (hose concerned have their reinedivs in their ovu bauds. If they are not - satisfied

then let them take the necessary steps to bring about a change. In this connection the writer will be glad to hear from any one who has a real and substantial grievance to ventilate, and is prepared to oft'er some practicable. suggestions as to tlvo best means of attaining a better system of government. It is 110 use tittle-tattling all over the town, and saying thai "So-and-So's no good/' and that "This, that, or some other individual is tryiiig to run the show." Destructive criticism is easy. What is wanted is a little constructive effort.

Are We Going Forward? A keen supporter of the Association game recently expressed to me his conviction, based 011 the display at Newtown Park last Saturday, that "the average standard of play' was' not rising. The general/character and style ol' play had apparently reached a certain stage in its development, and lu\d now come to a standstill. Which is all perfectly true.. The soccer game in Wellington, taking, for example, senior first division, is 110 better this year than it was ten yesrs ago. Send our crack senior team to England and put them down in front ot any senior first division team that happened to come along. 111 ten minutes after the kick-off they would be walked over. They would not even be good enough for an English second division team, and their success against a third division team would be problematical. This may savour of "stinking fish," but what is the use of going along year after year in the same old way, playing tho same old game and drawing the same small and unemotional crowds? Something must be done, and done at Qiice, if the general standard of the Association game in. New Zealand is to be lifted right up to star form. The question is: What, and how? Invite a team from England? The said team would go through New Zealand like a devastating blizzard, and our fine fellows would never know what had struck tlrem, or how it had struct them. If we could afford the services of a first-class coach and devote one winter to instructional games, say, a month's coaching in each centre, then representative games might be improved. However, the matter is open for discussion. In the multitude of counsellors (here is much wisdom. '"Centre-Half" will bo glad to hear of suggestions and publish t'hein. This -is a very serious matter.