ENGLISH SOCCER TOUR

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 180, 1 May 1925, Page 9

ENGLISH SOCCER TOUR

LIVELY ASSOCIATION MEETING WAS IT WORTH THE RISK? CHINESE TEAM’S VISIT Keen regret was expressed at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Football Association last night that, owing to want of finance, there seemed no likelihood of the English team, about to visit Australia, extending its tour to New Zealand. Mr. M. J. Hayward (Westland) observed that at the last annual meeting lie brought forward the suggestion that the council should endeavour to send_ a team of schoolboys to Australia. Nothing was done in the matter, but ho noticed that in the latter part of tiic current report, it was stated that tlio council should taks an early- opportunity, during the coming season, of examining the position with regard to school players m each centre. “All I can say,” added the speaker, “is that I hope 'the council will do this; because it certainly is about time ws did take some interest in this direction.” Then, proceeded Mr. Hayward, there was the subject of the English team’s visit. They had been looking forward to a visit from an Ehglish team, to Lis knowledge, for the last twenty years, and now that they had them coining to their back-door, they told them to go away again as they did not vent them. It seemed ridiculous. When they were in communication with Mr. Walls, of the English Football Association in 1324, Mr. Walls told them that be could not eend a team that year, but would send one in 1925. This meant that they had already, had a whole twelve months to organise the country to enable them to bring this team cut. Very likely the expanses were heavy; but what was to stop them facing the ■position' when they had had such a long time in which to organise? Fie understood that the matter rested this way: If, they could get a guarantee from Auckland of .£650, or a guarantee from Otago of <£6so, the tour would be on. It was a matter of .£650. “A matter of .£1300,” interposed a voice.

The “Wide-awake Australians.” “Even if it was .£2600,” replied Mr. Hayward. “we should . have found that money. There is no question about that. And no one can doubt that the team that is coining out is a good one. It is going to Australia, and it is going to make a name for itself. And I am very sorry to say this: that I think the Australians are a more wide-awake body than we are. A burst of laughter greeted this remark. ~ L„ “There is no question, about that., declared Mr. Hayward. “I have heard in this council, mid different places, this and that about the Australian people, but they have a little energy in them, which I doubt whether this council has. I joined this council full of energy and full of ideas, but J find they are wasted. —absolutely wasted.” (Laughter.) After turning down the English team, pointed out Mr. Hayward, there was talk about an American or a Canadian team. Ho submitted that they wanted the bVst football here, and to his mind the game would not progress until they got it. While American and Canadian teams would cost as much as other teams, the football was not so good. He thought ho was expressing the opinion of thousands of Soccer enthusiasts in New Zealand when he said they had absolutely no faith in the New Zealand Council. Mr. Ritchie (Auckland) pointed out that the simple question they had. to face was whether they were in a position to face a loss of =£lsoo. “Auckland says 'No.”’ he added; “wo aro not in a posit ion to face any loss. If we make a big loss at this stage it may mean that we should drop back five or six years. Under these circumstances I feel it is far better to cry off the English tour—more especially when wo are not dealing direct with great Britain.” Mr. H. G. Mayer, chairman of the council, pointed out to Mr. Hayward that the main reason why the tour of schoolboys to Australia could not be entertained was-that it was not practical, as it meant: the Ixiys being away from their lessons for six or seven weeks. A« regards the proposed tour of. the English team, no one was more disappointed than he was flint it could not be carried out. However, the position was that they could not see how it could be carried out without facing a very great loss. “.And I maintain,” said Mr. Mayer, “that if we had such a loss os wo anticipate I, our football would inevitably go back for many years, for the simp’e reason that wo should be facing such a big deficit. It might: mean that for a great many years wo should have no overseas tours at all. And I really consider that at the present time, although we uro unfortunately not going to have an English tour, we can still keso So-enr to the fore and niake (he "•atne still stronger by encouraging alternate year competitions with Australia. Then the time nuiy come when "e can get competitions outside Australia.” Mr. F. Cnnipbe l ! resented Mr. Hayward's criticism of the council. Speakas chairman nf (he Finance Com-■"itf-T.. ho said that sonic of them had snont long nights and busy hours in Irving io cot the English team out here. v-ore willing to take a certain risk, but they estimated they would lose atioot a thousand pounds. It was then for (ho associations io s»v whether they wou'd risk that loss. They would "ol do if—rmd that was their responsibility. "We wanted the tour,'’’ said Mr. Cifninbel'. “and if the associations had taken it up. the tour would have cvcntu. Mod. I will not let anvbody say that the council are to blame.”

A Suggestion. Mr. A. J. Hyder (South Canterbury) threw out the sugy-stipn that the council might write to the Australian Football Association, asking them to send (he Englishmen over here for a fortnight at their own expense, p’ay fi'ur Tests, ami fake whatever profits they made out. of it. Mr. B. L. Salmon stated that from the information they origimTly had, the overhead costs of the English team, before renewing Now Zealand, wore io reach £4200. The only major assooiation which gave them definite promise of sunport was Canterbury, with .11(150, which, together pith five snia’ler associations, marie un .£l9OO. After eonsuiting private people, and putting in hours of work, (hey still found them- ■ o’vcs. in the end. short of something like .ejooo to ,1'1250. They oven wont to (ho extent of offeing tho Australian Association .P 3250 although they did not know whether they could come to that. ' T think, therefore, von will agree.” arlfiml Mr Salmon, "that, tho council dhl all that was binnnn’v uoss'Wo to he done. I Hunk if is true (hat we might, have been able to get a few l>oml>o.'ks more pom p-'i-ato persons. 1-ut —hn|: answers had we to give them when they ask'd ns what cur associations were doing?” Tim amr'.nl rooort. on which tho dis. mission n‘o«o ami wh'ch has already been published, was adopted. The Chinese Tour. Sneaking on the balance-sheet of tho Chinese four (wh’eli showed cash at bank of £53). Mr. ft. I. Graves, f ho bon. treasurer, said it was with considerable regret that they had to report that the balance-sheet was not what they antici-

pated. The Finance Committee had done their utmost, however, to keep down expenses; and it must not only be taken into consideration that the bulk of the money was spent by the affiliated associations. but in mapping out the original cost of the tour, they did not anticipate a team landing in New Zealand without boots or football pants. “I want it to be clearly understood,” said Mr. Graves, “that wo did not throw money away, and wo did our very best to keep expenses down. Twice during the tour, we thought everything was going up in smoke, and it was only by careful handling that we-tßfnaged to carry the tour through'.” • , Mr. MayW ■printed out that although they might not have gained any great benefit from tho tour financially, they must not look merely at tho £ s. d. They must look at the moral support of the general public, and the fact that the tour had enabled them to introduce the game into all corners of the Dominion. Ho did not think anybody could have worked harder than Messrs. Graves and Camyhell to make tho tour a succors. . . Mr. Campbell expressed hnnself as delighted with tho tour. The fact that they had embarked on an expenditure of £6OOO and como out on top was, to him. a wonderful performance. The game had not suffered, no local association had suffered, they bad all got their money out of it, and had had souio glorious games The balance-sheet of tho tour was adopted. Officers were elected as follow:—Patron. llis Excellency the Governor-Gen-eral; president, Mr. C. V. Skerrett, K.C.; lion, treasurer. Mr. Tl. T. Graves; hon. auditor, Mr. A. G. Barnett; secretary, Mr. L. O. Atkinson; council, Messrs. F. Campbell. B. 1.. Salmon, A. E. Wells, J. ,T. Roberts. W. Varney, P. Rose. W. G. Bryce, A. J. Hyder, and J. Sandors. The meeting was presided over by Mr. J. J. Roberts.