SOCCER SIDELIGHTS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 728, 30 July 1929, Page 14

SOCCER SIDELIGHTS

PASSING NOTES

(By

PERSEUS.)

Senior Championship. —All interest in both the top and bottom of the championship has now ended with Tramways seven clear points ahead of i’onsonby, while neither Shore nor Belmont can move above the two bottom r ungs. They are the luckless ones to be marked for relegation to senior B next season. Belmont came into its full seniority only last season, and has been a bright combination of youthful enthusiasts from the Belmont Old Boys, but never quite up to senior standard, lacking a seasoning of experienced players and strategists. Shore, on the other hand, is the father of the clubs, and dates back to the days when they used to row across the harbour for a game. Soccer has been played on the same Domain there for over half a century.

Shore’s Downfall. —The falling-oif dates from last season, when, in leference to the wishes of the majority, the playing members took charge of the management, and all the members of the old committee willingly withdrew in their favour with best wishes for their success. But the policy of player control has not proved a wise one, as last season the club failed to complete its programme, and this year it has gone steadily down the la.dder until it has nearly touched bottom. A number of old enthusiasts are willing and anxious to help the old club regain its lost prestige, and the members have the means of changing the control again if they desire it; but in all democratic institutions the members get just the government they deserve.

The Top Dogs. —While sympathising with the season’s discards, the winners are entitled to every credit for their consistent form and splendid unbeaten record this season, and if Trams can add the Chatham and Falcon Cups to the club’s collection, the honours will be well deserved. It has a finely balanced team of seasoned players, who have trained hard and kept themselves in the pink of condition. so that there has not been a casualty on the side, and rarely a change in the personnel of the eleven. How much the champions’ outstanding superiority has been due to the weakness of other clubs is problematic, but one cannot help wondering .ow the Trammies would fare with a lively young team of hustlers like Ponsonby of two seasons back or Shore of the season before that.

The Middlemen. —Below Tramways are Ponsonby, Y.M.C.A., and Thistle, all very much on a par, with an even break whenever they meet, but neither possessing the all-round excellence of the champions. The four top teams are distinctly better than the bottom four on the season’s running, and on neutral territory there is nothing much to choose between Onehunga, Celtic, Shor€» and Belmont. Onehunga at home is as good as the best of them, but they are a weak away” team and have not won a match off the home ground. Celtic is scarcely up to senior standard, and was lucky in gaining winning points from Thistle after being beaten in the match. The general verdict of the “hillites” is that the form shown has been much below former standards, and the falling-off is largely due to lack of rigid training and coaching in team work and tactics.

Too Many Penalties. —The severity of referees in handing out what are often “death sentences” in a close match has been the subject of much comment, and it is generally agreed by competent critics that far too many penalties are awarded, either because the references are over-severe fail to understand the law. On Saturday last there were three goals scored from penalties at Onehunga, two at Blandford Park, and one at Devonport; two others were missed. Six of the penalties were for “hands.” and from the view of unbiased critics five of them should never have been given. If referees will study law 9 in the little red book, the instructions state that “it is not justice” to penalise a player “unless it is an intentional act”; and “intentional” is printed in bold black capitals. That must mean the player wilfully hitting or stopping the ball with hand or arm, and it is not six times in a whole, season that such a desperate and suicidal thing is done by a defender in his own 18—much les« six times on one Saturday. This

deponent would aver that he has not seen a defender deliberately handle in the penalty area six times in six seasons* close watching of the game, but he has seen at least 60 penalties awarded for hands which never should have been. * * Foul Charging. —Our harassed and well-meaning officials with the whistle might also note that in the 1928-29 F.A. Handbook (not “A.F.A.”), the following addition is made to referees’ instructions on the subject of allowing fair charging:—“Many referees habitually penalise players for charging that is neither violent nor dangerous. Attention is drawn to Law 9 of the game, which provides that such charging is permissible. A free kick only should be given when charging is violent or dangerous.” Some referees insist on “shoulder to shoulder” to “stand or fall,” but the word “shoulder” is neither mentioned nor implied in the rules. If a player prefers to “like a soldier fall,” with' his breast expanded for the blow,” he has that choice, and it is not exactly “dangerous” if the impact plants him where it rarely hurts in four inches of globigerina ooze. It is merely disturbing and undignified, lending a touch of comedy to a drab game. Neither tackle at headquarters on Saturday justified a penalty, and referees should not be talked into giving unfair decisions by loud appeals.

New Laws for 1930. —At the annual meeting of the International Board at Paris all amendments to the Laws bf the game were rejected except two minor ones from the F.A. The first provides ’ that no player shall be considered offside when a free kick under Law 9 is awarded, which does not increase the punishment much for tripping, kicking, striking, jumping at a player, etc. The second amendment allows a player who has been sent off for playing in illegal boots to have the trouble attended to and he may now be allowed back if on re-examination his footwear is within the law. Before a. player sent off for infringing the law was prohibited from taking further part in the match. These rules will not, of course, come into effect here until next season, as they have yet to be made known officially.

Welcome to the Tourville. —The officials were busy today getting in touch with the sports authorities on the visiting French warship Tourville and finalising arrangements for the matcli between members of the crew and the men of the New Zealand Service on Saturday. With nearly 900 men on board the visiting cruiser should be able to produce a formidable eleven for Saturday’s match, and the French have for many years been adepts at the round ball code. In the French Government the portfolios include a Ministery of Sports, and our French friends take their sport very seriously. It will be interesting to see how they compare with our lads, and there should be a big muster at Blandford Park on Saturday to welcome our guests. INTER-NAVY SOCCER SATURDAY’S CONTEST In consequence of an unauthorised statement having been circulated to the effect that the match between the 11.M.5. Philomel and the French cruiser Tourville would be played as the curtain-raiser to a Thistle Cup bout on Saturday, the Auckland Football Association desires it to be known that the feature game on Saturday at Blandford Park will be the inter-naval game, and that no Thistle Cup match will be staged. The official programme will he finalised at the weekly meetings of the senior division committee and Board of Control this evening. Probably the curtain-raiser to the international navy game will be the championship match between Thistle and Trams, and it is hoped the state of the ground will enable the preliminary game to be staged, but a request has been made for the band of the French cruiser to be in attendance as a.n added attraction, and its presence would no doubt be more acceptable than an early game if the ground has not fully recovered.