SOCCER SIDELIGHTS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1066, 2 September 1930, Page 13

SOCCER SIDELIGHTS

PASSING NOTES

(By

PERSEUS.)

Disappointing Cup Ties.—With the championship games practically finished, it was hoped that the switcli to the second round of the Falcon Cup knockouts on Saturday would provide some better and brighter Soccer. But the bouts proved very tame displays, except for a fiery clash between Celts and Glen Innes, where the liveliness was of entirely the wrong type, although entertaining to those who prefer the more gladiatorial style of oflier codes. At headquarters the opening game between Ponsonby and Corinthians was a tame affair. The first half was very listless, and Ponies played just as badly as their opponents would allow. In the second spell Ponsonby brightened up, but there was no response from Corinth, and the finish was very lop-sided. Lack of Enthusiasm.—The second game between Shore and Thistle was expected to make amends, and provide a contest which would remind us ; of old-time battles between the old rivals, which formerly drew thousands to Victoria or Blandford Park, and had keenly-divided crowds on their toes and roaring themselves hoarse. This tie, however, was a very drab affair, with neither team nor individual play worth watching. The game between Y.M.C.A. and Technical Old Boys on the Domain is described as a walkover, and scarcely a working gallop for Young Men. Murray Kay and Humphreys were tried at fullback in tho second half, with McGladderv and Mowat as forwards, so Y.M. did not take things too seriously. Gilchrist Should prove a useful recruit to Y.M., and Tech, has promising players in Roper and Marlowe, but the team is not yet up to senior form. The Celtic and Glen Innes match was of the knockout type in every sense, and players got out of control at times. Two who started mixing it were ordered off, and Grant suffered a nasty knockout injury in battling against the hefty juniors. The Glen Innes club consists of four brothers Stone, three brothers Welch, and four others. With G. Stone in goal and 11. and R. Stone at fullback, the Colts were up against a “Stone” wall which proved too hard, and the Greens failed to penetrate it. “A Stimulus Needed."—Under this caption the Soccer critic of the Wellington “Post” writes:—“The visit of a New Zealand Soccer team to England or elsewhere would not do nearly so much good to the game as a visit to the Dominion from some overseas team. In the former case only a selected number of players, probably less than two dozen all told, get the benefit of seeing the game as it should be played. In the latter case all Soccer players in the Dominion, provided that the visitors’ tour is intelligently arranged, reap the benefit. Soccer in tho Dominion, in the opfnion of many old players, hafe not improved during the last few years. There are some who maintain that the standard of play has actually deteriorated. They may be right or they may not, but there is no doubt that there is plenty of room for improvement. The game as usually played sadly needs gingering up; one might almost say that it needs the application of a little ‘scientific and industrial research.’ It should be as big a draw as matches played under the rival code, but the optimist is probably as yet unborn

who visualises a Soccer final attracting a 1!0,<>00 crowd to the Basin Reserve. But why not, if a match at Home can draw a gate of 100,000?" What About Auckland?—Unfortunately the same remarks apply here, and the authorities are becoming concerned at the declining revenue which makes balancing the budgets more difficult each year. This decline appears due more to the falling-off in the games staged and the form shown, than to tho increased attractiveness of other sports. Pessimism and gloomy reflections are less needed than practical proposals, toward improvement. Tho Rugby Union is suggesting drastic changes in the conduct of that popular code, and the proposed reorganisation is on the lines previously indicated in this column as necessary to bring about a Soccer revival, and provide displays which are really up to senior standard. Too Many “Senior" Players.—ln spite of previous experience from which, apparently, those in control learnt nothing and forgot nothing, a socalled “senior” B division was recreated, so that at present there are eight senior A, and ten senior B clubs. The majority of the players have no claim to senior qualifications. but many would be good junior players, and if the 18 clubs were cut down to six real senior ones, we might see Soccer worth watching, and the crowd would come back to enjoy it. With only six clubs keen competition would stimulate plavers into more training and practice, and senior ranking would bo a status worth a player attaining and retaining. * * * Too Many Single Team Clubs.—The multiplication of senior clubs lias proved a drawback by multiplying the number of one-team clubs, which are bringing on neither reserves nor youngsters, but exchange players or poach on the other clubs, spoil the junior grade football, and do nothing to help the future of the game. Five »f the eight senior A clubs belong to this one-team-club category, and with no reserve to draw on must either fill gaps by pulling out pensioned-off players, or draw on the reserves of those few clubs which still devote some time and enthusiasm to nursery work for replacing _old stock players Compulsory Mergers.—ln the senior B division the proportion of one-team clubs is just the reverse, only three of the ten clubs coming within this class; but some of the other seven find it hard to keep their jnuior teams going, and this year both the second and third open grades suffered through this. There are many brilliant players in the B grade who should be up in the seniors; four of the best of Auckland's representative eleven are found there, and there are others knocking at the door. If these players were in senior teams improving the standard of play, and many of the soi disant seniors relegated to the second or third grade, where they could enjoy themselves without irritating anyone, the attractiveness of the senior competitions would be improved out of sight, and the public would soon show its appreciation in a tangible form. Catering for the Public.—lt may be argued that the code should consider giving these players .a game before

providing entertainment for the public, and that if a dozen players with some bond or affinities outside Soccer wish i to get together and form a. club, they sliould be encouraged and not frowned upon. That undue consideration for . the “gates" and commercialising the : D'une. is only a step toward professionalism, making the code a money- : grubbing affair instead of a medium j lor healthy and widespread enjoyment of a fine, clean game. That new clubs should be encouraged and welcomed ! with a glad hand, and the more the merrier. * * * The Choice of Methods. —It is bei tween these two ideas that the clubs and those who control the code have to choose, and they cannot have it both ways. If the senior clubs were cut down to six. with a second grade competition between reserve teams of those same six. and no club admitted to senior status without at least three teams, there would be an immediate improvement in the standard of play and the class of game displayed. Pref- | crence should be given to clubs running teams in all grades, and that would encourage more work among the youths and boys. Where junior clubs wish to retain their identity let them be seconded by, or co-opted with, senior clubs, which would father them and In ! return draw on them for reserves. The other choice is “Rafferty rules," and “let ’em all come”: with new clubs galore which can take in each other’s washing for reserve supplies. Never mind the public, and abandon Blandford Park, because it will be no use charging a shilling to watch games which very few will go to view for nothing. Successful School Teams. The Auckland primary and secondary school teams which went South last week swept the boards in all events without a loss. At Palmerston North the Auckland primary’ schools defeated "Wellington, Manawatu and Waikato; and were prominent in the win of North over South Island teams at W’ellington on Saturday. The secondary school representatives won the college teams! tourney in Wellington without a loss to either senior or junior teams, and the Auckland secondary junior side defeated the North Island primary school team by 5 goals to Hearty congratulations are due to the keen and hard-working enthusiasts for the splendid results from their great work among our boys.