FOOTBALL MUDDLING.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 September 1921, Page 4

FOOTBALL MUDDLING.

It is unfortunate that the manager of the South African footballer.! has Mad occasion to make a public protect against the neglect of those in control of their arrangements. The visitors have proved themselves such good sports on and off the playing field that things meat liave boen particularly bad before the jnanager would 'have gone out of his way to draw attention to the lack of consideration shown them by the governing authorities. For some time past it has been evident that the management of the tour lias left much to be desired, with the result that the public, without whose support football would be dead, are asking questions. The New Zealand Union has displayed a paltry spirit in many respects over the tour. Take the question of the publication of the names of the teams. The union forbade the visitors front supplying this information to the Press 'because its publication would interfere with the sale of the official programmes! It did not matter that the public were anxious to know the personnel of the teams beforehand; all that mattered was the'£.s.d. part of it. This mercenary spirit is quite foreign to true sport, and has not done justice to New Zealanders, who are quite above it, and would not have the South Africans placed in the position over it that they have been. It has to be admitted, of course, that the New Zealand Union undertook a big financial responsibility in connection with the tour, but when they saw how successful the tour was likely to be they might have removed the embargo on the publication of the teams. Then there has been the treatment of the Press officials by the management committee. Nothing quite so bad has.ever been experienced in the annals of New Zealand football. The pressmen are the representatives of the public, and are entitled to every facility. Again, we have the same committee adj ministering a snub to their president, a gentleman whose good offices have been frequently employed since the advent of the Springboks to straighten out tangles that the indiscretions and: mismanagement of the union have led them into, and who enjoys the confidence of footballers and public alike in a measure that certainly no other officer of the union does to-day. The action of the committee in this respect has been on all foprs with their general muddling. Now we have the Springboks hurried over to Nelson,' no provision made for hotel accommodation, and none for their return to Wellington. It is really too bad. The pity is that this muddling of the executive reflects on the country as a whole which is anxious to show the utmost consideration and courtesy to their guests, firstly because they - are our guests, and secondly because a finer lot of sportsmen have never before favored the Dominion with a visit.