1937-08-17 — Page 20

THE CHINA MAIL ABOUT T

ARE FOOTBALLERS BORN OR MADE?

PRODUCING THE

"STARS"

COMPARISON OF STYLES

BEFORE AND NOW

MIGHTY SOCCER NATIONS

(By "ST. STEPHEN"

Edinburgh, July 17. IN a contemporary recently it was stated very de- finitely that soccer players are born, not made, and that lectures on how to play the game, tactics, and so forth, are just so much waste of time. Such a belief is not uncommon, and it is worth while ask- ing what tends to bring about this outlook. I think if we want to get the real reason we must bear in mind the fairly general contention that football is not what it used to be! that there are no giants now- adays to equal Bobby Walker, Steve Bloomer, Billy Meredith, Charlie Thomson, Alec Raisbeck, Dadler Aitken, Peter M William, Alex, M'Nair, Jimmy M'Menemy, and Bob Mercer.

AT THE VERY THOUGHT OF SUCH AN ILLUSTRIOUS LOT -AND THERE WERE MANY OTHERS WHO WERE NOT FAR REMOVED FROM THEIR STANDARDONE IS ALMOST TEMPTED, REMEMBERING THEIR NATURAL GRACE AND SKILL, TO AGREE THAT FOOTBALLERS ARE BORN NOT MADE. IT IS SENTIMENT. I SUPPOSE, BUT IF WE ARE TO GET AT THE TRUTH, FACT AND SENTIMENT MUST BE SEP- ARATED.

We must realise, for example, that the game itself has chang- ed much since these days Rules have been altered, the play has speeded up, and most important of all-the promotion and relega- tion system has been introduced in Scotland, with revolutionising effect.

The struggle for points here, as for so long in England, is now. uppermost, and while the com- petition has been beneficial to the game as a spectacle, in view of the more exhilarating and excit- ing play, it is nevertheless true that the player is handicapped, so far as exhibiting his real ability is concerned. That is where

1)

Bernd Rosemeyer, one of the world's greatest motor-racing aces and recent winner of the Vanderbilt Trophy Race, is seen above in his special stream-lined Auto-Umon car in which he has set up several new International records.

PUTTING CRICKET ON ITS FEET

PLENTY OF ENTHUSIASM IN SCOTLAND

(By PLEGAN)

Edinburgh, July 17. Since the day I came across a Yorkshireman who did not know the current cricket score of his country, and remarked, “Oh, real- ly?" when I told him that Sutcliffe had made another century, I have believed in cricket miracles.

This only happened recently, so my conversion has not been of lang duration. It has enabled me, though, to realise that quite a lot happens in connection with cricket that we do not realise until it is stuck right under our noses

Nevertheless, it would take not everything.

*

more than a miracle to make me

FOLLOWING THE M.C.C.

that

think that home Scots are good-It has struck me in the past that the Scottish giants the past had players of the past would be the cricketers. But there is another there must be some sort of feeling the pull over our men of to-day. first to pay tribute to the help re-aspect of the Scottish game that for the game when we take such a These circumstances have a vital ceived in this way from others who has struck me this season. And deep interest in the goings-on of the bearing on the question. You see, had gone before. But, with less this is that there is enthusiasm M.C.C. in Australia, the Australians those of us with the pre-war mind hazardous ways before them, they for the sport in Scotland, if only in England, and the English coun- are rather apt to forget them in re found it easier to profit by the ad-one knows where to look for it ties. When all is said and done, our membering those wonderful days vice tendered.

and can bring latent feelings to pewspapers poster the fact when football skill.

their contents include the doings of was football Nowadays, with things as they the surface. skill. We never stop to ask our-are and opportunities limited as far I have been surprised at the big cricket down South. Well, ther selves if the great teams or personas individualism is concerned, there amount of keenness shown in

do not do that for fun. alities would have been quite as is obviously more scope and certain-gard to the New Zealand game. I think, myself, that a Scottish wonderful in our estimation if they ly more need for someone, not to which is to start to day. Of course, victory over a touring side would had had to submit themselves to attempt the impossibility of making, the announcement that such noted see a considerable revulsion of feel the circumstances prevailing to a footballer out of boys who show players as N. S. Mitchell-Innes, I Aing throughout the country. Future day. Maybe they would, of course, no natural aptitude for the game, R. Peebles, P. A. Gibb, and A. Dbig games would get the support but on the other hand, maybe they but to help and advise both in Baxter had been asked to play has that they deserve. I am not going wouldn't.

actual practice and by lectures. It had something to do with this. But to suggest that ordinary club cricket It should not be supposed, either. is essential to the growth of Soccer. that there were no failures in "the

TRAINED COACHES

good old days"; there were. Prob-j That is where the tramed coach ball nations.

now,

INTERNATIONALISTS “AT SCHOOL”.

Te-

would draw its big crowds, because leven in London one sees the out- standing Saturday afternoon teams foften playing to only a handful of

spectators..

ably as many as there are

comes into the scheme of things, comparatively speaking-and don't and it is quite useless for anyone forget that even in the Bobby Walker to point the finger of scorn at such What is the secret of their suc- What has "got me this days there were still people who an individual. The Continental cess? Simply this the introduc-is the growing enthu used to sigh for "the good old days" countries have taught us a thing or tion of the football coach. Men the "young idea." I do not know when football was football!

two about the value of a coach. Jike Madden, Jacky Robertson, Jim-what the official opinion is of the MIGHTY FOOTBALL NATIONS

Between thirty and forty years my Hogan, and Fred Pentland, to status of cricket at the schools, but It would perhaps seem as if we ago there were no born footballers mention only a few, went over to some of the schoolboys I have watch- had digressed a little in our aim to in Austria, Germany, Italy, Czecho-the Continent, and by th

their ability led have been the embodiment ascertain the truth, but if that di- slovalda, Switzerland, Yugoslavia, to impart their knowledge to others, end gression has resulted in our finding for even France, and yet to day out the reason why there are fewer one of these countries is outstanding, personalities in the challenge us on even t

has

gaule

one

becar

worth taking

conjointly with the ea estness of

others to mas the

cies of soccer,

a job an overwhelm Coaching

But

WORKING CLASS DEMAND

am not thinkin schoolboy, I suppose blic and secondary

kbone of home

But

line,

fall-in istinct possibility of our king pride of place to our frie

(Continued on Page 21)

youngsters

bout their evening

(Continued on Page 22)