THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1957.
The Tragedy Of Our Soccer
THIS LIES IN THE FACT THAT THE
:
UNEXPECTED SELDOM
SELDOM HAPPENS.
Says I. M. MacTAVISH
In recent weeks there have been some important and highly significant happen- ings in the world of international football and it is almost impossible not to compare them with our football affairs in Hongkong.
For example, three famous British soccer personalities have just published books in which they have openly commented upon and honestly criticised the game as it is played, and as it is organised, in the United Kingdom today: an international match between Ireland and Italy in Belfast has finished in an uproar and with several of the Italian players being injured by spectators who attacked them after play had finished.
Two referees have been at uxnetly the same error of judg- ipcked by spectators while ment and although these soccer officiating In important senior activites took place many milles
Europe: and the apurt the Rames
consequences have second round of the FA Cup been rather similar, has been played and has pro- cuted the usual crop of upsota which give such a kick to knock-out football.
The Colony soccer funs-lite their British counterparts—diave become very choosy, Nowadays full stadla are seen only when There is a special attraction. All The Arst Krent realisation the ballyhoo and all the garnish that comes froin trying to HOL
ell stories fail to tempt the these happentem longside
against crawls
their better events here in the Colmay Is Judgment and it is rather ou pattern of soccer similarity.vious that the fans are eager to Time and again one feels like see something new... or at
least see something different.
that we have settled down lo
|
carly chances to shake up the Busmen; and maybe the Tigers victory margin against Jardines was wider than expected...but ...so what?
the film of the Irelund-Italy "Battle of Belfast."
| The ulter lack of control by the Italian players certainly in- furiated the partisan Irish
Vitriolle spectators to
verbal That's the trutedy of our obamo....but nothing van ever FORCET.
The
unexpeclezi so justify the brutal mob violence seldon happens..
followed and even which
the Anal when it does it is airly ආ.. plained away the con- sequence of some gambling ar- rangement. which is often not only a convenient, but also
face-saving excuse,
With the present placid The standard of football has,, pattern of Colony football, how
ever, certain beneficial develop- of course, dropped in the past
ments have taken place and weigh similicantly few years, partly through the systematic cornering of the they will best available talent by a tew powerful clubs; partly through the diminution of the inter- Imcommunity challenge from the non-Chinese clubs; and partly of a because of an absence
Fitting back and, saying "This i where we came in...... It's Father
like the feeling you the through get after sitting some mevic several tunes. The original sense of ratisfaction wears off and one is left look- Ing rather critically at what is behind the lush of first 1.ressions.
"Face-lift" Needed genuinely progressive polley in
Hongkong football,
One of the writers who is
South Koreu, impoverished inentioned above gave it as his hut soccerwise ambitious, has upinion that football in Englanti already shown what forceful was badly in need of a "face-planning and enterprise can do. lift... and that is probably as Their participation
the 1054 securate a diagnosis of what is World Cup Series pointed the reeded here as could be devised, road for other Far East football
organisations
anxi that surely should include this Colony.
One well-known personality who is no longer uctive in our football world made the remark not so long ago that the only thing that ever changed in
Hongkong football was the
A Close Affair
in the long term balance of our progress.
The crowds have settled down to accept what is served up to them without any really important sense partisanship in the sense that one finds It demonstrated In Europe or South Amerien for Example.
Provocative
whistle, and which saw Italian players being viciously attacked by swarming hoards of football
inutiva.
Trampled Upon
Several pinyers were kicked, struck to the ground and tram-
pled
LX-
SPORTRAIT
"Actually, I'm not sure- Just a moment, I'll ask my staff | there is a Cup- He replay this afternoon="
London Expresa Sereton
Jardines
Cricket
Team For
Sunday
The following will represent Jardines in a cricket match against Dodwells on December 15 at HKCC:
upon before the police could get to their assistance. If the current sameness and lack of variety in our football meaus we shall be permanently
H.D.M. Barton, N. D. Bocker, cured anything resembling the A. 3. Bowden, P. J. Hart, D. brutal Belfast bonanza. then Hung, R. G. Labrum, J. Mar-
should be glad of shall, D. B. of nybe we
McLeod, G. M. what we've got.
Mils, T. H. Pain, 1. R. Shuffer, Nevertheless the happenings In Ireland are once again a timely reminder to playcra, and oficials, that they carry a great responsibility with them when- ever
they run on to the field in front of 4 big crowd. A thoughtless act could so easily spark off a fire among the fans... and when fans and fire are in proximity, there is usually burning trouble for someone,
Here the most provocative situations are accepted with resignation that would astonish the fiery football fans any other parts of the world, and those of you who saw the television n' lost night of the disgusting international match between Ireland and Italy will imow what I mean.
The unsavoury invidenta In the closing stuges of the Victory match at the Club
Tuesday would
קוט
colour of the shirt which a In a tiomeille sense a great purileular player wore from deal of our football has become season to season and that no better thon commonplace. was indeed a pretty shrewd Last week-end, for example, wej Shield assessment of the local &luation, had the opening round of the Stadium
Im the years immediately Senior Slickd, but so settled is almost certainly have provoked the local soccer plan we did a very different crowd reaction. not even have the stimulation of had they taken place in many
A3 CX- real surprise result,
soccer centres 1 can think of South China, KMB, It was indeed a good thing that peeted, Eastern and Sing Tao advanced the crowd behaviour was a lot that of some ol Into the next round It is true better than that
ufter the war the soccer-starved crowds flocked to the grounds whenever a game was scheduled to be played. Omcials in charge er clubs appurcptly took it for granted that football, whateves its quality, wouk pull in the Hongkong fans. Club ofBelals in the United Kingdom made
...I can think immediately of our several soccer souls who would benefit a great deal from seeing this film which shows, in the most practient way, the cross consequence of irresponsi- Bility on the football field.
the South China-Army | the players, or we might have a close affair; it 18| been treated to the dastardly game was
The whistle. true that the Club had scenes we saw taking place in also
|
I was most interested in # China Mall reader's letter with his comments on the rcfcred who had charge of the_South China-Atmy game last Sunday ... and also his counter- comments as regard my use of une word "unobtrusive" describe the official's work with
10
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I did not, of course, use the word in relation to the physical aspect of the referee's en- deavours. Rather did I use it to convey the sense of simpli clty which I saw in his per- formance. There Were no 'tricks' ...no irritating man- nerisms ... and no buck- passing gestures like pointing majestically to A lacanan's upraised dag as though to say and don't blame me, chum. HE'S the one who decided you were off-side....
In The Way
It is true that he got in the way of the play three times but, as ono of the situations arose through an Army deich- der. miskicking. I count it a two "intrusions". This is a feature of refereeing which is to be seen frequently in the work of newcomers to the Colony because they are often bewildered by the awlichlag methods of the Chinese players ... who, by general British standards, are unorthodox, par-. ticularly in attack.
SUDS
Nevertheless there nothing in this reader's letter which made me want to change my opinion of the referee con- cerned. I thought he did a most intelligent job
д
It looks as though, the foot- ball faro have been given week-end off by the FKFA for there aro only two games on the Senior programme.. and strangely enough there is no game on the Hongkong side of the Harbour tomorrow.
Club will meet CAA at the Club Stadium this afternoon and as both sides need, points,) this could be quite a game.
Tomorrow Kitches tackle Jardines at Boundary Street and should add another couple of points to their total,
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