1961-11-16 — Page 9

Page

THE CHINA MAIL, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1961.

TIME ENGLAND STOP MAKING WORLD CUP FOCUS

TEAM CHANGES

Now Pointer merits a real run in the middle

Why is there such a dearth of outstanding centre-forwards in English football today? Where is the modern counterpart of Lawton, Drake, or Dixie Dean?

This has become the great soccer mystery of our time.

For more than a decade. Eng.

land has faced the nagglug problem of Gnding the idea edry forward

The selectors have tried big men and Rule men, strong

ones

and subtle ones, the spearhead type ke Lofthouse and the deep-lying kind like Allen They have even at tempted au altack without any recognised centre-forward ali.

Since Tommy Taylor died in the Munich disaster nearly four years ago, the England alluck

has been ledd an arm by Derck No! Bobby Charlton, Kevan. Lofthouse, Brian Clough, Joc Baker, Bobby Smith, Gerry Hi- ches and Ray Politer

Wingers too

That's right cent-forwards in 35 matches. And if you think

a problein

this

pecuitar

ON THE BALL

with Stan Cullis

we still irad to goal matching cutre-forward to attua il The

chame

This

Titelly

i thai my long-held belief was Fugle Thete a ne yulettute for old fashioned. sjasarhead the centre forward who is ideally suthy to Engh-h Golball when

14363 DUMI playing A

England, I would point that West Germany tried 1 leaders R

utes walkenals belwryb 00 1954-1939

Fust-class ecutre folscards, with wingers clust servind, wat the players

I

consider

difficult to flog today

Apart from Nat Lofthus.se

have seen 71

approaching the

I

English

irader

greatiess

Lawion And 18 England vaders

have been tried Serve

ented as internatkira!

awton

Carrer

in 1948 -including Stan Morten-

Milbure, Jackie

P

Allen, Roy Bentley Fudey

To:

Such is the shortage of star centre-forwards that I belleve

a modern Lawton would prob- ably be the highest-paid play- er in English football. Certain- 13. an outstanding centre- forward should command as high a fee as a player in any other position.

Who should lead?

The lack of strong

challen-

gers fur the England centre-

forward

position is remarkable

when you compare the present with the tre- rivair among

competition

mendously keen

star leaders before the war.

In the 1930's, there was bost of brilliant centre-forwards available

England. They

lur

included giants of the game like

Tommy Lawton,

Frank

Broome

Steele.

Ted and

Drake,

Freddle

There was also George Cam- far sell who would have won more than vine international if he had not caps (1929-36)

been a contemporary of another centre-forward genius. record- breaking Dixie Dean,

Who should lead England tuddy?

There is still no outstanding choice despite all the years of Pointer experimenting. Ray

of Burnley has been the latest choice. and frankly I can't think of anyone who 16 ob- viously better at the moment.

No more changes

I feel there has been enough It is chopping and changing.

now

a question of picking the best from the material avai)- able.

In the circumstances I hope hat Pointer will be given a reus.rable chance to prove his worth and will not be judged on merely one or two perfor-

males.

Maxy experiments have been |

in recent years, and I believe that those 6-3 and 7-1 Hungarian virtories

the of 1953-54 season

partly For regonsible

Ikan y which

wele

the

centre-forward changes

fellowed.

In limitation of Nandor Hideg- kad, who wore the No. 9 shirt and operated behind the other forwards, we saw succession of withdrawn England centre- forwards.

But this meant that "leaders" like Revie and Allen were really inside-forwards and that some- une else, like Derek Kevan, was the spearhead.

Wolves' experiment

The important point, how- ever, was that Hidegküt) was an exceptional player. He had a great capitelty for initiating movements from the back and 11 beins in the spalmouth for the bish.

A few Seasony

few seasons ago, circuin- stances prompted me to experi- ment at Molineux with three inside-forwards in the middle. I moved Peter Broadbent, Eng- land inside-forward, i the iniddle, with Colin Booth and Bol had immediate auc

Muson on each side.

cess. Crities said our centre. forward problem was solved.

than we lost matches. we should have won, It beckans evithunt that, while we were toskizig the openings well,

but

which

unentings

Specialist job

bring

taught

for br

When Mathews and Finney

12617 left the England

therm was a dramatic search lot

take ove:

Soon discarded

Players like Arthur Maton. George Robb and Brian Pilking- To were cascarded after one match Peter Harus and Gur- dem Astall had two chances Bill Peir Johnny Berry Funk Blunstone and Culin

were more like visines i Tic England wings.

were

Experience has also

the centre-forward me that

Perhaps the selectors position is strictly a iub

hoping for the miracle of find- the

Ing may specialist. I

another Matthews or Finney. Perhaps the shortage worthwhile converting a play

was the na of slar wingers er as a temporary expediency. bat such

Jong of tural experiments very

aftermath the rarely

long-term suc- Matthews Finney monopoly. But why

there still shortage prominent

centre- today? and wingers forwards Could it possibly be traced back

The schools? Eng-

to be At time, it used Terent

said that a schoolboys wanted to play in the forward June and from gools. Nowadays. talking to schoolmasters. I have

and impression that more

5 play in more brys 1

prefer Tom defence, especially in the half. well back line

In addition

thr forward shortage, these ha als been a dearth of substandang wingers in recent Years illed

JING! has

31 wingers since the war

I'

That may net appear markable tutai nut of approxi- ; mutely 140 post-war England players But it is a far man-

a hea ber

consider YOU Stanley

Malthews and Finces collectively made

100 appearances. gn that time

over

BY MADDOCKS

Score

w the! I wonder.

(All rights reserved)

COME NOW PRIMITIVE

Four D. Jones, MAN, IF YOU ARE TO

SUCCEED IN BEING THE

FIRST MAN INTO SPACE, WE MUST PROCEED

NOW!

1034

FERD'NAND

THE FLUTTERS

YOU'RE SURE THAT ALL DOCUMENTS RELEVANT TO MEBERS FLUTTER AND CERT ARE PADRING THROUGH

MISS NICKOLE P

kaut

THE 'PODLER'S DOGM/

BRICK BRADFORD

BUCE

"ANOTHER GRCESHIP!

ST MUST BE KUS KRao's

HIP WE Caddis

GOOD/I WILL FORM THE BOAZO!

JYNX,

John Reed talks Rugby

Will his switch

still pay

off for Johnnie?

He is one of Rugby's enigmas. A jinking genius, a "lone wolf." He is hailed as brilliant or erratic, unpredictable or selfish. He will agree to the "unpredictable.”

1 refer to Johnnie Williams, when Jim Ruberts went to Sale

during the 1959-60 season scrum-half extraordinary, whose .pngress to the top agam at 29-

h won eight England caps be-

1934 tween

and 1956 could ve the comeback story of the

Season

Whil-o'-the-WIED

Willians

led Old Boys' Rugby when quit Old Milihillians after 10 years to join Harlequins.

A minority of club members Th ught it was a selfish move wid that I was a bit of a so al-so, I feel rather sore about frir Barow altitude," he said. when we

his talked about wilch of allegiance.

"After all, I don't think 1 let Loyalty kept me them down. with the OMs all these years.

at the sometimes

expense andbition. Person

play 1

ished to

by for years

ol have top-class

Why he left

11 was a big decision, bul wanted the thrill of good Rugby not just every Saturday. occasionally with Middlesex

"Having made up my mund to who play apply to the 'Quins. the type of Rugby I like. I was!

change, whatever not going to The pressure

"I was not enjoying my old bays' Rugby The pace and

much slower is so game

times slower than the three 'Quins." No, I did not switch because I wanted to get into the England team again, idea of a cap was purely in- cident."

"E

ül

lobbied WAS

the cap- meson, but declined laincy because I was thinking et leaving, anyway," he explain e

Change ideas

"Old boys' clubs do Я tremendous amount of good for the game but, I feel, must revise their thinking. In time, ir a enough. young player is good they should feed him to first-class club and give him his chance. He can always go back afterwards."

1

الله

Williams was first capped for | England in 1954 against France in Paris-without even a trial.

and 1955 wem

South Africs, but it was his chief rival. 1ickle

partnered Jeeps, who Welshman Clim Morgan in the four Tests of that memorable

"A big disappointment i for me," says Johnnie

MOTION.

He agreed that his loyalty to his club probably cost him his seven years in the internationa! earned wilderness. ulhoigh he

Dialy England

bv his Maddlesex form in 1958

13717

often His zig-zag wanderings battle his own side as much as the opposing defence. He wins catches. He loses them. He is

There's no | A success or a flop. half-way with independent i Johnnie.

1s he no individualistic for "I take chances. If Egiana?

comes off you are regarded as marvellous. If it doesn't you are awful. That's how It goes. But H s when 1 rati

play sate necessary,

CZECHS' BRILLIANT FORM BODES ILL FOR SCOTS' HOPES OF REACHING FINALS

By IVOR YORKE

The brilliant form of Czechoslovakia in 3-1 and 7-1 trouncings of Eire in World Cup preliminaries bodes ill for Scotland's chances of reaching the finals in Chile next June.

In Bratislava last May, the clever, ball-playing Czechs ran rings round a weak Scottish side to win 4-0. The victory would have been even bigger if key forward Jan Kvasnak had not been sent off with Scot- tish right-half Pat Crerand.

Bringing pack master-unind Scotland they also have a thor- Denis Law from Torino for the ough approach to this football return match in Glasgow 11 business September, the Sents were able To win 3-2 But one th official commented huntly

"Scotland didn't beat us did

Czechs favoured

So both

countries

For three weeks' First Division football was suspended so that the fusm could have lengthy Law tactical preparation for the

Scottish return match.

have bralen Eire (wice, lost once to each other and are level with six points apiece at the Lop European Group Eight. Now

the stage is set for u grandstand play-ull in a neutral country later this month.

My money is on the Czechs tu reach Chile with goals to spare. More formidable i defence than

CHESS

by LEONARD BARDEN

(6136)

Here is a problem by F. V. Wilson (Cincinnati Enquirer,

1936+ The

White to play and mate In two moves.

Solution No. 6135: 1 R--QAI, and &-KR8 mate

London tipines Service

over Jolinule toolt Lauky of the id

The

cap- Miturillions

GOOD MAN, COUNT

THREE AND JUMP.

KEEP A COOL HEAD

AND HAVE NO FEAR

FOR I AM WITH

YOU IN SPIRIT

OKA HERG!

CHIN

NOW

THE PRIMITIVE MAN JUMPS

INTO THE LAUNCHING PIT...

LA LE-AR

I CAN HELP SOMEBODY MY LIVING NILL NOT

STRA LA

By Mik

MISS NIGGA, MIDO NIGALE/ MESBACH

|JUST BIEN-HANDED

IN AT THE MAIN

DOOR/

By Paul Norris

WE DON'T HING TO WORRY

ABOUT LANDING EITHER 10: THIS SHIPPED WOW! ASHERS

SHEAFFERS

IMPERIAL BIZ

Sheaffer quality features a

moderate

prices

at

SWISSAIR

Europe in a day by SWISSAIR Convair Jet

HAVE A BREAK

HAVE A Kit Ket

You can be SURE

if it's

The outstanding Czech player is left-back and skipper Ladislav Novak, who jed his club Dukla (Prague) to a magnificent vic- tory in the 1961 United States Internationa! Soccer League, and Who has already been capped nearly 60 times.

Novak, 30, was Czecho- slovakia's Sportsman of 1867, and is regarded by sunny ex- perks as the best defender to come from Central Europe in the past ten years.

Fitting climax

i

Selection for

Spals would be a fitting climax to one of soccer's most romantic storlek. Puskas was

reported killed during the Hungarian up- prising of 1956. His "obitur- ary" appeared บท several newspapers.

'Galloping Major"

But the Galloping Major was his club touring abroad with Honved when the uprising caus- ed disintegration of Europe's most outstanding side since Hugo Meisl's Austrian "Wonder team" of the 1930's.

Rather than return to his re- volution-torn homeland, Puskas followed the example of former colleague Zoltan Czibor Sandor Kosels. and Spain Madrid.

and went to He finally joined Real

Puskas's playing days were thought to be numbered. Instead,

One of Novak's colleagues in the Dukla and national sides is he has since enhanced his re- msale-left Rudolph Kucera.

who scored 17 goals in thegral-laker.

putation as a goal-maker and while Spanish

Top scorer in the League on three

American tournament, centre-forward Kvasnak (Spar- occasions. he has struck up a can deadly left-wing partnership with

Francisco Gento.

Lak Sokolovu

Prague)

play either the striker or link role

in attack.

(-1)

Though Seolush performances In the secund Czech match und in the British International Cham- !pionship

agaist Ireland have been hailed as their best for years, I thurk England will be Britain's only representatives in Chile

Swiss surprise

Sweden, runners-up in 1958,

urrded only u

Real's Puskas, Gento and Di- stefano combination hat" been much too good for practically all club sides, and now these three could continue the association in the

alde which, barring Spanish accidents

in the

two matches against little Morocco, has al- ready qualified for Chile.

And if Puskas does play he stands a great chance of winning what he missed as captain of Hungary World Cup winner's medal

draw in RESEARCH FIRM

their final qualifying

match against Switzer- TO FIND OUT

land in Berne--but crash-

ed 3-2. This merns Ú

One

play-off

Group against the same oppon- ents

REASON OF

in West Berlin on SOCCER SLUMP

November 12.

were naturally

London, Nov. 15.

The Swiss

delighted with their per- An international research firm formance especially is to carry

out a nationwide since results had been survey of England and Wales to

the

disappointing up until try to find the reason for

in attendances at

English Football League games,

This was announced here lo

day by the League Management Committee

after

♫ Яve-hour

meeting to discuss the state of the League game as a whole.

It was announced that since the begining of last season there has been a drop in attendances at games of five and a half 'mil-

last year.

It is just 12 big slump months since they began their international revival with a smashing 6-2 de- feat of France in Basie France's biggest defeat since Holland beat them 5-1 in 1936. Switzerland's success can be traced back to the recull of their former team chief, Karl Rappan. It was Rappan who decided to bring back some of the discarded veterans. One of them, Josef Hugi (Basle), notched five of the six against France.

Hungary prepare

Hungary

recent

lion.

The League secretary, Mp Alan Hardaker, said the League wanted to find out if possible why gates had slumped and the most important reasons for the fall in attendances if there were

more than one-Reuter.

New Zealanders

in a run-spree

- whose

Krugersdorp, Nov. 15. Dick Motz the New Zealand victory over Austria

pace-bowler, took eight wickets stamps them as a team for 40 runs in helping to dismiss to watch in Chile-intend | Transvaal Country Districts for going to South America 115 when the tourists started a

two-day match here. well prepared.

By the clőse the

New

While the domestic programame Zealanders had replied with 326 is closed down next month the for six, John Gay hitting 122, Hungarian squad-under team including 13" fours and a six, in

130 montes manager Larjos BARON-goes off to South America for full Internationals

Реги against Ecuador and Colombia, and 115 the highest part-

Guy and John Sparling shared

an opening stand of 120 runs in

nership for any wicket on the

representative matches against two Chilean club sides. La tour, so far Sparling made 01: The round trip something The New Zealanders 825 runs over 20,000 miles. And that's not came in only 180 minutes. the extent of Hungary'e World China Mali Special Cup preparation. Austria, Tus- Rey and Elre will of be-enter- trined in Budapest before the end of next spring.

World star

Koly-poly Ferotio» Purkas, ona-Rise Major, in the Hon. Marlan' Athiyaid pine of the world's Iruly gross footballers, fmay appear In Chlowfor Dusid.

Busiras, dominant personality “the fuse-Hungaridh. team of

Chirtier.

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