Re: Watersplash cup final : Thu Oct 07, 2021 6:39 am  

PopTart wrote:

Alas they key turning point for me was committee men forcing Neil to play a game before the final when he told them he'd pulled his groin.

He ended up missing this game and the GB tour.

Possibly but as Neil says, he may have kicked that one but would possibly have missed the others or something like that.

All the same, thank god committee men are no longer allowed anywhere near team selection.

Re: Watersplash cup final : Thu Oct 07, 2021 6:44 am  

So the committee called the shots not the coach ?

Re: Watersplash cup final : Thu Oct 07, 2021 7:17 am  

cosmicat wrote:

So the committee called the shots not the coach ?

That was quite common at most clubs and in most sports up until the '80s. They also signed and sold players, often without consulting the coach. It's only since the Aussies showed us how it should be done that the Coach has risen in the hierarchy. There were of course exceptions, Peter Fox for one but even he would have to defer to the committee in the end.

Despite winning the World Cup Alf Ramsey was never invited to a committee meeting and was never allowed to address the committee members by their Christian names, even, when he himself became a Sir!

Nothing was more class-ridden than British sport, dominated by pompous upper-middle-class prats, unlikeable versions of Captain Mainwaring. Glad that is mostly over with.

[PopTart]

Re: Watersplash cup final : Thu Oct 07, 2021 9:50 am  

vastman wrote:

Possibly but as Neil says, he may have kicked that one but would possibly have missed the others or something like that.

All the same, thank god committee men are no longer allowed anywhere near team selection.

It's not just about the kick.
Having Neil playing would have changed the game.
Don was an excellent player and goal kicker so it's not about him.

But a team with Neil Fox in it will be better than one without.

Re: Watersplash cup final : Thu Oct 07, 2021 10:30 am  

PopTart wrote:

It's not just about the kick.
Having Neil playing would have changed the game.
Don was an excellent player and goal kicker so it's not about him.

But a team with Neil Fox in it will be better than one without.

I'm only going on what he said, it's not my opinion, he seemed to think his playing would have made no difference. I'll try and find the quoete.

Re: Watersplash cup final : Thu Oct 07, 2021 10:36 am  

In a cup final you play your best 13 it’s about winning nowt else.leaving Neil out was bloody crazy

Re: Watersplash cup final : Thu Oct 07, 2021 10:38 am  

cosmicat wrote:

In a cup final you play your best 13 it’s about winning nowt else.leaving Neil out was bloody crazy

No, you've got that wrong.

He was injured for the final so couldn't be selected, the error was playing him in the previous game when he should have been rested or that's how I read PT's post. HTH.

Re: Watersplash cup final : Thu Oct 07, 2021 10:53 am  

cosmicat wrote:

In a cup final you play your best 13 it’s about winning nowt else.leaving Neil out was bloody crazy

They played they're best 13 available if that helps.

[PopTart]

Re: Watersplash cup final : Thu Oct 07, 2021 11:34 am  

vastman wrote:

No, you've got that wrong.

He was injured for the final so couldn't be selected, the error was playing him in the previous game when he should have been rested or that's how I read PT's post. HTH.

Correct.
Playing a meaningless game cost him tge final and the GB tour in which I think he was due to be captain too.

I can't remember the details of the games but he told me that himself.

Re: Watersplash cup final : Thu Oct 07, 2021 12:53 pm  

PopTart wrote:

Alas they key turning point for me was committee men forcing Neil to play a game before the final when he told them he'd pulled his groin.

He ended up missing this game and the GB tour.

That game was the championship final so it wasn't just another game. Worse than that was that the GB selectors wanted Neil to prove his fitness to captain the World Cup team in the summer and forced him to play in a friendly on the eve of the championship final. Although he only played the first half, that was one and a half games in two days when not fully fit.