Pouring Cold Water on a Soccer Tour in 1885

Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1871 - 1912), Saturday 8 August 1885, page 312

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Football Notes.

By Censor.

Just now the football world is much concerned with the project of an international match between England and Australia. In fact, two such contests are suggested; one is that we arc invited to send a team home next year, and the other that we are to be favoured with a visit from a strong English Rugby team during our next football season. From the activity of the followers of the British Association game here it appears that the English Association have asked Australia to send a team home to play a series of matches at that particular game. Of the two projects, tnat which is the more likely to be supported bv the public here is the visit of the Rugbeans to Australia during next season, but the idea of Australia being able to furnish a team that could hopefully compete with the pick of England, Scotland, and Ireland under Association rules is absurd. Our prestige as athletes would he dragged through the mire, and those to whom such a pleasure-trip would be highly palatable would be hopelessly overmatched in almost every encounter. Our men play the Rugby game fairly well, but not so well as they do in New Zealand, but few of them know anything about the British Association game, and even that small section play it but moderately well. We have no desire to throw cold water on the enterprise of the disciples of the Association game, but we would suggest a few seasons' practice before attempting the task of wresting the supre macy of the football field from the Englishmen, as our cricketers so pluckily did in cricket. All Australian athletes will strongly discountenance the trip of the Southern British Association players from these colonies to England, when they in no measure represent the skill, activity, and endurance of Australia. Moreover, the followers of the British Association game at the antipodes are mostly those who have acquired a knowledge of its mysteries in the English football field, and such a combination would certainly not have a representative Australian character attached to it. At whatever game we are to meet our English friends, let it be one in which, the fleetness and the stamina of our colonial youth will not be handicapped for the lack of practice and harmonious co-operation. The idea altogether seems to be premature.