The Sydney Morning Herald from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia • Page 85

1P A iV A u) 0)1 English views differ on the merits of the NSW Rugby League's plan to place limits on player payments, reports LEE MASTERS from London. mm mm mm i i 3 urn ITU flDEM in uro MEM mm Or-, 0 MmiilWMMII'MI PMMBI'MWMllWMuWMMWimi'MII'miB Pfi Jim mm 13 WAYNE REID SKYROCKETING transfer fees are out of control in British football as the richest clubs outbid each other for top talent Soccer stars are being traded for $400,000. If Manchester United wizard George Best was ever placed on a transfer he would fetch an estimated $1.4 million. In the relatively poorer code of Rugby League, players are bringing up to $48,000. Officials of both codes are convinced that not only would the NSW Rugby League plan to limit transfer fees to $2000 not work in Britain, but it would damage the game.

"It would be like putting a governor on a car, slow it down," said Coventry's Joe Mercer, one of Britain's top soccer managers. "Let's face it. Some players are better than others. You iust cannot it ,11 iff A 'v fi If Mif A Kl ALAN BALL jf $477,400 i i iYi i in it mYrtwrt iMiihi i fi ininfufi mill lit J. St ''yOK- 'I By ROD HUMPHRIES circuit if tennis was to again become a top spectator sport in this part of the world.

He said the NSWLTA and Tennis Camps envisaged a $50,000 tournament in both Sydney and Melbourne and then the players could travel to New Zealand for tournaments, with probably around $20,000 in prize money. NSW are adamant, however, that the Australian Open should not be held permanently in Melbourne, as want-. ed by sections of the LTAA and the Victorian LTA. "They claim that we should be like the US, Wimbledon and French tournaments and have it at the same place every year," he said. "But Australia is unique in having stadiums like Kooyong and White City in the one country.

RECORD "Melbourne had an outstanding success at Kooyong last season but don't forget we still have the world's record tennis attendance in Sydney and the Dunlop tournament a few year's back had a record "We won't be dogmatic about it, because 1974-75 would probably be the first time we would want the Open." There is much activity in tennis in Australia at present and it is to be hoped that interstate jealousies don't hamper tennis on its comeback effort. The ILTF decision to allow professionals who have completed contracts to play Davis Cup next year will greatly benefit Australia. John Newcombe has made himself available and there is' the likelihood that Ken Rosewall might also play Davis Cup again. The Davis Cup will never reach the heights it did in the 1950s but we could do with major international team competition in this country to help revive the game. Only time will tell.

FRANK SEDGMAN CantheLTAA's decision to allow an outside promoter to run this year's Open help save tennis in Australia? This is a question being asked by many officials and tennis followers in general as the summer tennis season approaches. The Australian Open at Kooyong from December 26 to January 1 next is being prpmoted by a new group called Tennis Camps, which is run by tennis men such as Frank Sedgman, former player-official John Brown and Jim and Doug Reid, brothers of LTAA president, Wayne Reid. Australia's move to introduce open tennis in 1968 rebounded against the sport in this country. Since then Australia has battled uphill to attract the world's top prpfessionals to our tournaments. These contract pros were often flops anyway, claiming they were disgruntled at having to come here for low prize money.

The Dunlop company carried Australian tennis for several years by underwriting the Australian Open tournament. $31,000 Dunlpp poured more than $100,000 a year into Open tournaments but last year substantially decreased their interest. Now Dunlop are out; they will not be putting up any money far the Open in Melbourne. Tennis Camps executive director John Brown and Frank Sedgman toured overseas this year to try to obtain players for the Open. The organisation has decided to put up $31,000 prize money compared with the $12,500 on offer last year.

The Open at Kooyong last, Christmas-New Year was a huee success and record crowds filled the stadium on the closing days. The nostalgic return of Ken Rosewall, who played another competitor of the "golden era," Mai Anderson, in the final, helped to provide record attendances. FIELD Tennis Camps has organised series tickets at $11.90 and $9.40 and more than 5.000 have been sold since bookings opened in July. The group has arranged special "boxes" for companies interested in court-side entertaining the 10 boxes were snapped up at $500 each. Tennis Camps has several companies interested in sponsorship and John Brown said this week he was confident of securing major sponsors for the tournament.

put them all in one category," he said DAVID NISH $488,250 SLOW DOWN "A talented player just isn't going to chance getting his head centives, which boost their weekly busted when he knows it's not wage packet to around $440. worth it. If transferred, they receive 5 "A fixed limit on transfer fees per cent of the fee, while another and the game must slow down. I 5 per cent goes to the Football dnn'f r.nr what rnrlp it Je i i f. vw.

League provident fund. The selling "Football today depends on club takes the rest. So far the promoters have mustered a similar field to the one they had last year, headed by John Newcombe, Ken Rosewall, Tony Roche (if fit), Mai Anderson and the Russian champion, Alex Metreveli. The women will be stronger with the return of Margaret Court to challenge Evonne Goolagong and possibly Britain's Virginia Wade. They are still trying hard to lure the likes of Chris Evert, and Kerrv Melville for the women's event and Rod Laver, Roy Emerson, Marty Reissen and Cliff Drysdale for the men.

The LTAA have ap-proached the international body, the ILTF, to have the Australian Open programmed in the World Grand Prix of tennis for the next year. The ILTF runs a $1-million series with points allocated for tournaments around the world. Each tournament is on a sliding scale of points with Wimbledon, the US etc being "AA" tournaments. With prize money of $50,000 or over being an AA tournament, Australia can only hope to receive status this year. AA carries 100 points toward the grand prix, the A category carries 75.

IN NSW If this application is granted then Tennis Camps hopes to attract more of the world stars because of the value pf points. Tennis Camps is working in conjunction with the NSWLTA and they have a plan to provide two $50,000 tournaments in Australia within the next few years. NSW took a back seat last year when the Australian Open was in Melbourne and it looks like taking the same position this year. NSW are chasing sponsors but the best they can hppe for at present is a $10,000 tournament for White City from January 2 to 7. NSWLTA president, Es'ca Stephens, said this week it was imperative that Australia-New Zealand provide a worthwhile crowds.

And crowds like to see an England's Rugby League players expensive and exciting player. also get 5 per cent of their transfer "They like to go alone to a fe? match and watch a player worth Wigan is at present asking a more money than they can ever world record Rugby League trans-hope to earn a lifetime. fer fee of $47,740 for their 22- Take this interest away and year-old forward Bill Ashurst. football dies. St Helen's fiery red-headed for- I have often been critical of ward Eric Prescott went to Sal- spiralhng transfer fees in Britain.

ford for David Jeanes But we just have to put up with it. from Wakefield to Leeds for Economics will soon sort it $17,360. out. Clubs can't pay any more than they're getting through the RIDICULOUS with the suggested hvB are mofe restrictions by the NSW Rugby StandardK-' ma ub5 Iamie: ThevVft n.Hna for tmnhJ feel they are reaching ridiculous hir7rnhw big trouble. "The way things are going we nil MMimpuwuM 3f RECORD PRICE The British soccer transfer re are going to finish up with a super league of about four clubs Sal-ford, Warrington, Leeds and St Helen's and they can't keep IAN MOORE $434,000 ening to go to Australia unless they get more money" others saw danger.

They expressed fears that the NSW, move would not necessarily take away the monetary incentive of moving to Australia and possibly increase the pirating of English players by Sydney clubs. "What's to stop a player insisting on emigrating and leaving a club regardless?" one manager asked. "The club must eventually release the player to an interested Sydney club. But that club is limited to paying out $2,000. "A few thousand under the table to the player, and the Sydney club finishes in front, the player finishes in front, and the English club finishes with the thin edge of the wedge." cord is held by David Nish, trans ferred from Leicester to Derby playing each other," said Jack i if County earlier this year for Harding, 1970 tour manager of $488,250.

Australia. He is followed by Ball "The Australian idea of limiting (Everton to Arsenal for fees seems sensible, but it's difficult Ian Moore (Nottingham Forest to to make comparisons as the Manchester United for $434,000) Australians have a different trans- and Rodney Marsh (Queen's Park fer system to ours." Rangers to Manchester City for While some Rugby League managers expressed delight at the Top players in Division 1 re- NSW plan "It will stop stand- ceive $185 a match, plus in- over tactics by top players threat- 90 THE SUN-HERALD, SEPT 24, 1972 90 JOHN NEWCOMBE.