Diary

Saturday, 30 April 1938 - A football match between England and the rest of the European countries next October is to be an attraction staged as part of the 75th anniversary celebrations of the Football Association. England will be opposed to a representative team drawn from countries in membership with the International Football Federation-the ruling body of soccer on the Continent. Austrian, German, Italian, French, Hungarian, Belgian, Dutch and Czechoslovakian players are among those eligible for such a side.

Saturday, 25 June 1938 - The match between England and the Rest of Europe-in connection with the 75th anniversary celebrations of the F.A.-was fixed to take place on the Arsenal F.C. ground on October 26. The team to represent the Rest of Europe will be selected by the International Federation (FIFA).

Monday, 10 October 1938, Zürich - The names of fifteen Continental footballers, from which the team to meet England will be selected, were made known today. The final composition of the side will be decided at a meeting of the Selection Committee here on Wednesday.  Italy, world champions, supply four of the players. There are three from Czechoslovakia, two each from Hungary and Germany, and one each from Switzerland, France, Belgium and Norway. The work of selecting the side has been hindered by injuries to several of the most likely players. One player, however, who is injured and not expected to resume training, is among the fifteen players selected. He is Silvio Piola, the Italian centre-forward, who recently sustained a slightly cracked fibula. After considering the reports sent in by their representatives at various matches yesterday throughout Europe, the International Selection Committee announced fifteen players, which were weeded out from between fifty and sixty players who were marked down some time ago as "possibles," and the the international selectors have been watching various matches for weeks past.

Wednesday, 12 October 1938, Zürich - A surprise was sprung by the selectors of the Continental team when they had their final meeting this evening. They had previously chosen fifteen players to make the trip, but today they announced the name of sixteen players. The new list shows that the three Czechoslovak players, Kopecky, Daucik and Nožíř, have been left out, while Minelli, the Swiss back, has had to cry off owing to injury.  The Czechoslvak players are unable to take part in the match owing to their still being mobilised as a result of recent international events. Of the five new players brought in, two are Hungarians, two Italians and one German. In addition to the sixteen players announced, the Dutch back, Caldenhove, and the Swiss centre-half, Vernati, maybe added to the list of possible players.

Thursday, 13 October 1938, Zürich - The Hungarian authorities have agreed to release their players who were called up for Government Service. The following team will play in a trial match against a Dutch "B" team in Amsterdam on Sunday, 23 October: - Olivieri; Foni and Rava; Kupfer, Andreolo and Kitzinger; Aston, Zsengeller, Piola, Braine and Brustad. They will play for the first half of the match, and changes will be made at half-time. The additional five players chosen are: Raftl, Biro, Lazar, Sarosi and Colaussi. Immediately after the Amsterdam match the continental team will leave for England.

Monday, 17 October 1938, Zürich - The selectors responsible for picking the eleven players are finding their task more difficult as each day passes. The latest drawback is the inability of Arne Brustad, the Norwegian left-winger to play for the Rest of Europe side in the trial match against the Netherlands "B" team, as he has been called upon to play for Norway in the International match against Poland on the same day.  As a result it is thought likely that Brustad will be replaced by Colaussi (Italy), making him the sixth Italian player in the team. Another Continental problem, Caldenhove (Netherlands) has had to drop out, as he is needed for Netherland's International match against Denmark, which takes place on October 23. When the names of the sixteen Continental players to make the trip to London were recently announced, it was stated that Caldenhove's name might be added to the list.
At the request of F.I.F.A., English officials have been selected for the match.

Wednesday, 19 October 1938, Budapest - The Hungarian Football Association announced that the four Hungarian players, Lazar, Sarosi, Biro and Zsengeller, will not be permitted to go to England. The Hungarian Government has forbidden the four men to leave the country for military reasons. Lazar and Sarosi have already been called up and Biro and Zsengeller are holding themselves in readiness. Thus the Continental team becomes less representative ach day. There are now only a Norwegian, a Belgian, and a Frenchman in a side with otherwise composed entirely of Italians and Germans.

Thursday, 20 October 1938, Budapest - Of the four Hungarian players selected, only one, Zsengeller, will be able to make the journey. His colleagues are required for military service by the Hungarian Government.  Commendatore Vittorio Pozzo, the Italian football chief, who is in charge of the team, is going by air to see England and Wales play in Cardiff on Saturday.

Sunday, 23 October 1938, Amsterdam - The Rest of Europe team beat a Dutch "B" team by two goals to one in a trial match. The Rest of Europe in the second half introduced Raftl (Germany) in goal in place of Oliviere (Italy), the latter subsequently appearing in goal for the Dutch team in order to obtain practice.

Monday, 24 October 1938, London - The Rest of Europe side arrived in London in the first of the season's fogs.  Commendatore Vittorio Pozzo, the Italian football chief, who is in charge of the team said on arrival: "I have been in football long enough not to be too sure. I just hope we shall have a pleasant and clean game." Commendatore Pozzo is a man of intense vitality and considerable linguistic ability. He speaks seven languages and can address the Italian, German, Hungarian, French, Belgian and Norwegian members of the team with equal facility. A noticeable feature of the side is their comparative smallness. Andreolo, the centre-half, stands only 5ft 6ins and Lawton will overshadow him by nearly five inches. Andreolo, however, is sturdily built, and is said to be a particularly difficult man to beat in a tackle. The whole team, in fact, look of the tenacious rather than the skillful type. The probable centre-forward, Piola, is one of the tallest in the side. As the side will be the first ever to represent the Fédération Internationale de Football Association, a new jersey has been designed for the players. It is of blue with the Federation badge on it, and white knickers complete the outfit. Both teams will be numbered.  With the party are Dr. Jules Rimet, FIFA president, and Dr. Giovanni Mauro, vice-president.

____________________

CG