1912 Olympic Games Official Report Part 2

was being carried onwards towards the goal, but it became a greathindrance when any accurate work had to be done immediately infront of the posts. These latter teams threw away innumerable chancesby what must really be termed slovenly shooting, added to toogreat eagerness in front of goal, while it may be questioned whetheraltogether too much bodily strength was not expended quite unnecessarily,and whether a little more brain-work would not have given far betterresults. The Swedish team can scarcely be said to have done its dutyvery successfully in the matches, but there is nothing but praise tobe given to its style of play, and Sweden has probably quite as goodprospects of development as any other nation. The Swedish forwardsplayed a well-balanced combination of long and short passing, of open,hard play, and fancy work.It is a pleasure to be able to state that, during the matches, therewas no rough play worth mentioning, with the exception, perhaps, ofduring the game between Austria and Hungary in the consolation series.But in this case, of course, scarcely anything else was to be expected.Hard knocks were given and taken without a word, and there wereone or two little accidents, but there is nothing to be said aboutthese, for football could not be what it is, unless physical advantageswere allowed to be advantages.The three grounds at the Stadium, Råsunda and Tranebergwere in excellent condition the whole of the time, and possessedevery convenience for the players as regards dressing-rooms, etc.;the tramway communications to the last two places (which lie outsideStockholm), were such as could satisfy all reasonable requirements,while everyone that paid to see the match could be certainof being able to get a good view of the play, whether he occupieda place on the grand stands, or was one of the standing public.The matches were so arranged that it was possible to attend everyoneof them without any great exertion, and the teamswere granted so much breathing-space between the matches as theshort period allowed for the whole of the competition permitted,while the players were given the fullest information respecting allthose matters they had to be acquainted with, in connection with thevarious matches.One thing should be pointed out, however, as being exceedinglydesirable for future meetings of this kind, viz., that, if possible, thematches should never be played at hours when the sun can be expectedto be hottest. Of course it is necessary, in order to make theOlympic Games a whole, for the football competitions to take placesimultaneously with the other event in athletics, i. e., in the middleof the summer, but it would not, probably, be a matter of any verygreat difficulty to have the football matches at a future Olympiadplayed at 6 p. m. at the very earliest. A football player cannot do502