Line-up Discussed Harvard Booters To Hold Meeting

Harvard's varsity soccer team will hold a squad meeting this afternoon to discuss with coach Bruce Munro the team's policy on choosing a starting line-up and on making substitutions during the game.

The Crimson's problems have actually developed from an abundance of talent.

Last year the team had a strong starting eleven that was visibly superior to the players on the bench. But this season Munro has been forced to put players on the second team that have the potential to be outstanding in any game.

The conflict that has arisen within the team is not between the individual players competing at the same position. Confusion has occurred because the players have been unsure how the decision on a starting line-up is reached, and the situation has been intensified by the coach's rotation of players in substitutions during the game.

When, If Ever?

Most players have not been upset because they are not playing. Dissension has arisen because no one seems sure exactly why they are on the bench for a particular game, and no one knows when, if ever, they will play next.

The magnitude of Munro's troubles can be seen at every position.

At goal, Munro has both Bill Meyers, who set a Harvard record last year with ten shutouts, and Shep Messing, a junior transfer student who was selected to the Olympic team at trials last spring.

Messing started the first two games, but Meyers played against Williams and Cornell. Neither goalie understands whether he will start against Tufts on Wednesday, or whether he will ever start again for that matter.

On the fullback line, Munro has four lettermen from last year's squad, and at the beginning of the year the line seemed set. But sophomore Rick Scott has played superbly all season as a substitute and deserves to be conidered as a starter. Munro has the unenviable task of either putting one fullback on the bench or constantly juggling all five players.

Choices

On the halfback line, Munro has had to choose between Emmanuel Ekkama, Norrie Harrower, and Chris Ferner for two starters. On the forward attack, sophomores Chris Papagianis and Demitrio Mena have only had a chance to play a few minutes at a time.

The problem of a starting line-up has been intensified by a team confusion over substitution policy. Most players feel that a predetermined time-sharing rotation of the line-up would be a fair and just solution.

But the key to any substitution policy is that both Munro and the players discuss the changes in personnel, and that everyone invoived understands why he is or isn't playing. Hopefully, today's meeting will create that understanding.