The situation with the soccer team is a series of illogical stands. Coach Bruce Munro, confronted with a team that, except for one player, asks him to step down, refuses to resign. Robert Watson. who says his first concern is "the students," that they be able to "look back on their soccer experience as worth-while," has tentatively decide that Munro should stay. Franklin Ford, who wants to keep the issue quiet so that nobody is hurt, told the juniors Monday that he would not call a special meeting of the faculty committee. therefore, he will keep personal tensions brewing for another month.

Watson is sacrificing the soccer team's interests for his own when he passed the buck to the faculty committee instead of making the decision himself. Watson became athletic director at the beginning of this term. and he, understandably, is very hesitant to let his athletic staff see that his first major act in office is the removal of a coach. But if Watson is really concerned with the interests of the players and Munro, he will act for their sake and not his own.

And besides, Watson's handling of the situation can not be an inspiration to observing coaches. He has Munro thinking he has the department's "complete backing" while Watson has already requested a list of prospective replacements from the players. His encouragement of both sides has further polarized the parties.

If Ford feels the faculty committee should advise Watson on his decision, then the committee should meet immediately to resolve the issue. The logic behind waiting until April 14 is that the question is such a personal issue, involving a coach who has a 23-year coaching record, that time and patience should be taken. But, if the concern is really for Munro and not just a stall until summer, then a decision should be reached as soon as possible, instead of dragging Munro through accusations and meetings for another month. And if the committee is at all concerned about the soccer team, it will realize that the longer it delays a decision, the more hostilities will intensify between Munro and the returning players.

Munro should step down as coach. Some have criticized his knowledge of the game, but that is a secondary issue when personal feelings are being considered. On the question of relations with players, the overwhelming evidence of team dissent indicates his failure. To be coach requires two attributes: an ability to be close to the players, and an ability to create leadership and guidance.

Munro has failed on both counts. Both Thomas and Gomez call Munro personally a nice guy: but he has failed to go beyond a superficially friendly contact. Indicative of the breech between him and the players is the fact that although the players have met with Watson, and Munro has met with Watson, the players have not met with Munro since last term.

Munro's distance is not the distance of authority. He has been accused of sentimentality and non-professionalism by all the players. He continually told both Bill Meyers and Shep Messing that they were the better of the two goalies. When Norrie Harrower complained of not playing enough this fall, a just criticism, Munro overreacted and started him the next game without explaining to starting halfback Chris Ferner why he had been demoted until after an incident.

When personal concern for players and firm judgment would have built respect, Munro's combination of af aloofness from the players and sentimentality have left him a coach without either the allegiances of a friend or a pupil.

But even if the charges are not true. the way the issue has been handled necessitates Munro's removal. The behind-the-back talks have alienated Munro from all but one letterman. And as one freshman player said, "I've never met the man, but if I go out for the team next year I probably won't approach him because I expect the same kind of relationships."

Why should Munro want to return? Not for the benefit of the players; for a team with Munro and the present juniors will be overflowing with tensions and distrust. Not for his own pleasure, for there won't be much pleasure in coaching a team that the returning lettermen decide to boycott. There are only two reason why Munro might return: to avoid a bad precedent whereby players could have a coach fired, or to maintain Munro's pride. The idea of a precedent being more important than the human beings involved in this case is a repulsive thought.

As for Munro's pride, it would take-a greater act of character to accept the opinions of the team and retire than to hang on obstinately in the face of criticism.