N.Z. may miss hockey World Cup

Press, 20 September 1977, Page 6

N.Z. may miss hockey World Cup

New Zealand is unlikely to: be represented at the World Cup hockey tournament in Buenos Aires in March-April next year. The New Zealand Hockey Association’s management committee discussed the question at length last evening and it will invite the national coach, Brian Maunsell. to attend its next meeting when it will make a decision on attendance.

It is believed that Mr Maunsell has doubts about attending the World Cup. A co-selector and member of the management committee, Mr J. R. Gillespie, said he had discussed the matter with Mr Maunsell and the third national selector. Trevor Blake. “Brian (Maunsell) expressed some concern to me even as he left for Australia on Saturday. Moscow is our aim and we don’t have to qualify for that tournament by going to Buenos Aires. “We could be ruled out of future World Cups, but March couldn’t be a more difficult time for team preparation. If we decide on going to the' World Cup it will mean training through the summer and; I can see a lot of guys in the present team pulling out, and we haven’t got the depth to afford that.” Mr K. Thomson said the

domestic season just finished was supposed to be an easv one for New Zealand’s top players but had been the hardest home season ever. "The New Zealand plavers are showing leg weariness now, and are at the stage where they need a break.”

“To go to Buenos Aires will cost about $35,000 and if we are going to send a side with new players we would need to spend another $5OOO during the summer on coaching schools to get them together.

“If it costs us $40,000 to go to Argentina with a new team, they might get eight games. That’s ssooo a game and expensive experience. The money could be better spent on younger plavers in New Zealand.” An international tournament is being planned for Perth in 1979 and it was felt this would be better preparation for Moscow. The association has received $13,332 from the Ministry of Recreation and Sport in grants for the current year.

The chairman (Mr M. R. Godd) said it was disappointGood) said it was disappointing that the association did not receive any grant for administration. It had hoped to reduce affiliation fees if it had received that grant.