Hockey cup out for N.Z.

Press, 4 October 1977, Page 6

Hockey cup out for N.Z.

New Zealand will not attend the World Cup hockey tourna-, ’ raent in Buenos Aires, Argentina,, from March 19 to April 2 next year. The unanimous decision came from the New Zealand Hockey Association’s management com-' [mittee last evening. i The committee telt that th*] [development of younger players, through a tour ot Australia —, and the game as a whole was [more important than the World Cup, which could cost around $411,000. Brian Maunsell. the New Zealand coach, was unable to attend: the meeting but he made his. views known through a tedow national selector, Mr -I- R [Gillespie. ! What he would have liked was a three-vear programme — •attending the World Cup next jvear, the international touma-l ment in Perth in 1979. and the [Olympics in 1980. j However, Mr Maunsell said he, 'realised the financial difficulties; [involved and if it was not possible to attend, he suggested a. New Zealand- colts team make; [an internal tour next season and [that a New Zealand team make | a tour of Australia. [ He said he would be dis-i [appointed about a team not beingj [able to go to the World. Cup, [ but would be more disappointed: ■if New Zealand was unable to' ! attend the Perth tournament; .because of over-commitment to the World Cup. i i The chairman (Mr M. B. Good:: [said that if New Zealand did not] ‘attend it might find it difficult [to get back into the World Cup.i [Countries could only qualify for, the tournament by attending and, not through Olympic results. 1 “The cost of getting back in the; future might be more than it would cost us to go to Argen-! tina. We will probably have to. plav qualifying matches.” ] He said the matter should be[ considered in two ways. “Firstly | do we need the tournament as i part of the build-up for the; i Moscow’ Olympics, and secondly | if we want to attend we will, [have to explore ways of raising] I the finance.” Mr Gillespie, coach of the team [ that won the gold medal at] Montreal, said it was easier to; blood new players on a tour rather than at a tournament I where every .match is an international. Mr K. Thomson said the asso- ! ciation tended to lose sight of

; where hockey wa* going and -tied down with tours end ft x . , i tures. The sport had co be looked ;'at in a broader light. "For a quarter oi the price , of going to the World Cup w» .could achieve a* much with « tour to Australia and a colts in- ' ternal tour,” said Mr D. L Coulter '| "The players have to realise >!we are restricted in what we •Scan do and that we don’t eniov I j the benefits of teams In semi. I; professional countries." II The association will investigate ia two-week tour of Australia . I covering the eastern states and i j taking in three week-ends. It • jWil] also look at an internal colts . tour. $195,000 SURFACE The association will nuke I bolder efforts to obtain artificial all-weather playing sunaces in (New Zealand and will make sub- • missions to the Minister of Sport ■I(Mr Higheti on the matter ■ The move was prompted be a Tetter from a Christchurch firm, All Weather Surface*. ULtd which said it could provide •ia pla-ing area for $195,000. Thia ijwas consideiablv less than the ijfigures quoted tor the material 11 used at the Montreal Olympics. ■ The N.Z.H.A. will circulate the | information from the Christ■(church firm to associations and desk them to do what they can ,(at a local level to work towarda liobtainin? such surfaces. li “The last season has accentu- . ated the need for such surfaces,” >;said Mr Good. I ASSOCIATION CRITICISED | A critical letter from the Canterbury Hockey Association over ■ \ the N’.Z.H A.’s treatment of spon- . isors before the second test (against Australia in Christchurch l !last month, was answered. The letter criticised the N.Z.- ’. H.A for not inviting sponsors to a dinner held for tire two ■lteams the night before the test. 1 Mr Good said he found the letter “a bit extraordinary” but 1 explained that the dinner was held out of courtesy to the Aus- ' tralian players and officials. It was ; the only official function of the ' tour, and the association did not I want It to be a social Balhering. ! “It wouldn’t have given >ny. one much of a chance to meet i players because thev disanpeared : pretty quickly,” said Mr K. '■Thomson. • Mr L. Tavlor said the invita- : tion list was discussed and it ■ was decided to make the funcItion as short as possible. “I be•ilieve the players consider them f something of a bore anyway "