Coach has needed 'time to mature’

Press, 16 June 1979, Page 12

Coach has needed 'time to mature’

By

KEVIN TUTTY

The flush of success is as rare to the national hockey coach, Brian Maunsell, as a left-handed hockey stick. Since he took control of the national team in 1977, the triumph at the Montreal Olympics, it has won four of 14 internationals. It is not a record to inspire confidence in New Zealand’s ability to win a place in the semi-finals at the Moscow Olympics next year, let alone the final, it is more the type of record that would make a coach vacate his job in frustration. But Mr Maunsell is not ready to give up. He has faith in the players, and believes the team has the ability to reach the semifinals. For the next year he will concentrate his effort into ensuring New Zealand obtains a high ranking at Moscow. He has no doubts about the enormity of the task. Ideally team building for Moscow should have been completed at the Perth tournament in April, but there are still areas, particularly in defence, which are weak, and which he and his fellow selectors — Ross Gillespie and Trevor Blake — will have to strengthen. New Zealand has added disadvantages, however. It is fortunate if it averages four internationals a year. The other major hockey nations, apart from Australia, average between 15 and 20 internationals a year, and if they are on tour, a greater number. “New Zealanders and Australians are Saturday hockey players. Other teams are virtually involved in hockey full-time. The Indians and Pakistanis play 12 months a year and the Europeans have regular coaching week-ends and internationals. “In some countries your personal status is largely controlled by the success, of the national team,” Mr Maunsell said, referring to a recent report in an Australian hockey magazine. After Pakistan won the World Cup in Buenos Aires in April last year the team was given a week’s holiday in London by the Pakistan Government. It also instructed the employers of the players to pay them §2OOO each as a cash bonus, and directed employers to give

each player a promotion in his job. The New Zealand Hockey Association has to make best use of limited time and finances to prepare its teams, and in consultation with Mr Maunsell has decided on a programme for the next year culminating with the Olympics. A squad will be named after the national championships in Blenheim in

August. It will gather at Palmerston North at Labour week-end for coaching, at which Mr Maunsell will concentrate on team building without the pressure of a trial. In November, there is the possibility of two tests against Ireland which hopes to tour New Zealand and Australia. A squad of up to 25 will be named for that series if it eventuates, and says Mr Maunsell, by that time the selectors will have a clear idea of the players likely to make the Olympic team.

Next Easter, the squad will have a final coaching week-end, and the Olympic team will be named at the end of it. The full Olympic team is expected to be announced on April 21 and the hockey team will leave New Zealand in midJune to complete its final build up in Europe. The Netherlands is the likely base for operations, but West Germany is only

a short coach ride away and top games can be obtained there. Pakistan, Australia and Malaysia all intend to complete their final preparations in the same area so there should be no shortage of hard matches, said Mr Maunsell. Wherever the team is based it is essential that it has an Astroturf surface on which to practise. The team must be acclimatised to the surface before it. arrives in Moscow, said Mr Maunsell. Before it leaves for Europe there is the prospect

of a test series in New Zealand against Russia in April or May, but that tour is far from certain. The second International Champions Trophy tournament will be played in Pakistan in January. New Zealand is a reserve, but that does not concern Mr Maunsell. He said New Zealand could only field virtually a second XI. Players in line for the Olympic team could not afford three weeks leave in January and another eight or nine for the Olympics. The Moscow team will be selected on form this year, and any player who has not represented New Zealand will have to produce sufficient form in the next few months to con-

vince the selectors they are worthy of a place. “If there are any new caps they will have to show they are of outstanding quality in the first-class fixtures this season.” In Perth, and at Lahore last November, the defence was the greatest worry, although in Perth there' was some improvement, but at the expense of the attack. The forwards played a more defensive role at Perth with the result that the attack lost some of its edge. “We often found there was no-one to pass to out of the defensive area,” Mr Maunsell said. Asking forwards to do more work on defence is not his way of improving the rearguard. Instead he will place more responsibility on individual members of the defence. They will have to improve their tackling, trapping and passing to ensure three forwards are out of the defensive area waiting for passes. Once those forwards have the ball it will be their job to hold possession until a full attack can be mounted. Mr Maunsell does not see a change to the European pattern of play as a means to improve the new New Zealand side. “Pakistan, India and Australia still play the orthodox 5-3-2 formation with success.”

“Under the European system you are committed to limited attacking opportunities, and place great reliance on penaltycorners and good goalkeepers.” For all his problems Mr Maunsell says he must be “optimistic” about New Zealand’s chances to make the final four at Moscow. But to achieve it the team will have to be more consistent and not show just flashes of its capabilities. “The mid-field players will have to make themselves more aware of the chances to move forward and rather than throw cross passes, be more perceptive of the opportunities to pass upfield.” Naturally, because of New Zealand’s poor record

since Montreal, some of the blame has been aimed at Mr Maunsell as coach. He admits that he was thrown into the position after Montreal with no knowledge of international teams or their style of play. “Like players, coaches need time to mature, and 1 now know a lot more after three tours than I did when I started.” But he also sees the situation arising where eventually he will have to give up as national coach as Ross Gillespie did before him, but he wants to guard against the next coach being appointed with no experience at international level. He believes the N.Z.H.A. will soon have to start looking for his successor and when they decide on the person, he should be given a tour with the New Zealand team either overseas or internally, as the assistant coach.