Mixed bag for hockey team

Press, 29 April 1981, Page 26

Mixed bag for hockey team

By

KEVIN TUTTY

Seven wins in 10 internationals Allow the New Zealand hockey team, which returned home last week, to claim it is the most successful combination since the Montreal Olympic team.

But the results must be taken in perspective and when that is done the picture is not so cheery. New Zealand dispatched' the weaker teams it met at the InterContinental Cup at Kuala Lumpur and achieved its main aim of the tour — qualification for the fifth World Cup in Bombay early next year. The team could not win any of its three key games, however — against Russia in the semi-finals at Kuala Lumpur, and against Malaysia and Pakistan in the quadrangular tournament in Singapore. Brian Maunsell. the New Zealand coach, was not too disheartened by the three losses, although' he did agree the team faltered in those important matches. There was some excuse for the performances. Throughout the tour the team was plagued by illness and injury. On the morning of the game with Russia it was virtually a case of choosing the 11 players least affected by the influenza that was sweeping through the team.

Shortly before half-time in that match tne bug lowered Jeff Gibson. Re had to leave the field because he was having difficulty breathing. Three other players, George Carnoutsos. the captain Paul Ackerley, and

Keith Gorringe, had injuries and were restricted in their play. In spite of this Carnoutsos showed enough form to stamp himself as the best left-wing at Kuala Lumpur, said Mr Maunsell.

He felt the performances against Russia and Malaysia could have been better, but was pleased with the team’s effort against Pakistan in the last game. After a scoreless first-half Pakistan scored two goals of doubtful validity. One hit the cross-bar and rebounded into mid-circle, and the other was scored after the umpire whistled for an infringement, the New Zealand .players stopped, and a Pakistan player pushed the ball into the net. The umpire then changed his mind and awarded a goal. While disappointed at not beating Russia or Malaysia, Mr Maunsell said these two teams are' capable of challenging the best in the world. He believes they will be prominent in the World Cup. “I was impressed with Russia’s progress. They are phsyically strong and have a simple range of skills which they use effectively. They play a European system and are very determined. They were in a training camp for about three months before the tournament. The Malaysians were together for a month beforehand, too.” Mr Maunsell said it was frustrating to hear of the time other international teams spend together and the money that was available to them.' "It is hard to convince

our players that they are as good as their opponents when they hear these reports.” “Individually our players spend as much time training as the overseas teams. But the opposition plays together more frequently and get the chance to improve their combinations. Most of the teams we met would play more internationals in a year than we would play in four years,” said Mr Maunsell. The prospect of hard games between now and the World Cup is not great. There is doubt whether India will tour New Zealand later this year as hoped but there is a prospect , that the Pakistan junior team will be here in September. Mr Maunsell said the junior team would be a drawcard. It recently played the Pakistan senior side in a series of 10 matches in Pakistan. The junior side had six wins to the senior team's four. “It will be useful for us to play them, and to the New Zealand juniors who play in the Junior World Cup qualifying competition in October.” -z-';' '' '

Mr Maunsell said he would be interested in a series with Australia later in the year if it was possible to arrange it. Before the team left New Zealand Maynsell knew the Vital centre-half position might cause, some problems. On the tour Keith Gorringe and Mohan Patel shared the

duties. Patel was used because Gorringe was injured for part of the tour. “The position still hasn’t been settled to my satisfaction, though,” Mr Maunsell said.

Over all the defence was more reliable than it had been in the last few years. "Against Pakistan the defence played well and we are getting to the stage where we will have a defence to cope with the demands of international competition.” Especially pleasing for Mr Maunsell was the maturity shown by the two young fullbacks, Wayne Buckingham and Grant McLeod, both new caps. “There was little to choose between the three full-backs (Trevor Laurence was the third). But Trevor being the more senior member was able to read the play a little better.”

McLeod replaced Laurence as the chief penalty-corner striker on the tour after he scored some vital goals. It was handy to have two strikers of their calibre in the side, said Mr MaunselL

If any changes are to be made before the World Cup they could be in the winghalf positions. None of the wing halves used on the tour played badly, but the role of these players in international hockey is changing: said Mr Maunsell. , “Wing, halves have to be aware of the opportunity to attack if the gap is there, so

we need halves who can dribble. Their role is becoming like that of inside forwards — mainly defensive but taking opportunities to attack.”

Mr Maunsell is hopeful that Gibson, one of the key halves on the tour, will be available for the World Cup. Whether he is will depend on his employers in the Netherlands, where he will be working from next month. The forwards all proved themselves as capable international players. Against Pakistan, Balvant Bhana, playing at inside-right, proved he was an insideforward of quality, said Mr Maunsell. Peter Miskimmin and Peter Daji, who were Alternated on the right-wing, played with control and intelligence. Commenting on New Zealand’s draw for the World Cup Mr Maunsell said it was in the best pool. “We went to Kuala Lumpur to win the tournament, but as it turned out we are in the best position. I feel confident we .could get on top of Spain, Poland and . Argentina and give West Germany-and Pakistan, the top seeds in the pool, a run for their money.”“I am aiming for us to finish in the top three in the pool and perhaps reach the semi-finals.”

New Zealand was as fit as any of the other teams at Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. It was still able to challenge Pakistan in the last few minutes of their game.