N.Z. coach warns against complacency

Press, 2 December 1985, Page 28

N.Z. coach warns against complacency

Wins against Australia and West German — two of the world’s top hockey teams — and the last year will not ensure New Zealand of a high placing at the World Cup in London next year said the coach of the New Zealand team, Mr Trevor Blake yesterday. Addressing the annual meeting of the New Zealand Hockey Association in Christchcurch, Mr Blake said that New Zealand had the potential to reach the semi-finals at the World Cup, or it could just as easily finish last in the 12 team competition. New Zealand should perform well after beating Australia (the winner of the Champions Trophy between the world’s top six teams in Perth last week) and West Germany (the runner-up at the last Olympic Games and World Cup), but the team still had to make improvements, said Mr Blake. New Zealand qualified for the World Cup next year when it finished runner-up

to Spain at the Inter-Contin-ental Cup in Barcelona in October. Reviewing the tour, Mr Blake said New Zealand teams would continue to struggle to match the top teams because they lacked the finance to develop players and build team combination. “The national team wants to train together for a week in Wellington next year before it leaves for the World Cup, but that might not be possible because of lack of funds.”

Mr Blake was critical of people within hockey who criticised the team because it did not win in Barcelona. “They prefer to knock the team rather than give it credit. I had a person tell me before I left New Zealand that he couldn’t give two stuffs about what happened to the New Zealand team.”

The side was determined to improve its world ranking in spite of people such as that said Mr Blake.

Players in New Zealand have to pay more attention to skills. “I had three players in Barcelona who were capable of beating a defender in a one-for-one situation,” - said Mr Blake.

His sentiments were echoed by Mr Selwyn Maister, who with his brother Barry has coached the New Zealand junior team for the last two years. “I regret that I can’t tell you that there is a lot of good material coming through to replace the players in the senior team.”

Mr Maister said that he and his brother had tried to instill in the junior players the need for basic skills and to work on them daily. “At the national colts’ tournament we went around every team and told them that they didn’t have to be in a major association to develop their skills. It is something you can do with a stick and a ball on your bedroom floor.”