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All the news for Thursday 5 June 2014

Aussie and Belgium to clash for top spot

By S. Ramaguru


Belgium players celebrate their 6-2 win over Malaysia. The Europeans have been going great guns in Group A with two wins so far. - filepic
   
THE HAGUE: Defending champions Australia and Belgium will lock horns in what will be the defining moment in Group A on Thursday.

Both teams have six points after two matches but Australia top the group with better goal difference. A win will put them on the threshold of a place in the semi-finals.

Australia are determined to win the World Cup as a farewell gift to their coach Ric Charlesworth.

But the Red Lions, who have been in the wilderness for far too long, have their own plans and intend to make this World Cup their crowning glory.

Charlesworth admitted that the Belgians “are a strong team and worthy of respect”.

“There is no doubt about their pedigree. They are playing very well ... even before we came here, we knew they were a team to watch out for in this World Cup,” he said.

Australia began with a 4-0 win over Malaysia and then defeated Spain 3-0. The Belgians beat India 3-2 and whipped Malaysia 6-2.

Charlesworth was an interested spectator at the Belgium-Malaysia game and he came away impressed with the attacking play of the European side.

“I think it’ll be a good match-up and one that will test the potential of both teams. We will play our normal game and not worry too much about what they’ll do,” he said.

Charlesworth also welcomed the two-day break, saying it would give all the teams ample time to recover and plan.

“This is the easiest tournament I’ve taken part in. There are plenty of breaks ... with another one coming up next week.”

In the other group A match, India will be hoping to stop their run of bad luck – which has seen them losing two matches on a trot at the last minute – when they entertain Spain on Thursday.

They lost 3-2 to Belgium, with the winning goal coming 15 seconds before the game ended.

In the second game, they seemed to be heading for a draw when England scored with just two minutes remaining to win 2-1.

India coach Terry Walsh said: “The boys played a great game against England ... but the end result was disappointing.

“We are analysing the mistakes we made in the last two games and will try to change our game accordingly.”

The Star of Malaysia

Red Lions don’t fear Kookas

Simon Orchard believes Belgium's threat lies in no longer fearing Australia



Kookaburras midfielder Simon Orchard believes he and his teammates will face their toughest test yet at the Rabobank Hockey World Cup on Thursday when they take on fifth ranked Belgium in the Kyocera Stadium.

With Belgium level with Australia on six points at the top of Pool A, the 27 year-old believes the Red Lions will hold no fear when it comes to meeting the reigning World Champions having got the better of them in both of their 2013 encounters.

“They’re a team who wants success at major tournaments and they’re not really scared of us any more, which used to be the case,” admits the Maitland man. “They used to be a bit intimidated by Australia and whenever we came up against them we often put big scores against them and that’s changed. In the last 12 months they’ve beaten us a few times and caused us some problems. We’re excited for the challenge.”

Orchard’s reference is to the World League Semi Final tournament in Rotterdam last June when the Belgians came out on top 3-1 in the opening encounter – their first ever victory over Australia - before winning the final on a shoot-out after a 2-2 draw.

And while the Kookaburras edged a 3-2 win at the World League Finals in January thanks to a last minute Jake Whetton strike, Belgium showed they’re a force to be reckoned with, coming from behind twice.

From a side brimming with young talent, Orchard picks out 24 year olds Tom Boon and Felix Denayer as two players that pose a distinct threat. Labelling Boon as “really dangerous”, it’s a remark that Malaysia can certainly attest to having seen Boon strike four times in Belgium’s 6-2 win on Monday (see video below). Denayer – Orchard’s midfield opponent on Thursday – is “really fast and strong and [he] pushes you around a lot.”

Aussie fans will be pleased to hear though that 2010 World Cup winner believes there’s plenty more to come from the men in green and gold, who he says are yet to play to their potential for a full 70 minutes.

“I think we’ve started pretty well. Malaysia and Spain are both really good sides,” he says. “Although we haven’t played consistently for 70 minutes I think we’re moving in the right direction.

“There’s positives to take out of both games. The start of the Malaysian game could have been so different if I had got out of the way and that first ball had went in the net. We could have put quite a few on them and I think Spain was similar. We started really, really well. The second half we let ourselves down a little bit, so we’re moving in the right direction.

“Hopefully in the next game we can continue to play consistently at a high level but for 70 minutes instead of just half a game.”

Hockey Australia media release

Commens hope of Blyth return

Hockeyroos coach hopeful captain Madonna Blyth can play against Belgium



Hockeyroos Head Coach Adam Commens is hopeful of welcoming captain Madonna Blyth back into the side for Thursday’s pool A World Cup clash with Belgium. The midfielder has missed Australia’s opening two victories with a calf injury but trained with teammates on Wednesday in the Kyocera Stadium.

Speaking ahead of Thursday’s match, Commens said, “Madonna trained this morning and looked to be moving freely, and we’re hopeful that in the game against Belgium she’ll be available and slot nicely into our midfield.”

It’s been 33 years since the women of Australia and Belgium met at a World Cup. On that occasion, a 2-0 win for Australia helped them on their way to a fourth place finish in Argentina.

More recently, the Hockeyroos and the Red Panthers met two weeks ago in Antwerp when goals from Jane Claxton, Emily Hurtz and Emily Smith contributed to a 3-1 win with Aline Fobe netting a late consolation for Belgium. And last year, in the build up to the World League Semi Final tournament, an Anna Flanagan goal earned the Aussies a share of the spoils in a 1-1 draw.

Explaining what he expects his side to face, Commens said, “They’re a typical European style of hockey [team]. They play very strong and low defensively and they have some very talented midfield and defensive players that work well together when bringing the ball from defence into attack.

“Traditionally, they have strong set pieces with their penalty corners and also with some of their plays around the attacking circle and as we’ve seen recently when we played them they’re quite a talented team.”

Commens believes that their status as the lowest ranked team in the competition (World ranked 12th) means they will be looking to surprise a few people having come so close to earning a draw against New Zealand on day one (see video below).

“It’s been an interesting tournament,” he said. “As we’ve seen with major tournaments such as the World Cup and Olympic Games, every now and then there are some upsets and teams that are ranked lower certainly come out and they have that extra ten to 15 percent of intensity in the way that they defend, an extra ten to 15 percent intensity in how they attack and they make it difficult for some of the higher ranked teams. We’re envisaging the match against Belgium will be one such tough encounter.”

Having come close to surprising the Black Sticks, the Belgians found themselves on the wrong end of a 4-0 defeat by the Dutch in front of a packed Kyocera Stadium on Monday night leaving them fifth in the six team group, ahead of Japan on goal difference.

Hockey Australia media release

'Wake-up call' for SA at Hockey World Cup

Alicia Pillay.

CAPE TOWN - South African men's hockey team captain Austin Smith says his team has received a wake-up call at the Hockey World Cup in the Netherlands.

South Africa have lost both games they have played so far at the tournament, going down 4-0 to Germany and 5-0 to New Zealand.

The South African team is made up largely of amateur hockey players and Smith believes that their inexperience is showing.

“We knew the reality of playing at the World Cup, and with the level that we’re at here; we knew it was possible for something like this to happen. We’ve had two disappointing results but we’re going to do all we can to get a positive result in the matches still left to play.”

Smith says adjusting to playing at an international level is something that cannot be taught.

“It’s hard to explain to the guys what the level is going to be like because as a player, you have an idea in your head. But I certainly think for some of the guys it’s been a wake-up call, because the level has been really high here.”

Smith says the intensity of international hockey is a far cry from club hockey.

“The errors that you make in club matches back home don’t get punished as severely as they do here. If you look at the game against New Zealand, they didn’t have that many chances. They only had six corners, but they scored four of them. The margin really is a lot finer here, and a lot of the guys haven’t experienced something like this before.”

Smith says he hopes the team’s performance will improve as the World Cup goes on as he believes their understanding will get better over time.

“As we get to understand the conditions better, just from purely playing together for a longer time, I think we will improve. I’m hopeful that in the last three games we will get a result.”

Eye Witness News

Malaysia chase first victory

SMELLING BLOOD: Dharmaraj’s men confident they can beat off-form England

By JUGJET SINGH


Belgium’s Florent van Aubel (centre), Malaysia goalkeeper S. Kumar (left) and Azlan Misron (right) vie for the ball in the group stage of the World Cup in The Hague on Monday. AFP pic

MALAYSIA are ready for their first win in the World Cup, when they face England at the Hague, Netherlands, today.

Coach K. Dharmaraj’s men have paid their dues, when they lost 4-0 to World No 1 Australia and 6-2 to World No 5 Belgium.

England, even though ranked No 4 in the world, have not been impressive at the Hague as they drew 1-1 with No 9 Spain and could only beat World No 10 India 2-1.

“We are no longer a threat in Group A, and that is the consensus here. It’s fine with me and the boys, because we knew from the start that Australia and Belgium would be tough to beat, and our focus is on England, Spain and India.

“We need to nail our first win tomorrow to set the momentum for the remaining matches,” said Dharmaraj.

England coach Bobby Crutchley complimented India for giving his team a good contest.

“It was a tough game, and I think India played well,” said Crutchley, adding that his team were “sloppy in parts of the first half.”

And that sloppiness is what Malaysia need to capitalise on today for a win.

“We have done our homework against England and I have a few surprises in store for them,” said Dharmaraj.

Belgium were also shocked when Razie Rahim did not take direct flicks during penalty corners, but took a step to the left and received a pass from Faizal Saari which confused the runners — and Razie scored two goals then,

But Tom Boon was on fire for Belgium, and his four goals killed Malaysia’s hopes.

“Back in defence, the players made some mistakes, but after two matches I am confident they are now better prepared to face their third opponents,” said Dharmaraj.

Argentina showed that world rankings mean nothing, and determination can overcome the best when they beat World No 2 Germany 1-0 in Group B on Tuesday.

The South Americans are ranked 11th in the world, and rewrote the textbook on how to play hockey when they beat the mighty Germans.

German skipper Maximillan Muller also has sound advice for Malaysia when he lamented about the Argentina defeat. “The players only gave 87 per cent against Australia, we can’t win if we do not give 100 per cent in every match.”

Argentina skipper Lucas Ray’s advice is also applicable for Malaysia: “We learnt from our first match against the Netherlands (the Dutch won 3-1) on what to do in our next match (against Germany).

Malaysia should take a leaf from the Argentine book, as England must be beaten at all costs today.

New Straits Times

England getting serious for Malaysia clash

By S. Ramaguru


England captain Barry Middleton (right) and India’s goalkeeper R.Sreejesh challenge for the ball in a filepic.
   
THE HAGUE: World No. 4 England are in no mood for charity as they chase full points against Malaysia in their third Group A match of the World Cup at the Kyocera Stadium on Thursday.

The Englishmen have labelled Malaysia as “rank outsiders with the ability to spring a surprise or two”.

England coach Bobby Crutchley says that the danger lies in Malaysia’s counter attacks, which he described as “fast and accurate”.

“So, there is no way we will under-estimate them although they come into the match with two defeats,” he said.

“Malaysia have always been a tough team to play against and they have good counter attacking moves. We played against them in the World League semi-finals and we know they are a good side.

“They do have skilful players who are young and, with each match, will surely gain more experience. So, we will be wary of them.”

England began the group phase with a 1-1 draw against Spain before edging India 2-1 – with the winner coming just two minutes before time.

England will be hoping that Ashley Jackson, who was injured in the game against India, would be able to recover in time for the match against Malaysia.

“Ashley is suffering from a sore shoulder but, with two days’ rest, he should be okay for the Malaysia game,” said Crutchley.

“We also need to step up our defensive play and that all the teams in the group still have three matches to get their acts right.”

The Star of Malaysia

Go for the kill, says Dharma

By S. Ramaguru


Mohd Razie Rahim got on the scoresheet for Malaysia with a brace against Belgium. - EPA
   
THE HAGUE: After two defeats, Malaysia intend to switch to an attacking mode when they face England in their third Group A match in the World Cup campaign on Thursday.

Malaysia lost 4-0 to defending champions Australia and 6-2 to Belgium, despite leading twice.

And national coach K. Dharmaraj agreed that they have no option but to attack England all out in search of their first three points.

“Of course, we will work on our defensive play ... but the team need to go on the attack and get goals. More than that, we need to play consistently for 70 minutes and not let out guards down,” he said.

“For two matches (against Australia and Belgium), we had a good first half but, in the end, we still lost.”

Maybe that has something to do with the Malaysian players being overawed by the reputation of their opponents.

Like Dharmaraj said, perhaps it’s time for the national players to “start thinking about winning and not worry too much about who our opponents are”.

“When we came here, we knew that Australia and Belgium were the teams to beat. But we also know that we have a good chance against the other three teams in our group – namely England, India and Spain,” said Dharmaraj.

“So, the time has come for us to prove that. We are not taking these teams for granted. We just have to stay focused on our game plan and carry it out. I keep telling the players that as long as they can improve and play their game, then we stand a chance against these teams.”

Malaysian skipper Azlan Misron agreed with Dharmaraj that attack is the best policy in the coming matches.

“Yes, our defensive play is good and we can hold our own. But we cannot last the pace against teams who are attack-minded like Australia and Belgium. They had speed on their side and were very fast on the break,” said Azlan.

“Now that we’ve experienced this kind of play, it’s time for us to turn the tables on teams who play that kind of hockey. We need to attack and keep the pressure on our opponents for 70 minutes.

“The players are all eager to get their first point. We will go in (against England) with a positive mind set.”

Dharmaraj, meanwhile, is pleased to see at least one player getting on the score sheet in the World Cup, with Mohd Razie Rahim scoring a brace against Belgium.

“It’s good that the team have scored in the World Cup ... that will boost the players’ confidence. It will also take away some of the pressure and I believe that the other players will now try harder to score as well,” said Dharmaraj.

“I think we can look forward to the coming matches with greater confidence ... but let’s not forget that England are ranked fourth in the world and should not be taken lightly.”

The Star of Malaysia

Indians look to plug holes against Spain

Roelant Oltmans feels the high-quality individuals in the Spanish team could pose problems for his team.

Bogged down by two successive losses, an under-pressure Indian hockey team will be confronted by Spain’s livewire strikers when the two teams clash in their preliminary league encounter of the World Cup at the Greenfields Stadium on Thursday.

After conceding match-winners to Belgium and England in the closing stages of successive matches, the Indian defence will need to raise its game several notches against Spain, who won a penalty shootout against India for the fifth position when they last met in the 2013 World League Semifinals.

Financial woes have forced the Spanish hockey team to opt out of some big-league events over the past two years, but the crux of the team is still there, and could again be troublesome for the Indian defenders. Santi Frexia and seasoned Eduard Tubau would be major threat to the wobbly defence of India.
 
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India’s technical director, Roelant Oltmans feels the high-quality individuals in the Spanish team could pose problems for his team. But Indian players, according to Oltmans, are professional enough to overcome the trauma of the losses in earlier games.

“We’ve not played Spain often in recent times, but they have several high-quality players in their ranks,” said Oltmans. “We’ll have to perform well as a team to overcome this rival.” Oltmans said it was disappointing to have lost two matches due to late goals, but the Indian team has played quite well.

Oltmans said there were clear signs of the team’s rising performance graph, and it should be visible more in the World Cup itself.

“We’re disappointed over the result, but not at the level of performance by the boys. In due course, it should lead to better results. The Indian team needs to lift its game further,” he said.

Indian Express

Not happy with the results but okay with team’s showing, says Oltmans

The Hague - Bogged down by two successive losses, an under-pressure Indian hockey team will be confronted by Spain's livewire strikers when the two teams clash in their preliminary league encounter of the World Cup at the Greenfields Stadium on Thursday.

After conceding match-winners to Belgium and England in the closing stages of successive matches, the Indian defence will need to raise its game several notches against Spain, who won a penalty shootout against India for the fifth position when they met last in the 2013 World League semis.

Financial woes have forced the Spanish hockey team to opt out of some big-league events over the past two years, but the crux of the team is still there and could again be troublesome for the Indian defenders. Santi Frexia and seasoned Eduard Tubau would be major threat to the wobbly Indian defence.

India's technical director, Roelant Oltmans, feels the high-quality individuals in the Spanish team could pose problems for his team. “We've not played Spain often in recent times, but they have several high-quality players in their ranks,” said Oltmans. “We'll have to perform well as a team to overcome this rival.”

Oltmans said it was disappointing to have lost two matches due to late goals, but the Indian team has “played quite well.” Oltmans said there were clear signs of the team's rising performance graph, and it should be visible more in the World Cup itself. “We're disappointed with the result, but not at the level of performance by the boys. In due course, it should lead to better results.”

While India have no points from two outings, Spain have just one from a 1-1 draw against England following which they were beaten 3-0 by defending champions Australia. Spanish coach Salvador Indurain says his team has not lost hope of making the semifinals. “We'll now play every match as a final. The Indians are complicated rivals. India are ranked higher than us and it's not going to be easy for us,” said Indurain.

“We know how the Indians play and they've improved a lot. We're not as strong as we used to be a few years ago, although we have several senior players,” he added. Eight players in Spain's team have played more than 100 internationals. Tubau's 269-match experience makes him the most experienced, followed by Ramon Alegre (256 matches) and David Alegre (219 matches).

Captain Frexia, the star strikers of many internationals for Spain, has featured in 179 matches, while goalkeeper Quico Cortes has 162 international caps against his name. Others who have played over 100 games are Roc Olava and Miquel Delas. Indian captain Sardar Singh has 182 caps, while others with more than 100 appearances are Gurbaj Singh, V R Raghunath and S V Sunil.

Coach Indurain would prefer Spain going into the contest as the underdogs, since that could take the pressure away from his players. “We have some fine players in the team, but the entire unit needs to focus on competing. They should not let other factors distract them.”

The Tribune

India vs. Spain: Who will hit the century first?

by B.G.JOSHI (Dhar-Indore-India)

India and Spain match will be crucial, as both want to win the match to remain in contention. Till date 54 matches had played between them. India wins 23, whereas Spain 20. India had scored 99 goals and Spaniards netted 98. Both team have a great chance to make the century (100 th goal) . Let see who became first. Other details are as under:

India vs. Spain, match on June 5, 2014,

In World Cup

Fieldhockey.com

Crunching numbers for World Cup success

New analysis shows mental strength trumps speed for on-field success


(Photo: Grant Treeby/Treebyimages)

A recent analysis of the past and current performances of the Australian, Belgian, German, Dutch and Spanish teams was conducted to provide more information on other factors for success.

The research was carried out by an organisation of Dutch hockey veterans, who wanted to understand why the Dutch team had failed to maintain the momentum of its performance in the late 1990s.

"The Dutch men’s team performed best in the period 1990-2000 and the association wanted to know why,” said research team member Erik Gerritsen, who takes over as new head of the KNHB in September. “So we decided to analyse the power inherent in the strongest European men’s teams over the past 20 years.”

All the national coaches approached cooperated with the investigation and shared their information. “We’ve analysed the facts and figures from all the games, looked at the scores, the way the match progressed and the make-up of the teams,” says Gerritsen. “We assessed the moment goals were scored and the effectiveness of corners. And then the coaches and former internationals also gave us their feedback on the statistics.”

When it comes to the statistics, the Netherlands would appear to have the best starting position in terms of its hockey infrastructure and facilities. The Netherlands has some 240,000 players, twice as many as Australia. The Netherlands has 800 artificial turf pitches, twice as many as Germany, which is next on the list.

The top layer of the sport in the Netherlands has a budget of €3.2 million, which is significant considering the geographical size. Germany, for example, has a budget of €3 million. Australia has the biggest budget at €4.8 million – but enormous problems to deal with in terms of the spread of the population.

Yet despite the facilities, the research made it clear that other factors are crucial in determining the likelihood of a given country winning a big event. The mental strength of a team, for example, is key. And the strength and speed of individual players plus the authority wielded by the coach are among the least important factors.

The statistics show that the German men’s team most often win big tournaments – four out of the last six - and that the matches they are victorious in are decided in the later stages. Australia, by contrast, is most effective at dealing with penalty corners – when looking at the combination of scoring and defending them.

The German team leads the way in terms of its mental strength and team make up. Australia was best in terms of the speed of its players and the authority of its coach. Spain, however, has been hit by the economic crisis. The budget for hockey has plummeted and this has impacted on its score in all the factors looked at. Belgium, on the other hand, is still developing and could be on the verge of a major breakthrough, the report said.

The Netherlands has not won a big tournament since the Olympic Games in 2000 and Gerritsen plans to use the results of the research to further strengthen the Dutch teams’ performance. “We are going to look at how we can learn from other countries and other sports,” he says. “Perhaps it is something to do with performance culture. The Dutch are pleased if we reach the final but the others strive to be number 1 every day.”

FIH site

Keeping it in the family

Jill and Tom Boon are at the core of the Belgium men's and women's teams, but they have very different aims for this World Cup


(Photo: Stanislas Brochier)

"And Belgium's number 27, Boon, finds the back of the net again!" As the commentator's voice rings out across the stadium, the Boon family can celebrate again as either Jill or Tom score yet another goal for their country. There have been siblings playing in national hockey teams before, and there are family connections all over this Hockey World Cup – for example, Wendy and Tony Stewart are umpire and judge respectively; Seve van Ass and Paul van Ass are father and son, player and coach – but very few names capture the imagination in quite the same way as the Boons.

For 24-year-old Tom and his elder sister, 27-year-old Jill, this Hockey World Cup is a chance to reinforce Belgium's reputation as a growing force on the global hockey stage. The men are currently ranked 5th, while the women are ranked 12th – having moved up the rankings from 27th place in just eight years – and while the men have aspirations to win a medal, for Jill and her teammates, it is all a learning process and the chance to compete against the very best in the world. Speaking at the recent Champions Challenge, where Belgium failed to live up to their billing as one of the pre-tournament favourites ( they finished sixth after losing a shoot-out to Korea), Jill Boon said: "We are a side that is hungry for success and we take each experience for what it is. If we lose, we learn from our mistakes and come out better next time. But this is a team that is desperate to win."

Certainly, the two opening games at this World Cup have provided very different experiences for the Boon siblings. While Tom was banging in the goals against Malaysia, just an hour later Jill was working hard to stop the Netherlands running riot. The final scoreline of 4-0 was disheartening, but with a difference in rankings of 12 places, to be expected. In their previous games, Tom's team had scored a last minute goal to secure a 3-2 win over India, while the women were on the wrong end of a 4-3 thriller against New Zealand. After the Netherlands match Jill said: "We knew that the game against Holland was going to be really hard, they are really sharp. But I was really happy for Tom scoring four goals. We are always like that, supportive of each other and sometimes critical of each other too."

The environment in which the Boon's grew up certainly played a part in their sporting achievements. Born into a hockey family – grandmother Jacqueline Ronsmans was a Belgian international player, as was their mother Carine Boon-Coudron, while uncle Marc Coudron played a record

358 games for Belgium – Jill says that most of their childhood was spent on a hockey pitch. "Even messing around on the side of the pitch Tom and I would have a small competition, like the nicest goal, the highest in the net. We don't do that now!"

She adds that while growing up, the whole family was involved in the logistics of getting from one game to another. "We learnt to manage it pretty well. We've been doing it since we're children, there were three hockey players in the family, my mother was playing and coaching my team and my father was coaching Tom on Saturday morning. We all trained at different times as well. The good thing now is that we often play at the same tournaments. But it's really important to have your family supporting you, they are our first critics after the game.

We really want to thank them because it's far from being easy!"

At this World Cup the Boon phenomena has been reinforced by Tom's opening goal-fest against Malaysia. Scoring four goals in one match during a World Cup has only been achieved by two other players, both from the Netherlands: Taco van den Honert in 1994, against Belgium and Taeke Taekema against India in 2006. When opposition coaches think about their tactics in matches against the Red Lions, the main question is 'How to stop Boon from scoring?"

The Boon siblings have very different goals at this World Cup, and while much of the talk is likely to centre around Tom's goal tally and the Red Lions medal prospects, Jill, who is approaching 200 caps for her country, can take pride in her role at the core of this developing Red Panthers revival. She will be delighted if the Red Panthers finish above their ranking place. But ultimately both Boons love winning and there is no doubt that if Tom were to stand on the podium on 15 June no-one would be prouder or cheering more loudly than his older sister.


Tom Boon. Photo: Frank Uilenbroek

FIH site

Career twilight could provide career highlight for Black Sticks captain

Dean Couzins' team is sitting pretty at the top of table after second round of pool matches


(Photo: Grant Treeby)

With two games played and a maximum six points won, New Zealand have got their World Cup campaign off to sparkling start. We catch up with Dean Couzins, the Black Sticks captain, who recently celebrated his 300th cap in a Black Sticks shirt. Despite enjoying a fantastic start to the tournament, Couzins says it is a little too early to start planning a 'Haka-style' celebration. "It is certainly something we have talked and joked about, but I don't think you will be seeing it anytime soon."

Since Couzins achieved his landmark 300th cap, the Black Sticks have played in the Champions Challenge in Malaysia where they finished a disappointing fifth after they started the tournament as favourites. Their opening two matches in The Hague suggest the Black Sticks have put that experience well behind them, winning their opening game against Korea 2-1, and following up with a 4-0 win over South Africa.

Explaining his team's growing success, Couzins says: "The Black Sticks have a great sense of camaraderie and we see ourselves as the dark horse in the World Cup. We know that teams are worried about playing us. We enjoyed having the whole team together for a prolonged period before the World Cup. We were able to iron out problems at the Champions Challenge in Kuantuan."

There is a sense that the Black Sticks are a close-knit unit, essential if the players are spending prolonged periods of time in each other's company. "It is hard to get our players together because they play in different leagues all over the World. We ensure that everyone is in New Zealand at certain times.It is also about trust - if they are in rehab or doing personal training, then we have to trust they are going the right thing. But when we can all get together we work hard on being a team."

"For example, as a team we play music in the changing room. It depends on who it is in charge of the music. It might be something that is heavily influenced by a New Zealand background, such as Shapeshifter, or if one of the young guys get on it then it can be something 'poppy'."

Couzins spoke about his recent 300th cap: "I really enjoyed playing Australia for my 300th cap. My wife was watching and the guys made it special for me. I have enjoyed playing in Olympics but I am looking forward to this whole experience in The Hague because the team is playing at a good level and getting results. I have thought about retirement, but at the moment I am enjoying my hockey and I get positive feedback from Colin (Batch) so I will see what happens after the World Cup."

With six points on the board and confidence riding high in the camp, Dean Couzins could be on his way to his most successful season in a long career.

FIH site

Fleuren named Knight In The Order Of Orange Nassau

EHF President Marijke Fleuren was honoured by Minister Edith Schippers of Health, Welfare and Sport


(Photo: Willem Vernes)

Marijke Fleuren, President of the EuroHockey Federation (EHF) was named this week a Knight in the Order of Orange-Nassau. Marijke received  her insignia from Minister Edith Schippers of Health, Welfare and Sport during a special ceremony in The Hague this week.

In addition to her enormous voluntary contribution to  hockey and various roles including a member of the FIH Board and President of the European Hockey Federation, Marijke is one of the founders of the Safe Climate Campaign Sport of the Dutch NOC.

Carola Mayer, Vice president of the EHF, who was in attendance at the special ceremony this evening said: "What better way for our President to be honoured, after a fabulous day of hockey in an even more fabulous stadium! On behalf of the Board and everyone in the European hockey family I would like to congratulate Marijke on this wonderful personal honour, and thank her for her never ending energy, along with her knowledge that she brings to every aspect of her work for hockey.”

FIH site

England's history at the Hockey World Cup


Alex Danson in action at the World Cup 2014, photo by Ady Kerry

This Wednesday is a rest day for every team taking part in the Rabobank Hockey World Cup, and as there are no games ot report on we thought we'd give you a rundown of how England's team's have performed in the past.

England Men have featured at World Cups since 1973, back when the men’s and women’s competitions were run in separate years. They debuted at six, slowly slipping down the ranks over the next few competitions before their highest ever placement in 1986 in London – there they came second, beaten by the ever-successful Australia (the current world number one), but beating out Germany who would have been tipped to do better after coming second the previous year and having always been in the top five.

In the next few competitions from 1990-2002 England men have fluctuated in the mid-tables, but after coming seventh in Kuala Lumpur (their worst position in 20 years) a change was on its way. After that point England have steadily risen in the rankings, most recently coming fourth in New Delhi in 2010. This year’s World Cup is yet another chance for England men to prove why it is that they’re one of the best teams in the world.

England Women’s debut at the World Cup came in 1983, ten years after the men, and they started in fifth place while current women’s world number one the Netherlands came top. The Netherlands will probably be England’s greatest threat in their fight to gold-medal position, as only once have they failed to gain a medal in over 20 years.

Since coming fourth in 1990 in Sydney, England’s positions have fluctuated a lot, from placing in the top five to third from last. It wasn’t until their last World Cup in Rosario, Argentina, that the women were able to finally win a medal, with a bronze medal in 2010. Several of the players still on the squad were there when the last match was won and the medals awarded, and they’ll all know what it takes to be crowned champions this time around.

Play resumes on Thursday with England men going up against Malaysia at 12:00 (UK time), while England women face South Africa at 13:30 on Friday.

England Hockey Board Media release

Young Scots off to The Hague in World Tournament

The next generation of Scotland hockey stars are off to The Hague to compete in the World Youth Hockey Tournament from the 7-8th June.

The U16 squads will play the likes of youth club teams from Germany, Canada, Spain and two top sides from the Netherlands.

In the girls side boasting six girls from CALA Edinburgh hockey club while the boys have a wide mix of players across Scotland.

U16 Boys

Timon Van Resenburg
Ryan McCurry, CALA Edinburgh
Charlie Fuller, Highland Hockey Club
Andrew Webb, Granite City Wanderers
Dean Baber, PSL Team Sport Clydesdale
Brodie Good
Alan Johnson, Uddingston
Jack Jamieson, Kelburne
Ruairidh Grossart, Grange
Cameron, Griffiths, Grove Menzieshill
David Nairn, PSL Team Sport Clydesdale
Cameron Golden, Grove Menzieshill
Callum MacKenzie, Telford and Wrekin
James Nairn, PSL Team Sport Clydesdale
Andrew Nickerson, Watsonians
Sam Weissen, Inverleith
Aiden McQuade, Dunfermline Carnegie
Joe Waterston, Inverleith


U16 girls team photo

U16 Girls

Isabella Watt, Inverleith
Katie Stott, Grove
Charlotte Watson, Dundee Wanderers
Hanna McKie, CALA
Madeleine Cleat, Kelburne
Laura Swanson, Inverleith
Morven Cawthorn, Fjiordhus
Amy Costello (Capt), CALA
Bella, Fisken, CALA
Anna Logan, CALA
Robin Robeson, CALA
Catriona Booth, Western Wildcats
Maris Cawthorn, Fjorhus Borders Reivers
Emily Cross, CALA
Alison Westwood (GK), Hillhead
Makenzie Brown, GHK
Mun Yin Christine  Chau (GK), Bon Accord MBC
Leia  McKinnon, Fjiorhus Borders Reivers

Scottish Hockey Union media release

Hockey, chess join hands

V Krishnaswamy

Visitors to the FIH World Cup may be surprised to see chessboards at various locations in the complex. The reason is that the Dutch hockey association (KNHB) and the Dutch chess union are collaborating to promote their respective sports. In a seminar held at the Business Club in the Kyocera Stadium on Sunday, KNHB director Johan Wakkie said, "Two years ago, I met Mustapha El Jarmouni and he perfectly illustrated the positive effect sport can have on a community." Some years ago, El Jarmouni, a Moroccan, embarked on a programme to teach chess to children belonging to Amsterdam's disadvantaged neighbourhoods. His autistic son was his inspiration and now the hugely popular classes attract 350 children a week. Wakkie also raised an interesting question, "What will happen if chess players become hockey coaches? After all, coaching is all about thinking in patterns." By the way, the Dutch seaside town of Wijk aan Zee, hosts one of the world's most famous chess tournaments. Interestingly, this event is called the Tata Steel Chess Tournament. It used to be called the Corus Steel Chess Tournament before the Indian conglomerate acquired the Anglo-Dutch steelmaker.

Legends in demand

Many of the former Dutch superstars are doing commentary work at the World Cup. Some are also doing business. Floris Jan Bovelander, the legendary penalty-corner specialist, also has a hockey company called Bovelander and Bovelander, which takes young players to various events. They are also into training and organise a couple of side events at the World Cup. Floris Evers, who played for The Netherlands from 2004 and 2012, now plays for Ranchi Rhinos in the Hockey India League. Here, he is commentating on the Dutch team's matches for the main sponsor, Rabobank, in a special lounge for VIP guests. Two-time Olympic silver medallist Evers is joined by Sophie Polkamp, another decorated Olympian and World Cup star. The duo interviews each other and also talks to coaches, players and share experiences with visitors.

Fatima Moreira de Melo, a player of Portuguese descent who represented the Dutch 191 times with great success, works for the local TV station, NOS.

DNA

Shahnaz should be in PHF instead of coaching: Saleem

ISLAMABAD - Former Olympian Saleem Nazim feels Shahnaz Sheikh should have been offered to work in the decision making matters of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) instead of coaching saying age of the Sialkot-born player doesn't allow him to be on the field.

Talking to APP, Saleem Nazim said Shahnaz Sheikh is in the late 60s and at this age people get physically weak and inactive as compared to the person aging from 30 to 40 years. "Shahnaz should have been kept in the PHF office rather than on the field," he said.  Saleem said a young person should have been appointed as coach. "There is a variety of talent in our country when it comes to coaching," he said. Saleem said Rana Mujahid can be a good coach if he hadn't been the PHF Secretary. "We need a young person with experience as a coach," he said.

Speaking about the national team's chances in the Asian Games to be held in South Korea in September, Saleem said teams of India and Korea will give Pakistan a tough competition in the event. "When Shahnaz has accepted the responsibility of being the national coach then he should fulfill it with good results. Our team is the defending champions of Asian Games and if in this event the team performs low than the responsibility lies on the coach," he said. Talking about the ouster of the green-shirts from the 2014 Men's Hockey World Cup to be staged from May 31 to June 15 at Netherlands, Saleem said this will be the first time our national side which has been a four-time winner in the past didn't qualify for the mega event. "The World Cup was a very good opportunity for the national team to prepare for the Asian Games," he said.  "If the PHF officials including coach who were associated with the team that time should have worked hard than the results would have been different," he said.

The Nation

No raise in cash-strapped PHF, PSF sports budget

Mohsin Ali

ISLAMABAD - Federal government kept mum on allocation of budget for sports despite several requests from Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) and Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF), instead it enhanced Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) annual grant from Rs 700 million to Rs 900.1 million.

It was expected special funds would be allocated for at least PHF and PSF, as both these federations had a very busy and hectic schedule over the course of next few months. Pakistan hockey team has to defend Asian Games title, while the cash-strapped PSF is set to host $25,000 event in October.

The reliable sources in the PSF have confirmed to this scribe that due to shortage of funds, the federation is seriously thinking about stopping the female team from taking in the 17th Asian Senior Team Squash Championship scheduled to be held from June 11 in Hong Kong. The female players have spent their precious time in intensive training alongside male players, they have played out their hearts staying away from their homes for the last four months or so and only because of non-availability of funds, and they will be deprived of representing the country in a mega event which will be a great injustice with them. They deserve better treatment so it is the responsibility of federal government to take good care of athletes, who are the ambassadors of the country and can bring laurels for it at international stage.

It is pertinent to mention here former President Asif Ali Zardari had sanctioned Rs 71 million as special grant for the PSF, but with a change in the government, the PSF has yet to receive that amount. The PSB has just released RS 3.4 million to the PSF as annual grant, which is even not enough to pay utility bills, staff salaries, so thinking about sending players for the PSA events and hosting the PSA events is a far cry.

Pakistan Air Force (PAF) is shouldering the lime share of the PSF expenditures, but PAF has other areas to look after. Squash has given Pakistan so much name and fame as we ruled the world squash for more than four decades so now the government must allocate hefty amount to the PSF, so that they may continue rebuilding process and may succeed in regaining lost squash glory.

Same is the case with hockey as PHF president Chaudhry Akhtar Rasool and secretary Rana Mujahid Ali have time and again requested Prime Minister Mian M Nawaz Sharif, who is also PHF patron-in-chief, to allocate Rs 500 million in the budget, so that the federation may focus on taking Pakistan hockey back to old glory days. Asian Games are just round the corner, how it will be possible for the PHF to defend the title without enough funds.

The PSB is well known not to release federations’ annual grant in time and majority of funds allocated in the federal budget are spent on the salaries of PSB staff and other non-developmental expenditures. The federations affiliated with the PSB just get nuts from the board. Instead of raising the PSB budget, the government should have allocated special funds to those federations who have realistic chance of winning medals in international events.

Talking to this scribe, PSF secretary Group Captain Amir Nawaz said: “We have pinned high hopes on this budget as we have requested the PSB to allocate special funds of at least RS 64 million so that we may focus on different projects, but all our plans will be crashed if the required funds are not released and that too on priority basis. We are planning to restart Pakistan Open and other high profile events in the country, but for this we need funds,” Amir concluded.

The Nation