Attacking game is Black Sticks' long-term goal

Black Sticks coach Mark Hager isn't afraid of conceding a few goals to get the team playing the kind of hockey he is aiming for.
The Black Sticks have been under the direction of the former Aussie goal-scoring ace since the end of January and the coach's philosophy is clear.
"We want to playing an attacking game and to entertain the crowd, we just don't want to defend and that may hurt us on occasion as we try and rebuild and put our structures in place," he said, just hours before Friday's opening test against Argentina.
It was almost as if he knew that his side's defence would be torn apart by Argentina on Friday in the 7-4 defeat, and again in Saturday's 4-1 loss, but Hager was happy to concede goals if it helps the young side develop.
"We've got no better opportunity to learn and rebuild than over the next five matches against Argentina and China," he said.
He had little doubt that Argentina would be a handful against the fledgling Kiwi side.
"They're going to find out our weaknesses pretty quickly but hopefully we can match it with them with our speed and attacking style," he said.
Hager scored 179 international goals in 230 tests for Australia. He won four Champions Trophy gold medals and ranks his 1986 World Cup win, at the start of his international career, and his 1996 Olympic bronze medal at the end, as his career highlights.
The genial Aussie then turned to full-time coaching.
"I coached a female team for the first time when I was 16 and really enjoyed it and it was always an aim of mine that when I finished playing I'd like to coach internationally," he said.
He was assistant coach of the Australian women from 2001-4 and was the coach of the under-21 men and assistant men's coach after that. His coaching philosophy revolves around preparing the team as well as possible - then letting them go out and play.
"They're all talented hockey players and a lot of the New Zealand girls are very, very skilful, they have attacking flair and it's a matter of enhancing that and backing yourself in the tight situations no matter who you're playing to utilise your strengths," he said.
His aim with the Black Sticks is to climb the international rankings ladder - from their current position of 11th.
"We want to win every game - it doesn't mean we will but we're going to give it our best shot and we believe if we work hard then we'll come out on the right side of the ledger, it's just a matter of the girls putting the hours in and putting the time in and  their work ethic will pay off on the pitch," he said.
Along with assistant coach Chris Leslie and fellow selectors Di Te Awa (nee Weavers) and Tina Bell-Kake, the new coach is trying out new players before the Oceania Cup and a showdown against the Aussies in Invercargill in August, for a place in next year's World Cup.
To top off the year, the Black Sticks will travel to Cape Town in South Africa for the Champions Challenge Trophy starting on October 11.
"We want to do well in that too and get our ranking points up,  move up the ladder ... and  get that SPARC funding back."
After the disaster of losing SPARC funding for women's hockey after a poor showing at the Olympics last year, New Zealand Hockey  managed to arrange tours from Argentina and China - two of the world's top teams - to help blood the new generation of players.
"I think it's exciting, I think the young ones are very talented and it's just a matter of giving them the matches against the best opposition in the world, so they know the standard they have to get to," he said.