Hockey: Gloss fast turning to dross

By TERRY MADDAFORD

The giddy days when the New Zealand women's hockey team were the darlings of the Sydney Olympics are becoming a fast-fading memory.

The run of disappointing results at the World Cup in Perth in the past week is quickly unravelling much of the good achieved at the 2000 Olympics and subsequent Champions Trophy. And coach Jan Borren admits he sees no easy-fix to the problems which threaten New Zealand's standing.

Speaking after his team's fourth loss in five outings in Perth, a 3-1 defeat by Germany, Borren said: "It was not too good."

Like most, he found it difficult to understand how a team ranked fifth in the world, and who commanded such support with their bold Olympic showing in finishing an unlucky sixth, can play so poorly.

At the Commonwealth Games in Manchester in August, they finished fourth, narrowly missing a medal.

Borren said the present team did not have a key playmaker, but added they were letting themselves down by coming up short in the basics.

"I have to ask myself why the basic skills are not good enough," Borren said. "When those fall away, so does the confidence and conviction. The only way to get it back is to go out and turn around these bad results."

In the first half of their match against Scotland, the Black Sticks gave the ball away 33 times.

Borren will use today's rest day to try to resurrect a campaign which is headed for a bottom-four finish.

New Zealand play tournament surprise side Ukraine in the late game tomorrow night, needing maximum points to keep their slim top-six hopes alive.

"The effort and willingness is there," Borren said. "But we certainly haven't been at our best."

To finish outside the top 12 in this 16-team tournament would be a disaster for New Zealand. It cuts them off from key tournaments, including the Champions Trophy (for the top six) and even the Champions Challenge (for the next six).

Beyond that, even the 2004 Athens Olympics could quickly become a forlorn hope, which would be disappointing after the time and money the New Zealand Hockey Federation has poured into this team.

Borren was in no hurry to commit himself further, but whether he or someone else takes the reins, there is much to be done.

Too many players have played below their best.

New Zealand have scored only five goals in five games, including three against Russia, while giving up 10.

Jaimee Provan has been enterprising on attack, but has lacked support. There has been little midfield domination and the defence has been hesitant.

Sandy Bennett played her 150th international in the 3-0 loss to Korea on Friday. There are strong suggestions she, and others, might put their sticks away after the World Cup.

But before she can contemplate that she must join her team-mates in an attempt to lift the side. Their performance against a German team who played below their best gives little hope for anything better against Ukraine and China in the remaining pool games.

"We are certainly capable of much better," Borren said. "Our biggest problem could be in finding the willingness to lift for these games.

"That has to be the priority."

And getting back to doing the basics well.