Terry Maddaford: Ranking jump a surprise from Black Sticks' bronze

Black Sticks coach Mark Hager. Photo / Dean Purcell

Normally meticulous Black Sticks coach Mark Hager arrived home yesterday to admit "I did my sums wrong", but was more than happy with the outcome.

Hager left for the Champions Trophy fearing that, depending on results, the best his team could do was hold their own at seventh place in the rankings or, at worst, drop to eighth.

In the end, the points for snatching that dramatic bronze medal from the Koreans were enough for his team to leapfrog their great rivals Australia into an equal-high sixth on the just-released International Hockey Federation (FIH) rankings.

That equals their position at the end of 2005 and is a vast improvement from their slump to 11th after finishing 12th at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Hager is more than satisfied as the Black Sticks left Amsterdam the best-placed Commonwealth country with England (4th) and China (5th) now well within their sights.

But, as ever, Hager has his feet firmly on the ground.

"[The bronze medal] was good, especially for players like Kayla Sharland and Emily Naylor who have been part of the team for so long," said Hager, who obviously enjoyed his proudest moment in the two years he has had the team.

"But we still have a long way to go. The two best teams [the Dutch and Argentina] were in the final and the standard of that game showed that the gap between them and the rest is still there. Closing that has to remain our goal."

They will not have to wait long.

In a little over six months they will be back at a Champions Trophy. With the Olympics taking centre stage next year, the Champions Trophy will be played in Argentina from January 28.

As one of the top five at this year's tournament, New Zealand's participation, along with the Netherlands, Argentina, Korea and England is guaranteed.

Japan, as winner of the Champions Challenge, have also qualified.

Two wildcards have yet to be handed out.

Hager and most of the team arrived home yesterday. They will now prepare for the new-look, and crucial (in terms of ongoing selection) National Hockey League, which hits off on July 30 with much-rearranged teams.

Immediately after the NHL, Hager will name a 25-strong squad to prepare for next year's London Olympics. Many of that group will then play five tests in the United States in September as part of the preparation for the Oceania championships in Hobart from October 5-9 at which FIH ranking points will again be at stake.

"As far as I know, all the players will still be around for the Olympics," said Hager. "Obviously this group has the front running but we will always have an open mind on that."

Beyond that, the 2014 Commonwealth Games loom. Going on what they showed at the Champions Trophy, perhaps there will be a golden glint in Hager's, and his players', eyes by then.