Hockey: McAleese focuses on collective

Early tomorrow morning (NZ time) in The Netherlands, the occasion will not be lost on New Zealand hockey international Shea McAleese.
The 29-year-old Hawke's Bay-born midfielder Is on track to claim his 200th cap for the Black Sticks men when they play South Africa in The Hague in their second World Cup encounter.
However, personal milestones will give way to the collective ambition as the Colin Batch-coached men prepare for the 12.30 (NZ time) match at the multi-use Koycera Stadium that seats 15,000 fans and is the home turf of Dutch soccer team ADO Den Haag.
"It's special any game you play for your country, whether it's 150 or 200 because it's just another game," the vice-captain said from his hotel in The Hague overnight.
"It's special to slip on the black jumper. I've had my share of setbacks but I've managed to stick it out and I'll continue going as long as I can."
The midfielder/defender, who is the son of Margie and Dan McAleese, of Napier, has had to overcome three shoulder operations and psotional changes in the previous regimes to realise his dream.
For someone who started playing at the age of 10, McAleese has represented New Zealand at two Olympic Games - 2008 Beijing and 2012 London.
He says only after the mission is accomplished against 12th-ranked South Africa will he sit back to reflect on his 200th cap.
The sixth-ranked Black Sticks on Monday (NZ time) pipped world No 7 Korea 2-1.
The biggest hurdle for the Kiwis in pool B will be world No 2 Germany and hosts The Netherlands, one rung below, to make the playoffs.
He hastened to emphasise no team were a walkover although putting a tick next to the South Africans as a must-win game was a fair deduction.
"We've put a bogey team [Korea] to bed. They have had the wood on us for about six years," McAleese said, revealing in the sides' dozen outings the Asians have won eight and drawn one.
"It was a tight contest because they are not a structured team in world hockey."
Having played about 50 minutes in the opener, the Central Mavericks player is looking forward to the next match.
"We're playing in a football stadium. It's probably the most absolute amazing hockey venue I've played at.
"Everything here is based around hockey. There are big screens at bars and it's [poster] on buses and trams.
"It's a hockey city and a hockey-mad country," the former William Colenso College pupil said.
He said the cup wasn't like the soccer World Cup, starting this month in Brazil, where 32 teams qualified and minnows could upset favourites.
"We have 12 teams and every team can win on any given day."
World No Australia, who McAleese rates as his toughest opponents in his career, are in pool A with No 4 England who pipped No 8 India 2-1 over night with a late goal akin to the Kiwis.
His parents couldn't travel to The Hague but McAleese said they were in touch and were setting their alarm clocks in Napier to watch the games live on Sky TV.
"We have a few Kiwi supporters here. You'll see them waving flags on TV so it's all great."