Hockey coach who won four consecutive titles fired

James Grant has been axed as senior men's coach by Auckland Hockey. Photo / Greg Bowker

Auckland Hockey has axed James Grant as senior men's coach, despite his having overseen four successive national titles.

Grant has been replaced by two former internationals, Lloyd Stevenson and Dion Gosling.

Both have played over 100 matches for the Black Sticks and Auckland Hockey chief executive David Curtis said a desire to broaden the province's coaching resources was a key plank in the decision taken by the Hockey Working Group, made up of club representatives, and backed by Auckland Hockey.

"We've had unprecedented success under James, which has been terrific, but like any organisation we need to build a body of coaches." Grant was assistant coach in one of the past four years, and the head in the other three. Auckland shared the 2011 title with Central, and won the last three crowns outright.

Grant did reapply for the job but Auckland Hockey had taken what Curtis called "a strategic view".

"We've said we've had a good year, got a good group of players coming through so it's a good year to try and get a new coach and see how it goes."

He confirmed there had been "very significant discussions".

"It's not a reflection on him," Curtis insisted, more about looking to build a legacy and depth in the coaching stocks.

Grant was head coach of one of the two Junior Black Sticks teams at a Gold Coast tournament last week.

He was instrumental in bringing one of the great players of the modern game, Australian striker Jamie Dwyer, across for the National League this year.