KEY POINTS:
Mark Hager has never been one to turn his back on a challenge. Few would be as big, surely, as the one he must meet as new coach of a Black Sticks women's team who need to climb the rankings and again become a factor on the international
scene.
Hager touched down here this week after eight years working in the successful hockey scene across the Tasman. After four years as assistant coach of the Australian women's team and four in the same role with men, as well as coaching the junior men's national side, Hager felt it was time to move on and into a head coach role. He has signed a four-year contract.
"I rang [Hockey NZ chief executive] Ramesh Patel after the senior coaching roles were filled in Australia and applied for the job here," said Hager. "Being an assistant was probably becoming too comfortable. I needed a challenge and this one came up.
"Despite the disappointment they must have felt after last year's Olympics, I can see talent is there. But without ranking points you drop further off the pace," said Hager. "We must now look ahead towards the Oceania Championships in August and the Champions Challenge in South Africa in November."
Hager's first contact with his players will come early next month with camps in Auckland and Wellington.
Before that he plans, in the next couple of days, to chat with former coach Kevin Towns and former captain Lizzy Igasan to ascertain her plans.
Towns has named the 50 players who will be involved in the training camps and trials which will eventually produce a squad of 24 for proposed matches against Britain and Argentina in June.
"With eight or nine from the previous squad overseas, it will be a good chance to look at some new players," said Hager. "Apart from the players who might be contracted to continue playing in Europe, I expect them all to be back for the trials in May.
"I'm aware of the funding cuts - Hockey NZ have been very open with me - but there is nothing we can do about it. It is where we are at and where we finished at the Olympics. It is time to move on. Now we are the underdogs."
Hager has laid it down. Turn up unfit and keep walking. There is, he insists, work to be done as much off the turf as on it and, yes, he wants to find three players capable of giving the team a world class drag-flick exponent.
"I will ask them all to have a go," said Hager. "Just as I will be looking to develop our own style. To win you have to score goals. Defending all day will give me grey hairs and a heart attack."
Hager, 229 caps for Australia, and 179 goals (none, he insists, from drag flicks), a legend in his homeland, will be joined by his wife Michelle - they live in Perth - and two of his daughters in April with his oldest daughter following in July.
MARK HAGER
Born: Maryborough, Queensland, Australia.
DOB: April 28, 1964
International caps: 229
International goals: 179
Debut: v England 1985
Last international: Bronze medal match (won), Atlanta Olympic 1996
Coaching: 2001-04 assistant coach Australian women; 2005-08 coach Australian junior men (under-21), assistant coach Australian men.