Sat 4 Dec, 2004
|
|
|
|
MOG: South Africa men's hockey team blow medal hopes  x14
 |
| South Africa |
August 23, 2004
Sunday Times
> Page Views 638
ATHENS - Any remote chance of earning some sort of medal in Athen 2004, effectively went out the door when the South African men's hockey team lost to 11th ranked New Zealand 4-1 at the Elliniko Olympic Hockey Centre earlier today.
The South Africans played well below par and got their lone goal from Emile Smith who latched on to a pass from top goal scorer Greg Nicol.
For the New Zealanders Dave Kosoof opened the scoring in the ninth minute, followed by a pair of converted penalty corners from Haden Shaw (38th and 46th minute) and a master slap shot from Phillip Burrows in the last minute that rattled the back boards, behind 'keeper Staniforth.
Even though they lost all of their games, bar the single win against seventh ranked, Argentina, Craig Jacksons's men can go home with their heads held high as they earned much respect from the hockey world.
Every other team in their pool were ranked higher than them, yet they where not overawed by the occasion and refused to roll over.
They led both sixth-ranked India and second-ranked and double defending Olympic champions Holland by two goals.
In India's case they scored once to come back into contention and then two goals in the last minute.
Against Holland the South Africans were victims of a dubious goal before the Dutch team went on to win by a solitary goal.
Coming minutes after the national rugby team beat Australia to claim the Tri Nations title on Saturday, much was expected of our lads against the old foe from Down Under and they almost upset the apple cart again, losing 2-3 to the third-ranked Wallabies.
Captain Craig Jackson was dejected with the big loss. "Yes we deserved to lose this one. We didn't play well."
Seasoned campaigner Greg Clark summed up their situation. "We have two games left in the tournament. It all depends where Argentina end up whether we play for ninth and 10th spot or for 11th and 12th.
"We started off hoping for the middle four and the semifinals would have been a bonus for us. But we would love to end above 10th, which is where we finished in our last Olympics in Atlanta."
Your opinion counts.
Rate this article or enter your comments below.
|
Opinions expressed here do not represent the official views of PlanetFieldHockey.com or its staff. Comments will be removed if they are considered offensive or of a personal nature.
Comments on this article
|
Disappointed Again
08-24-2004 2:59 am
|
Report this post
|
The good news is that a lot of those senior players will not be around to play in the next Olympics and World Cup. I would argue that the likes of Nicole should not have been there in the first place.
SA has had consistency in one area alone, not being able to concentrate for 70 minutes by being in the lead only to throw games away.
This was evident in the Commonwealth Games, African Nations Cup and now the Olympics.
Cut loose the egos in the side give them a farewell function and on them leaving shut the door behind them.
As for the embarrassment of Ian Evanss Red Card for over robust play, after being awarded Yellow Card only minutes before can only be an indication of the lack of discipline and maturity required as a team to perform on the big stage and to win matches.
|
|
jahman
08-24-2004 10:14 am
|
Report this post
|
re: disappointed again
I agree with you in sense that lack of maturity and concentration lacked during crucial stages.
I disagree with you when you start pointing out players not performing well all this could have been avoided.
Class is forever and form temporary as some one said and my did it show. you can never exchange exprience for form, certain players proved that they do belong there and some they are over rated.
Its over thank you to jacko, clarkie and beefy for serving country well.
Now the whole hockey structure needs to be looked at. A new chapter must be written, need to accept our faults and learn from them
A new coach is a must someone not tainted with inside politics, he must not be influenced by anyone. Full controll should be handed to him.
There are players that we all believe its time they should go or make appearance for national side.
If Revs stays then he must choose side that will be there in olympics 2008 and next commonwealth games.
The associations must make sure that by then atleast minuim of 150 tests ahve been played to ensure that side grows and stays together.
We can learn a lot from the aussies as much as we hate them but they know how to groom sides just look at their key players all in their late 20's but already looking at min of 180 test caps. Thats experience and as a player you grow.
So planning needed and its not that we don't have players we have them stop this chop and change business and lets be consistent and productive.
Better luck next time boys can hold you heads up you played good competitive hockeyand hope youngsters will grow and realise that international hockey is THE LEVEL and need to up your game.
Hockey is not just a game but lifestyle too!
|
|
Disappointed Again
08-25-2004 2:57 am
|
Report this post
|
Re: jahman
Yes, you make a few valid points.
The question is will SAHA ever see the big picture and appoint an outside coach?
If the failing Indian and Pakistan teams can look outside their countries for coaches to help regain their potential and the Dutch have an Aussie, then why does South Africa still persist with under par local coaches?
The poverty mentality that persists is probably their biggest stumbling block. I believe that a outside coach is the way forward and if it is about money, then the provinces need to help foot the bill as they are the ones with the players and who have the players of the future.
And finally, the SAHA website is a waste of cyber 0s and 1s. It reflects their lack of foresight and interest in local hockey when compared to many of the hockey websites around the world. It is nothing but Yellow Page advertisement.
Get rid of the dead wood on the SAHA Executive and find people who will see improving SA hockey as a business and not a weekend hobby of playing politics where the winners get to travel using up monies that could pay for an outside coach of merit.
|
|
Saobserver
08-26-2004 4:30 am
|
Report this post
|
Lack of hockey knowledge
Jahman and dissapointed again...you are the true source of south african hockeys problem. Illinformed people with little or no hockey knowledge, triple agendas and nothing better to do than criticise negatively.
You are blinded by whatever factors rule your lives to realise that:
1. Greg Nicol is second on the goal scorers list at the olympics on 7 (top in atlanta by the way)....how can you justify your comment that it would have been better to leave him behind....200 odd caps and 240 goals....you guys are a joke. Take away his contribution and we would have been whipped here.
2. South africa was ranked 12th for this tournament as last qualifiers and are currently in with a 9/10 placing dependant on the outcome of tommorows game. That is a success in anyones book.
3. The closest rival to nicol is smith on 20 odd goals after over 100 internationals!!!
4. Evans card was not justified. It is obvious that he has been targeted by the umpires evident in the fact that in the game against australia, after smith was taken out in the 25 yard area with a potential one on one with the goalkeeper..the aussie player was only yellow carded after the sa players protested. Evans' track recored is clean...one yellow card in 40 odd internationals prior to the 'red'.
5. please give the world your list of players you feel should have been selected for the olympics...that will be a good laugh.
I do howvere agree with the changes in the hockey structure in SA and their useless website...but please get your facts right before spewing the garbage written above
|
|
concerned
08-26-2004 6:41 am
|
Report this post
|
IPT and league structures
i would like to see the players that should be replacing our experienced or "better" players. they certainly were not at the IPT or they would have shone and been picked. the overall standard in SA hockey is very poor. there are not enough quality players or teams around to make for competitive leagues or IPT games. the top teams and players only have to perform in a max of 3 games at present. world tournaments are competitive in all games and i believe that this is where we cant compete. in one off games we can beat any team in the world, but in tournament play we always let ourselves down.
league structures and also the IPT need to be changed in order to help this process. ask SAHA if they have received some ideas. yes they have! have they done anything about it . no they havent! dont blame the coach as he is quality. give him time. even though he may have got a few wrong selections but other circumstances were involved.
this again highlights, for me, that structures need to be changed.
|
|
SaSupporter
08-27-2004 4:46 am
|
Report this post
|
To Saobserver
Evans makes himself a target for umpires by his over robust play. Add his domestic yellow cards for the same offence to his international and see a trend.
All this bla, bla about Nicole being the top goal scorer at and Atlanta and Commonwealth Games is history.
What counts is this Olympics; Nicole is no Jamie Dwyer, who shows a high work rate EVERY GAME and even has skill to match.
When last did Nicole venture pass the halfway line to help a team mate?
|
|
wales
08-27-2004 7:17 am
|
Report this post
|
Where does all the talent go?
an interesting exercise will be to take a head count on how many players currently play hockey at schools level - boys and girls. no doubt well into the thousands?
then compare this to the numbers that end up playing club hockey at age 30 i.e your pool of talent for selecting your provincial and national teams. do likewise with coaches.
then do a similar exercise for the world's top four teams at the olympics - men and women.
i will bet that there will be a massive difference between the world's top teams and sa and therein lies the crux of our problem and the reason for our perennial under achievement.
i suppose we can use the traditional cop out that this is a problem with all sa sport - it is, but is this an acceptable reason for sa hockey not to be different?
|
|
jahman
08-27-2004 9:00 am
|
Report this post
|
saobserver
If you can convince Mr Nicol to stay i am fot it Beefy said he is retiring! its HUGE lost to SA hockey. Let sum senoir players stay but we should be building not destroying because in sa we are doing that!
I agree man sa hockey state not in good shape but we can't sit and act as if all is okay when everthing stinks!
Yes get some from outside even if its to revamp the whole structure in sa hockey and the development. Why can't we use people like greg nicol in development the man is good and he has done wonders when he was in charge of a development structure and let him share his experiences with younger player! why not?
Better yet send two or three palyers overseas let them work there as coches not for one or two season but five years and let them come back take over from international coach who by then should have restructed sa hockey to better future.
Yes its true when we played IPT the palyers there weren't impressive and that issue shouldn't be left to provinces to decide but the national asso should be bold and say guys std of hockey has dropped!
Lets go back to strength vs strength at all levels just to remedy situation till we sort the coaching department.
More international games that is what these guys need to perform! not odd games in a while. In a year guys should be playing atl leats min 30 games during hockey season against different opponents.
If somebody out there tells me that he is happy with sa hockey then you blind.
|
|
jahman
08-27-2004 9:15 am
|
Report this post
|
concerned
I have nothing against Rev he is quality, question is though internationally does he have what it take? Okay maybe he does but i feel he still has couple years to learn before he can be ready. Rev is a tactitian but some of his tactics were out dated and you could see it!
Anyway that wont solve anything blaming him, yes get some one from outside if not all these guys retiring they have wealth of experience to share with sahockey why can we use them get them in sahocke executive or something where info back to sahockey is pumped back in.
These are not the first players to retire key,brad etc and coaches like pullen, hibbert. why do we discard these people???? Is it SA nature once you finished playing you get thankyou pat on your back and then lost in hockey circles! All that info what happens to it?
Rugby started it , cricket is doing it , soccer they getting there NOW SA HOCKEY MUST be doing it not planning to. It time to deliver goods or else we will stay the 10th -12th country always.
|
|
SAobserver
08-29-2004 3:51 pm
|
Report this post
|
Jahman
As someone who makes sweeping generalisations and pretends to be in the know regarding SA Hockey, maybe you should contact the EP hockey structures to get to the real reason why nicol chose to play for Natal and not the province he was living in (EP) this year? Word has it that he had made a strong proposal to start a comprehensive developement program in PE, but was prevented from doing so by the egotistical clowns in EP who cry race and colour at every corner yet are too bigoted to allow the third highest goal scorer in the history of hockey to set up a development academy to grow the sport.
Its sad that our friends in EP are so blinded by the inequities of our past that they cant see past their own agendas....Nicol will be lost to another country who will probably fallover themselves to gain his services as a coach....
Sort out the crap at provincial level before pointing fingers at players...its a disgrace
|
|
Smiler
08-30-2004 4:33 am
|
Report this post
|
SASupporter
Your comments on Nicol are evidently made without having watched the matches in Athens from the bleachers. Nicol bust his gut for SA. He was everywhere in the field, reverse pressing, dropping into our 23 area on defence, making countless leads up front. He did not enjoy the luxury of frequent breaks as Dwyer did (SA could not afford to have him off the field for more than 2-3 minutes a half). He scored 8 goals to finish as the second top scorer at the Games.
|
|
Smiler
08-30-2004 4:36 am
|
Report this post
|
|
Craig Jackson needs recognition for the fine job he has done for SA Hockey. He is recognised as a world class defender by international coaches and has made an immense contribution the South African Hockey. What a great tournament!!!
|
|
SAobserver
08-30-2004 10:21 pm
|
Report this post
|
Smiler
NO need to have a go at me mate, I supported his contribution...i think you meant the other two clowns dissapointed again and jahman who seems to smoke to much of the tree of 'knowledge'....As for Jacko....class I tell you...
|
|
jahman
08-31-2004 7:55 am
|
Report this post
|
SAobserver
I am sure you know everything about hockey in this country! Anyway when i said thabk you and goodbyes to our senoir players i was just trying to say a new day has to dawn man if only we can subtract six year of their age to keep them.
EP and Nicol issue well another issue and if any administrator from EP can defend themselves well platform is set.
I am not pointing fingers at aany player in fact THE ADMINITRASITION is up to crab that a fact.
Yes provinces must sort themselves out and if they can keep players like jabba,cullen,jacko,beefy,clarkie etc in hockey circles. Iwish i was in Gauteng at this point they have it all if they clever they will be top province again soon
|
|
|
|
 |
HOME | FEATURES | CLUBHOUSE | CAMPS | LINKS | ABOUT US | STORE | ADVERTISE
Use of this site is subject to certain Terms & Conditions.
|
|
|
