AUCKLAND, Nov 23: New Zealand's hockey team is confident there are "minimal security concerns" as it headed to Pakistan early on Tuesday targeting a top-four finish at elite Champions Trophy tournament.
Coach Kevin Towns' squad, containing just one uncapped player in Brad Shaw, arrive this week in Lahore for an extended build up ahead Of their tournament opener against the Netherlands on Dec 5.
Concerns over player safety, and unavailability of penalty corner kingpin Hayden Shaw and striker Umesh Parag, have overshadowed the team's build up for their first Champions Trophy since 1984. But Towns said security issue was having no effect on team's preparation, despite Australia having withdrawn on safety advice.
"The organisers are taking every precaution, there will be a heavy police presence at all times and no doubt military," Towns said before the team left Auckland. "It (a terrorist attack) could happen anywhere and it happened when we were in Madrid (at the Olympic qualifying tournament). Not that we're blase about it but you can only protect yourself so much.
"This is important for us and important for New Zealand Hockey. We don't see the risk as being too great at this point." Towns expected full police motorcades from airport to team hotel, and to training and match venues.
New Zealand Hockey were constantly monitoring the situation, and all players were given option of not attending. Shaw, who is pursuing a cricket career with Canterbury, and Parag, who has retired, are only two absentees from the side's meritorious sixth placing at Athens Olympics in August.
After losses to top-two sides Australia and the Netherlands, they rattled off four straight wins before losing to Pakistan in playoff for fifth. A big plus for Towns was return of midfielder Ryan Archibald, who suffered a compound fracture below knee on June after being struck by a team mate's stick at pre-Olympic training.
The veteran of 127 internationals at just 23 lost race to be selected for Athens but proved his fitness against New Zealand juniors at weekend. "For the team it's fantastic he's got himself right.
We lose a couple of really good players and a lot of experience, but we gain one of the world's best young players," said Towns, adding he was sore after weekend practice matches but was expected to play a full part in Pakistan.
The team would play warm up matches against Germany and Pakistan, along with some local club sides in Lahore. Towns said it would be a tough ask to get side back to the state they were at Olympics, having come in cold with their national league finishing a month ago. But their confidence was high after their unlucky 3-4 loss to eventual gold medallists the Netherlands in Athens. "Top-four would be a good result, and if you're up there you're not far off the pace. So there's a chance to finish even better than that," said Towns, saying three wins from five was minimum needed to make the final. -PPI
