Graham Shaw became Head Coach to New Zealand women in 2019 after leading Ireland’s women to an incredible silver medal at the Vitality Hockey Women’s World Cup in London in 2018. Since then, he has overseen New Zealand’s qualification for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, achieved when the Black Sticks beat Oceania rivals Australia in the continental championships in 2019.
Now New Zealand face a tough FIH Hockey Pro League test as high-flying Argentina continue on their travels. Las Leonas are currently fourth in the FIH Hockey Pro League table, after beating USA and then winning one of their two encounters with the Netherlands. New Zealand are sitting in second place in the league, behind the Netherlands, after a series of mixed results. They won and lost against Belgium (1-2, 4-1), they lost and drew with Great Britain (0-3, 2-2, losing the ensuing shoot-out) and they won both games against the USA (3-1, 3-1). Shaw will be looking for his team to continue the attacking form they showed against the USA but will be mindful that Argentina’s attack is one of the deadliest in the league.
Can you reflect on your first few months in charge of the Black Sticks?
Graham Shaw: “It’s been nine months now that I’ve been in charge. It’s been a really enjoyable, big move for our family to come all the way down to New Zealand. And then obviously there is a different style of hockey but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it. I’ve got a fantastic group of athletes and a fantastic staff, so I’m really looking forward to the next six months ahead but the first nine months have been very pleasing and very exciting.”
What have been your takeaways from the first few games of the 2020 FIH Hockey Pro League?
Graham Shaw: “We are a little bit disappointed really with some of the results. We feel we have performed well in some games but it has been a little bit inconsistent. That was the conversation we had today in our group about the inconsistencies in our play. When we show our style of play and we play our game, then we are a threat to anyone in the world but we need to find consistency in our performance now and we spoke about match intensity and so on, so I hope we can do that this weekend.”
What do you expect of Argentina this weekend?
Graham Shaw: “Argentina are a fantastic side, they are really well coached and play a lovely brand of hockey. We will need to match them in many areas and intensity is one of them. They like to play in lines and ask questions of you that way. We will have to match them from a physical point of view, a mental point of view and obviously they have got individual quality all over the field so we will have to defend really well. We will need to stay compact and make it difficult for them and then play our game when we get the ball and see if we can exploit the space they will leave in behind them. They are a really good side and it will make for a really good game and a really exciting game for people to come and watch.”
How are you planning to counter the threat of Argentina and get the wins?
Graham Shaw: “We have been working hard on certain areas of our play and we will continue to work on them. It is just that consistency. We will do things really well in one game and then we will turn up and do something well in a different area. We want to find that consistency across the board. We know the areas that make us who we are and make us strong so we will focus on that and see if we can make another step forward this weekend.”
What sort of game play can the fans expect to see from the Black Sticks?
Graham Shaw: “Fast, a lot of intense attacking play. That is what we have asked of them. We want to play on the front foot. Sometimes we are playing a little passive and a little bit static so we want them [the New Zealand team] to play with flow. That’s how the Black Sticks play and that’s how we will approach this weekend. I think that is what the fans can expect. It will be a really exciting game between two very good sides. There is a lot of athletic ability and a lot of individual quality in each team, so should make it a really good weekend.
How are you enjoying your new hockey challenge in New Zealand?
Graham Shaw: “It’s totally different [to Ireland]. We have a whole different lifestyle here now and as a family it has brought us together. The New Zealand people are fantastic, really beautiful people with an amazing country and we are very lucky to live here.”
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