6 Sep 2014

Mark Hager misses Australia job

6:35 am on 6 September 2014

Mark Hager will stay on as coach of the New Zealand women's hockey team after being overlooked for a role coaching the Australian men's team.

Mark Hager

Mark Hager Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Hager had applied for the role, but Hockey Australia has confirmed the former assistant coach, Graham Reid, as its new head coach.

The Hockey New Zealand high performance director Terry Evans says he's pleased at being able to retain Hager and says they can now begin planning through to the Rio Olympics with certainty.

Hager started coaching the Black Sticks Women following the 2008 Beijing Olympics moving them from 12th ranked to their current world ranking of fourth.