If you look at teams that achieve success in knockout tournaments you will nearly always find that they have in their midst one or two special players. The really great teams have more than that.
Pele and Garrincha for Brazil are a prime example. Brazil never lost a game when they were in the same team, and won the 1958 and 1962 FIFA World Cups. They were in the side together for 40 games, and recorded 36 wins and 4 draws, scoring 44 goals between them.
When England won the the FIFA World Cup in 1966 they had Bobby Charlton and Bobby Moore, as well as the often overlooked Gordon Banks in goal, who did not concede a goal until the semi finals. A man who was only on the losing side in an England shirt nine times in 73 appearances.
In rugby union when Australia won the World Cup in 1991 they boasted the likes of Michael Lynagh, Tim Horan, David Campese and John Eales. When South Africa won in 1995 they had Joost van der Westhuizen; Os du Randt, and Francois Pienaar. England’s victory in 2003 saw them win with a side that boasted the likes of Martin Johnson, Lawrence Dallaglio, Richard Hill and Jonny Wilkinson. When New Zealand won back-to-back titles in 2011 and 2015 Richie McCaw was a key component along with Kieran Reid and Conrad Smith. Dan Carter was another but was injured in 2011.
Hopefully the picture is becoming clear how important these big players are come the big moments.
One such player announced her retirement from International hockey in the last 24 hours, and while many appreciated just how good she was and how influential during her playing career one feels that the appreciation will grow even more over time.
Maddie Hinch the England and Great Britain goalkeeper was without doubt the number one in the world around 2015 and 2016 and her influence on the success of the national team was huge.
In 2015 England’s women won the Eurohockey Championships for just the second time – the first being back in 1991. In the final they beat the Netherlands, a team that had won eight of the previous 11 tournaments and played in the final 10 times.
England fought back from 2-0 down to take the game to a shootout. The Dutch had been dominant with 65% possession and had 22 shots on Hinch’s goal to England’s seven shots.
In the shootout Hinch showed her professionalism and her will to win. This was the first time the world noticed that Hinch had written notes on her water bottle on each of the expected Dutch players, and what they did in a one-on-one situation. As she said at the time “it was the shootout it was my turn to step up.” Hinch would save three Dutch attempts and England would win the shoot-out 3-1.
A year later Hinch made her Olympic debut at the Rio Olympic Games. In the quarter-final match against Spain she would play her 100th international.
Great Britain topped their pool having won every game. The Netherlands topped theirs too, but had dropped points in a draw with New Zealand. Both teams scored three goals in their quarter finals and progressed to the semi finals. Great Britain despatched New Zealand 3-0 while the Dutch after a 1-1 draw with Germany progressed to the final via a shoot out 4-3.
The Gold medal match was one to remember. Great Britain took the lead only to be pegged back and the Dutch then led 2-1. Great Britain pulled it back to 2-2. The Dutch took the lead again 3-2, before Nicola White tied it up again at 3-3. That was how it remained. With no extra time any more the game went to a shootout again.
Would there now be a psychological shift, following Hinch’s heroics at the Europeans? Once again her masterplan was scribbled on the back of a water bottle and in a notepad. Even if the notepad had been blank one wonders whether that would have put doubt in the minds of the Dutch.
Hinch saved their first two attempts. Unfortunately Great Britain, who had gone first had missed their first two attempts. Hinch however had kept them alive. Sophie Bray scored, and Great Britain were ahead. Hinch saved again. Great Britain missed, still only 1-0 up. Then Hinch saved again. Her fourth save from four Dutch attempts. Hollie Webb scored and Great Britain Women had won their first ever Olympic Gold medal in hockey.
Following the victory Hinch told the Daily Mail “you need some bravado to show that you’re up for it and make the opposition feel a little bit nervous about their shot.”
‘It involves hours and hours of homework. You learn each player’s strength, because that’s what they’re likely to resort to under pressure. Some like hitting it on the backhand, some would take me on. It comes down to research and constantly staying up to date with what players are doing in tournaments all over the world,’ she added. ‘The Dutch are difficult because they don’t end up in that situation very often, so I had to find stuff from club matches. You look at body positions as well. I write notes on my water bottle that I use during the game and then have a separate book for shootouts. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, but I’ll never come out with any regrets because I’ve done all I can.”
How many goalkeepers not just in hockey now write notes on their water bottles? The Australian rugby and cricket teams have used the term “No Regrets” as their buzz phrase when winning world cups. The message being, ensure that you have done all that you can preparing for the game, to ensure that there are no regrets. Hinch epitomised that philosophy.
During her career she was nicknamed “mad dog” due to her courage, another nod to her commitment to her position and her team.
At the Rio Olympic games one should not forget the performance of Joyce Sombroek in goal for the Dutch. For in the tournament she conceded one less goal than Hinch, and kept four clean sheets to Hinch’s three, which just shows the calibre of the two at that time.
Sombroek had won the FIH Goalkeeper of the year award in 2015, Hinch would win it in 2016, and for the following two years.
At the time in 2016 this writer questioned why Hinch could not be nominated for the FIH Player of the Year award, as clearly she had been one of the outstanding International players in that calendar year. The response from the FIH was simply “Goalkeepers cannot win this award.” (Goalkeepers Left Out In The Cold)
This is a great shame, as although it would be rare for a goalkeeper to take out such an award, it means that when they do it would mean that they were excpetional. Some would argue that in 2016 Hinch was just that. In football only one goalkeeper has ever been voted World Player of the Year and that was Lev Yashin back in 1963. (Podcast 80)
Hinch has also had a huge impact off the pitch. She passes on her knowledge to the next generation through coaching, but it goes beyond that. In 2018 I visited an all boys school and in the gymnasium corridor the pupils hade been asked to write who their sports hero was. This was a junior school so testosterone may not have come into play, but there were five pupils who had listed Maddie Hinch. This was a massive credit to her, and a huge fillip for the sport of hockey.
Hinch has been a fantastic ambassador for the sport, and away from the pitch you could not meet a nicer or more humble person.
Did Great Britain win the Olympic Gold medal purely because of her, of course not. Every player had to do their job, and there were like the successful teams mentioned a number of larger than life players, but Hinch was a very important component. Hopefully she will continue to be involved in the sport because one feels she still has a great deal to offer. In the meantime thanks for the memories.
