Patel, who was in Dunedin yesterday to watch the national boys under-16 tournament at the McMillan Hockey Centre, told the Otago Daily Times he hoped the men would finish in the top six and the women break into the top eight.
"The men's team is a pretty good team," he said.
"Two years ago, at the World Cup, they were in a position to get into the semifinals but didn't quite get there and finished eighth, which I thought was disappointing.
"The team has not changed very much since then. I think we've got four or five world-class players and if they all perform well . . . then I think we'll do quite well."
The women are not as strong as the men's side on paper, but have surprised in the past and are quite capable of inflicting an upset, he said.
Patel knows a fair bit about being the underdog.
Thirty-two years ago at the Montreal Olympics in Canada, he helped New Zealand win gold when it shocked Australia 1-0.
"I think, at the moment, top six for the men and top eight for the women would be a good result. But that is a fairly conservative administrator's approach to it.
The players are all aiming for medals, and that is how we would have it."Patel said hockey was in good heart with 43,000 registered players, and two teams qualifying for the Olympics, but he was mindful of the need to build on the success.
Helping lift the regions was a key strategic goal.
"I think we identify the talent early enough but I'm not sure we develop them well enough in the regions."
Otago has gone years without getting a local player into the Black Sticks, but has some excellent talent coming through the ranks with the likes of Nick Ross, Hugo Inglis and Blair Tarrant.
Both Ross and Tarrant were named in the Junior Black Sticks last year and Hugo Inglis could well add his name to that list this year.
Another youngster forging a name for himself is Otago Boys High School pupil Kane Russell.
The midfielder has represented New Zealand at under-16 level and is also a promising cricket and rugby player.
Russell's team was defeated 6-5 on penalty strokes by Wairarapa at the under-16 nationals yesterday by Wairarapa and will play Marlborough-Nelson in a play-off match today.
Canterbury will play North Harbour in one semifinal with Counties Manukau meeting Bay of Plenty in the other.
