England men’s national hockey team selected for the upcoming Euro Hockey Nations Championships
The eighteen-member English men’s national team has been announced for the upcoming important event Euro Hockey Nations Championships which is going to be conducted in Monchengladbach, Germany on August 20. England will participate in the event as defending
champions.
The inclusion of 23-year-old mid-fielder, Ashley Jackson, the former World Young Player of the Year, who is making his come-back after recovering from injury after eight months, will be a morale booster for the team. In the previously held tournament in
2009, Ashley Jackson made a double strike in the final against Germany that led them to steal the title 5-3.
“It is with great pleasure that we have been able to include a fully fit Ashley Jackson in the team after eight months out. A couple of months ago it seemed that he wasn't going to regain fitness for this summer, but recently he has progressed quickly and
even played a cameo role in two recent practice matches against Korea,” Jason Lee, the head coach of the England’s national men’s hockey team stated about the return of Ashley Jackson, the veteran mid-fielder from East Grinstead.
Jason Lee looked very confident to defend their title that they won unexpectedly in 2009 as he viewed that his team has the ability to do it once again.
“We think the Euro Hockey Nations Championships is a key event on its own, but participation in a major tournament, trying to win it and against world class opposition will be a valuable developmental experience in advance of London 2012,” Lee further stated
about the tournament.
England’s men’s national squad for the Euro Hockey Nations Championships is comprised of the following athletes:
Barry Middleton (c), Rob Moore, Richard Alexander, Nick Catlin, Jonty Clarke, Matt Daly, Adam Dixon, , Ashley Jackson, Glenn Kirkham, Iain Lewers, Iain Mackay, Richard Mantell, Mark Pearn, Richard Smith, James Tindall, Alastair Wilson, James Fair (Goalkeeper)
and Nick Brothers (Goalkeeper).
The English side will be looking to put in a good performance right from the start of this exciting tournament. Defending the title will require the side to win as many crucial games as possible to maintain their dominance and winning momentum throughout
the matches.
The tournament will be played from August 20 to August 28 where eight European sides will compete against each other for the title. England, the defending champions, has been placed in Pool B alongside the Netherlands, Ireland and France while the Pool A
consists of Spain, Belgium, Russia and Germany, the hosts and the Olympic Champions. The English team will start their campaign for the title defence on Sunday, August 21 against Ireland.
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