Former Telford ace DavidGoodfield relishing chance to mix it with world’s best
Former Telford and Wrekin Hockey star David Goodfield says he and the team are 'raring to go' for the FIH World Cup tournament in India which starts today.
England are third game up in the sixteen team tournament and will take their bow in a 21,000 capacity purpose built hockey stadium in Rourkela against first time qualifiers Wales at 11.30am.
This will be Goodfield's first world cup tournament, though he has racked up 65 caps and 11 goals for England, and he says he is looking forward to the experience.
He said: "The preparation has been good, everyone is fit and looking forward to the first game - I have been to India twice so the country is not new to me but the tournament experience is and thankfully nobody has picked up any bugs which sometimes happens, so we are ready.
"I have played in the Commonwealth Games twice including last year in Birmingham and it was a great atmosphere in front of a home crowd but this will be something new and it is my first experience of a world cup so I can't wait to get started."
Hockey is second only to cricket in the Indian sporting pecking order and millions of people are expected to watch the home nation, who are third favourites after Australia and Belgium.
England play their second group game against India on Sunday at 1.30pm, again in Rourkela, before transferring to Bhubaneswa for their last group game against Spain next Thursday.
Shrewsbury born Goodfield left the club to study at university but his father Gwynne is still club chairman and members have arranged a watch party for the first game.
David said: "If it hadn't been for Telford and Wrekin I probably wouldn't have been able to build a career towards such a high level, the coaching and the chance to play as a young person was what got me started. "It is great to know they will be supporting me and the team and I will be proud to represent the club and the area - hopefully it will be an inspiration to other young people who want to take up the game and I would certainly recommend the club and the sport to them."
You can watch the progress of the England team on BT Sport which is covering the whole tournament.
