Craig Parnham: There will be no panic
Craig Parnham today insisted he will not hit the panic button after Team GB limped into the women's hockey semi-final.
Craig Parnham today insisted he will not hit the panic button after Team GB limped into the women's hockey semi-final.
Bridgnorth born Parnham, the ladies assistant coach, believes they will stay calm with Team GB set to face Argentina in the last four tomorrow.
They have suffered back-to-back defeats to China and the Netherlands after their 2-1 reverse to the Dutch last night. It meant they finished second in Group B but Parnham believes they can wipe the slate clean for the knock-out stages.
He said: "Two weeks ago when we started the tournament and several years ago when we started this journey if you'd said we'd be in the semi-final we'd be happy.
"This is where it starts, to be there and be in the mix is fantastic.
"There's enough in the reserve tank to keep going and continue in the tournament.
"Either way we'll go into tomorrow's game full of confidence. It's an exciting place to be and we're in a good position.
"There was a nice relief because we were coming into the game having already qualified but every step of the way is difficult."
Crista Cullen gave Team GB the lead before Kitty van Male and Naomi van As struck for Holland.
The women had already qualified for the semi-final after China's 1-0 defeat to Japan earlier in the day but Parnham dismissed any suggestion they had become complacent.
The ex-Cannock defender: "Holland played well and maybe we were a little bit passive but the girls gave everything they had and we were just a little bit loose with the ball.
"We wanted to win to finish top of the pool but in the end it's not worked out but there certainly wasn't any lack of focus before the game.
"We were disappointed with the way the result has gone. We needed to be on the front foot a bit more, with a little more aggression, but we'll be absolutely fine for the next game. It's just a bad day."
Parnham watched Argentina's 0-0 draw with Australia last night but insisted they were happy to face anyone – as long as they made the last four.
He said: "Everyone who has ended up in the top two in their pools deserves to be there. New Zealand have done well to get to where they've got and Argentina are going to be a tough challenge.
"That's the way it is and we'll look forward to what we're confronted with tomorrow."
Cannock goalkeeper James Fair is back in action tonight as the men take on Spain requiring a draw to go into the semi-finals.
His team-mate Jonty Clarke believes the players have learned their lesson about coping with the highs of being tournament hosts.
Sunday's late comeback from 3-0 down to draw against tournament favourites Australia felt like a victory.
But Clarke said memories of a disappointing 2-2 draw with South Africa, immediately on the back of a comfortable 4-1 opening win over Argentina, meant they will be better prepared for tonight's clash.
"We have to get ourselves refocused for the last game because we have a job to do," he said.
"And the Australia result will mean nothing if we mess up the next one.
"Hopefully we have learned from going into game two from game one when we came off a big high and were guilty of not being quite at the races. We have to get ourselves ready and be bang up for it."
