Alexander upbeat but cautious ahead of Champions Trophy

By George Scott, Sportsbeat

GREAT Britain and England defender Richard Alexander has said there is no room for complacency ahead of this month's men's hockey Champions Trophy.

ROOM TO IMPROVE: Defender Richard Alexander has urged caution ahead of the forthcoming Champions Trophy (Getty Images)

England claimed the European title earlier this year and travel to Melbourne - where they take on Australia, Germany, Korea, Spain and the Netherlands - brimming with confidence.

"We were delighted to win the Europeans and I'm sure we will see the benefits of that but right now it's finished and we must move on," said Alexander.

"Lots of teams often struggle after they have tasted success because they think they've made it and we have to make sure that doesn't happen to us.

"If you aren't looking to improve in sport or if you're standing still then you will start heading backwards.

"The most pleasing thing about winning the Europeans was that other teams came up to us and said we'd deserved it.

"We hadn't fluked it and we hadn't got lucky but people were surprised that we'd won it but I think they knew that we deserved to.

"What we have to do now is build on that, I want teams to fear us like they fear the likes of Germany.

"In the past we were always the nearly-boys or the underdogs but now I want people - including ourselves - to consider us serious contenders."

Alexander cut a frustrated figure as Great Britain stumbled to a fifth-place finish at the 2008 Beijing Olympics - despite suffering just one defeat to Pakistan in their six games.

But after securing automatic qualification to hockey's top tournaments by clinching the European title, Alexander is dreaming of a golden double in Delhi, which stages the World Cup and Commonwealth Games next year.

"Next year is huge because we have the World Cup in March and then we're back in India for the Commonwealths as well and we want medals at both," he added.

"Before winning the Europeans we were always having to gear up for a qualifying tournament as well as the actual event but we don't have to do that now.

"It's difficult to peak a few times in the year but next year hopefully we can do it twice.

"We have to kick-on with our achievement this summer with England by trying to repeat it at the World Cup and the Commonwealths.

"Then we have to transfer it to the Great Britain team and do something special at London 2012 and I think we are capable of doing that."