James Tindall insists all Great Britain's Olympic hopefuls need have to play without fear.
Forward puts injuries to the back of his mind
James Tindall insists all Great Britain's Olympic hopefuls need have to play without fear if they are to maintain progress towards this summer's Games.
The men's squad, who finished third at the Olympic test event after a 2-1 win over India, lost Simon Mantell to a fractured metatarsal on Thursday.
He will have an operation to insert a pin this week, but his hopes of recovery in time to participate at London 2012 already look slim.
Coach Jason Lee is already delaying selection for as long as possible in order to give Surbiton forward Matt Daly the chance to recover from a long-term injury.
The women's team, who won their event with a 2-0 win over under-strength world champions Argentina, also had injury scares with key players Crista Cullen (ankle) and Alex Danson (shoulder) being forced off.
But Tindall stressed injuries - Australia's Graeme Begbie had his Olympic dream ended by a knee problem in a practice match at the Riverbank Arena last week - should not affect their approach as the clock ticks down towards final selection.
"Playing in tournaments there are always going to be risks," Tindall said.
"It is a little bit tight to get everything right, but luckily there is time (to recover) and fingers crossed we can choose from the whole squad.
Hard times
"If you go into something and don't give it 100 per cent and don't put everything in you are more likely to get hurt.
"You have to go flat out because you know there will be an Aussie somewhere putting 100 per cent in and if we don't match him or better it then what is the point really?"
Tindall said unity within the men's squad meant no one took any satisfaction, or additional hope of making the final cut, from Mantell's untimely injury when he was caught by an India player's stick on Thursday.
"There are 26 of us and whoever gets in the 16 for London it won't just be them who are remembered because without every single member of this squad we wouldn't be able to do what we do," he added.
"There will be some hard times and some great times but we can be safe in the knowledge we will always be together.
"Look at what happened to Simon Mantell. We know what type of guy he is and I wouldn't put it past him to come out and play a massive part at London.
"He is a such a good player and with him in the team it is a very different team because we can score goals and he has that thing about him, that X-factor almost, that we could do with.
"Everyone is wishing him well, there are no undertones."
