Top 5 Videos for Indoor Hockey in 2011

The Maxifuel Super Sixes Finals Day will be taking place on Sunday 29th Jaunary 2012 at Wembley Arena, so here's a 'Top 5' from 2011...

1. The men's final between East Grinstead and Beeston was pure class, so many great players and I love that goal from Niall Stott (2'44") with his celebration. Something we don't get enough of in hockey.



2. An indoor World Cup took place in February 2011, staged in Poznan, Poland. Here's a compilation of some of the highlights...



3. The women's final was good at the Maxifuel Super Sixes Finals Day in 2011 with Bowdon Hightown beating Reading to the crown.



4. It'll be Bowdon Hightown's turn at this competition in 2012, but Leicester were there last year. Staged in France at Abbeville, this proved to be a very exciting tournement, with a certain Chloe Rogers bagging the top goal scorer title...



5. Ashley Jackson, he's brilliant! Just look at him playing in these games. The England and Great Britain striker is on fine form.

Happy New Year and 2012 at Last!

So, 2012 is nearly here!

It's going to be a massive year for hockey in the UK, with the Olympics just around the corner.

Throughout the year I'm going to try and post at least once a week (Fingers-crossed!) with lots of interesting hockey material from across the web. This blog is all about video, so it will focus mostly on that.

I'll be pulling stuff out of the archive and finding material online, so check it out.

Here's two to get us started...

New Zealand Defeat

It was a little bit disappointing to lose 4-1 to New Zealand, especially after such an amazing opener from England.

I understand there may be some sickness in the England camp, so that could account for a few problems - but on the day you had to say Katie Glynn was in fine form, scoring a hat-trick.

Charlotte Harrison also played some good hockey, and it is a credit to Mark Hager, their Australian coach, and the work the team have put in over the summer - getting a result against the number five ranked international side.

South Africa drew with Australia, another big result today 1-1 - so the semi spots are quite wide open going into the last women's pool matches.

Above: Me outside, there is plenty of police and army soldiers to protect visitors like me.

Above: The Dhyan Chand National Hockey Stadium in New Delhi. A sign up says it is only the second best hockey stadium in the world! This is crazy, this is the best purpose built stadium only for hockey in the world. No question. With out a doubt. Could do with some roofs on the stands to protect visitors from the sun!   

Above: England after the match against New Zealand, it's no way near finished yet.

Looking Hot!

So England win, India lose, and England win!

Rani Rampal is wearing pink trainers just like Luciana Aymar, and Rani showed her class towards the end with her excellent goal.

Above: Me wearing my India hockey shirt from Sandeep Somesh, signed on the back by the whole India women's team out in Argentina - it caused a lot of interest!

India will be at their base cursing the missed opportunities towards the beginning of that game with the Ozzies. I had India down to beat them, but it wasn't to be with a 2-1 victory to Australia.

There was a few more people in for the India game, even if the guys I was chatting to had mixed up the days and thought they'd be seeing India's men! So, they taught me the 'Chaka de India' song and we had a bit of a sing-a-long.

'Chaka de India' is Hindi for 'Go India!' and is from the excellent Bollywood movie about the Indian women's hockey team.

Great goal from Chloe Rogers; get your stick out and low when in the circle and you'll get a touch, top of the net - fab!

Now I understand there is a bit of debate going on in the UK about the music of 'Jerusalem' being played at the start and the England teams non-singing of it.

Well, its stupid - isn't it?

It is not the national anthem of the UK, and the women spend all the rest of the year singing 'God Save the Queen', so let England stick with that.

Also I notice that a lot of the anthems are shortened versions anyway, obviously only the complete song of 'Jerusalem' has been provided - so it goes on and on and on and on and climaxes with a less than impressive ending.

We don't play all 4 verses of 'God Save the Queen' anymore, so why play all of this? (If you must have it at all). 

Above: The top of India Gate viewed from the National Hockey Stadium.

Above: Alan Craddock cut a bit of a lonely figure in the stand, as England supporters moved to the top to get a bit of protection from the burning mid-morning sunshine.
And more volunteers wanted to speak Hindi to the funny foreigner, one volunteer even said: "I'm friendly"- isn't that nice?!

So, a very hot day all round - spent mostly in full sunshine. Phewwwww! Rest day tomorrow.

England's Hockey World Cup 2010

Katie Long on England's World Cup Bronze

BBC TV Interviews with Alex Danson and Kate Walsh

There'll be more after the medal presentations! But for now here are my BBC TV interviews with Kate Walsh and Alex Danson.

Do check out Danny Kerry's interview as he has some very special news.

Congratulations to all the players and coaching staff of the England women's hockey team.