England Hockey Lead Andy Taylor confident they can 'go all the way' at Masters World Cup as he prepares for full circle career moment

Taylor is celebrating 50 years involved in hockey and hopes to keep his impressive medal record with England ticking over when they land in Rotterdam to compete for the top prize.

Taylor is the England Hockey Lead and team manager for the men’s over 50s. The WMH World Cup will get underway on July 22nd and he will be returning to a place he knows very well indeed. His first World Cup also took place in the Dutch city back in 2014, where he managed England men’s 40s to the bronze medal, beating Germany in the third-place match.

Next month, in a poignant full circle moment in his career, Taylor will be looking to add more silverware to his growing collection.

Since his first involvement with England Hockey 13 years ago, Taylor has won a medal at every single major tournament he has been to, both indoor and outdoor. A milestone moment was his success with the over 55s to lift the World Cup in Australia in 2016.

Representing England is something Taylor cherishes and despite preparing for his eighth World Cup, the occasion feels just as exciting as the first time.

“I still regard myself as a very ordinary guy from a working class background who has lived in Sutton-in-Ashfield and Mansfield all his life, and I still have to pinch myself that I’ve got 133 caps for England in competitive fixtures and have won medals at every tournament over the 13 tournaments I’ve been to,” Taylor told the Chad.

“I wear the England badge with such pride. Every time I’ve stood there on the side-lines, and the national anthem has been playing in front of a stadium of people, I get such a lump in my throat. We’re now just weeks away from going to Rotterdam for the World Cup again and I’m as excited as a puppy.

“There’s so much to do when you get out there. We’re a full international team so there’s everything from diets, to recovery sessions, the food we eat, where we eat, transport needing to be organised… it’s a massive logistical job to get everyone out to these tournaments, get through them and be successful, and we’re lucky that we have been. I have to call it lucky – I won’t allow myself to say it’s any different. But it’s a phenomenal experience to put this badge on and walk out there. I feel so proud every time.”

Taylor is confident his side have what it takes to topple the competition and claim this year’s title in Rotterdam. His last World Cup saw him pick up the bronze medal in Cape Town, South Africa.

“We have the potential this year to go all the way,” he continued. “I would certainly expect us to be in a medal game, and with the way the boys are playing at the moment, it could be a very good medal that we’re up for.

“This is probably one of the best groups of players I’ve had to select from and work with. We do expect a big medal this time – there is the expectation that this could be the year where we pick up another World Cup win.”