Great Britain coach Jason Lee has admitted his side paid a high price for their lofty ambitions to challenge for a medal in Athens.
A terrible 8-2 defeat to Pakistan yesterday left Team GB facing their worst Olympic finish in 36 years, and they must now beat Argentina tomorrow to avoid the wooden spoon play-off.
Lee said they had come to the Games with the intention of trying their best to finish on the podium and that approach had cost them after an opening 3-1 victory over Egypt was followed by defeats to South Korea (3-2), Spain (5-1), Germany (4-1) and Pakistan.
“Ten months ago we decided - and it was risky - we would aim to be much better than we were ranked,” Lee said.
“We could have had a different approach, a conservative approach, and that would have been a different form of hockey.
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“Once we’ve taken the riskier approach it is difficult to bring ourselves back from it.
“We are now in a four nations tournament and we need to win two matches.”
The coach labelled his players ‘gutless’ after the Pakistan embarrassment and has told them in no uncertain terms what he expects from them over the remainder of the tournament.
“I want them to think about the Pakistan defeat very hard because if we don’t recognise how bad it felt it could get worse,” he added.
“I want to make sure they hurt. When you just try to cover how bad it is you are lying to yourselves.
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“We desperately have to change and change quick because it has been getting progressively worse.
“I’m not going to make any rousing speeches to try to lift it - they are the ones who have to try to do that.
“We need to make sure, over the next two games, we play with the major principles of pride, respect and honour.”