Desperate to win!
- Friday,
Team GB v South Korea
London 2012 Olympic Games
7.30pm, Saturday 4 August 2012
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Live on BBC3
Team GB Head Coach Stuart Pearce has set his sights on winning the first medal of his managerial career as his side prepare to face South Korea in Saturday’s quarter final.
The winners of the tie will be tantalisingly close to medal glory with a chance of bronze even if they lose in the last four. But Pearce is still dreaming of gold ahead of the crucial clash in Cardiff.
He said: "At this moment in time, I have won nothing as a manager. I see myself as a young, developing manager with a lot to learn. I'm desperate to win, probably more so for the players than myself. If they could go home with a medal in their pocket I'd be delighted.
“I know what this game means. I could lie to you and say we will just take one game in isolation. But we know the magnitude of this match and teams in the quarter finals know that if they advance they have two bites at a medal. I think that is vitally important for any of the teams. If you win the quarter final, and I'm not just talking about Team GB, three out of the four teams are going to come away with a medal. And that's a fact."
Getting through will not be easy, however. And Pearce has been impressed with the Koreans so far, saying: “They've been a really consistent side. I think they've made one change in three matches. Their preparation has been fantastic coming into this. They are a good side, well prepared, well organised - everything you would expect from a side in the quarter finals of the Olympic Games.
"They offer something different each time, technically and tactically."
The stakes for both sides are high with so much riding on it. But Pearce feels it may be slightly less pressure than for a Home Nations side competing in a World Cup or European Championship – because at the Olympics they are part of a much bigger multi-sport team.
"Do I think there is less pressure because of that? Probably, yes I do. There's a level slant on the expectations of the team and probably in some ways, it should be like that with England. It has been good for us and has kept our heads under the radar.
“But there are no givens in football. We're just pleased to get out of a difficult group and move into the quarter finals.”
Korean coach Myung Bo Hong has dismissed suggestions his team are underdogs and vowed to give Team GB a game to remember.
He said: "Our players have been playing well. I do not know what the Great Britain team think of the Korean team, but if there is any over-confidence on Great Britain's part then we will use it to our advantage.
"Many people think the Great Britain team is superior to the Korean team, but anything can happen. We will put everything into this match.”
