Adam Dixon, Great Britain captain, said it was hard to talk about the opposition after losing to India 3-1 in the Olympic hockey quarterfinals on Sunday.

But when he spoke, he did so fluently. It appeared to come from the bottom of the heart. And with good reason.

“I have a soft spot for India,” said the star England/GB midfielder. “I played in the HIL there for Kalinga Lancers and I have friends in India and in the team,” he said.

About the match itself, Dixon,35, said: “It was a tough day. Elite sport is cruel but you have to take losses as you do wins.”

Coming back to India, Dixon said: “India has a huge aspiration to win an Olympic medal and Graham Reid has put them in a position to do so.

The selection of the team was good. We were slow to start today and if we look back to the match, it’s a cliché but it was a tale of two halves,” said Dixon, who is most likely to quit international hockey with 290 appearances behind him.

“India soaked up a lot of pressure and credit to them. We were better in the second half and kept trying to score and we came close to putting it over the line so often…”

Asked to send a message to Indian fans, Dixon said it was hard to do so after losing to their team but seamlessly sent out a warm message, saying: “Get behind the team, hockey is your national sport and this group is doing your country proud and I wish them the very best for the semi-finals…”

Would he support India in the semi-finals against Belgium? Dixon replied with a chuckle and some hesitation before delivering an emphatic “yes!”.

About his own team, Dixon, expressed the positives from the campaign. “I hope this team uses this experience as a springboard to do better.

“It’s a young exciting group who have not yet reached their peak… players like Zach Waller, Zachary Wallace and Jacob Draper…”

And about his plans for the future. “I can’t wait to go home to my family who has been so supportive. It was so easy to hang up my stick but there could be no other way. I wanted to help the team with my experience. I am happy we have come out here, expressed ourselves and enjoyed every single day being here and soak up the atmosphere at the Games Village.

“Now, I am looking forward to supporting the rest of the GB team,” he said.

Dixon also let out a secret of sorts. “I will hang up my stick internationally. I have played as a professional for the best part of 12-13 years, thanks to the GB Lottery Funding.

“It’s said to end on this note and I don’t want to get into myself and be a grump but I will be involved in club hockey and I will join a school as a hockey coach,” Dixon revealed.

“Yes, it’s still going to he hockey, hockey, hockey,” the affable Dixon said as he signed off.

////