Former Great Britain ice hockey captain Jonathan Phillips salutes successor Robert Dowd and backs team to make next stage of Olympics qualification

Since making his GB seniors debut back in 2003, Jonathan Phillips went on to compete in 23 tournaments for his country - including four Winter Olympics qualifying events.

The only tournament he missed with GB was a World Championships event in 2009 when he was back home in Sheffield for the birth of his oldest son, Oisin.

Phillips retired from full-time hockey at the end of the 2022-23 season, going out in the best way possible by leading his GB team-mates to World Championships Division 1A gold in Nottingham and promotion back to the top tier of the game at the first time of asking.

Seeing his former team-mates preparing for this week’s four-day event in his hometown of Cardiff does stir up some feelings of wanting to be there alongside them but, having moved on to a rewarding full-time career outside of hockey in education, he will be happy watching it all unfold back home on TV.

GB go into the tournament against China, Serbia and Romania as the highest-ranked team and - with home ice also on their side - favourites to reach the final stage of qualifying in August.

Phillips backs them to keep their Olympics dream alive until the Autumn.

“I think the experience that team has built up over the last however many years will prove invaluable,” said Phillips. “They’ve really got to pull on that and I think the hockey that they have played over the last few years has gone up and up and up each year and they’ve just got to stay on that track.

“I back them to get through this stage. What we’ve tended to do in the past is kind of play down to other teams’ levels and I think the boys just have to make sure that they stick to their own standards that have been built up over time.

“They need to set the standard in Cardiff - the standards that have been developed through playing in the top tier in three of the last four years.”

Four of Phillips’ former Steelers’ team-mates have made the GB squad - Robert Dowd, Sam Jones, Brandon Whistle and Cole Shudra.

Dowd - as he was at club level for the Steelers last summer - was named as successor to Phillips as GB captain on Wednesday night, much to his friend’s delight.

“I’m absolutely buzzing for him,” said Phillips. “You look at how Dowdy has been this year in his leadership role for the Steelers and I don’t think you can look past that.

“He’s done an unbelievable job so far and I think he has really grown into that role. He’s an excellent choice to lead GB - a born leader.”

Ahead of his first game in charge of the national team when they face China, Dowd said: “It’s a very proud moment for me in my career and I know I have some big boots to fill.

“It was a special moment when Pete (Russell) told me. There’s a little bit of pressure taking the job on from Jono. We made some special memories under him. I hope I can do him proud and help GB to lift more trophies.”

Another of Phillips’ former Steelers’ team-mates - Liam Kirk - was named as assistant captain, along with Cardiff Devils’ Mark Richardson.