Great Britain international hockey player Richard Alexander fears the disappointment of missing out on a Commonwealth Games medal may never subside.

The 29-year-old England star was part of the team that lost in the semi-finals on penalty strokes to host nation India in Delhi before repeating the trick with a shoot-out defeat to New Zealand as they missed out on bronze.

Alexander, capped more than 100 times for his country, is already preparing for the London 2012 Olympics with the Great Britain squad he has appeared for 37 times already.

Before that, the first chance the Surbiton Hockey Club star has to erase the memory of the Delhi disappointment is at next year’s European Championships.

But Alexander, who combines playing with coaching to make ends meet, admits even a medal in Germany in 2011 might not make up for it.

“We really did miss a massive opportunity to come home with a Commonwealth Games medal and I’m not sure that disappointment will ever go away,” he said.

“We didn’t lose a single game while we were out there, but we are already working on the little things that cost you.

“I’d like to say we’ve moved on but it is hard. Success at the Europeans will help but even then it won’t make up for it.”

Preparations for 2012 are already underway with Alexander already in camp with Team GB and fellow Surbiton team mates James Tindall and Matt Daly for two clashes with Argentina this week at Lilleshall National Sports Centre.

England are ranked fourth in the world, but Alexander admits everything is all about medalling for Team GB in London with the aim being to win gold on home soil.

“We’ve shown we can beat the big teams. We have beaten them all at one time or an other,” he added.

“But it is a completely different thing beating all of the best teams in one tournament.

“I would say Australian and Germany are a little bit ahead of everyone at the moment, but the teams at three to six in the world are a much of a muchness.

“On any given day anyone can beat anyone, so it is going to be tough. But if we have a great tournament we know we can win it.

“We believe it otherwise we wouldn’t be training as hard as we can to win it.”

Who are ya?

Factfile: Richard Alexander.

Nickname: Rat. I was given it as a toddler and it stuck. I’m known more by that than my real name.

Date of Birth: September 15, 1981.

Lives: Long Ditton.

Club: Surbiton Hockey Club.

Position: Defence/Midfield/Forward.

Senior international debut: January, 2005. Alexander scored in a 6-1 win over South Africa.

International caps: England (114), GB (37).

International goals: England (10), GB (4).

Medals: European Championship gold (2009), Champions Trophy silver (2010).

Most memorable: Securing qualification for the 2008 Olympic Games by defeating India 2-0 in the final in Santiago, Chile in March 2008.