Alistair McGregor has found himself facing a late challenge for his Olympic place in Beijing and Sunderland and Scotland international football keeper Craig Gordon is the man piling the pressure on Alistair.

Well, not exactly.  But Britain’s most expensive Premier League keeper did swap goalkeeping gloves for hockey pads at Loughborough University earlier this week.

Gordon kindly accepted a challenge from GB Hockey to find out what it takes to become a hockey keeper and after flying down from Edinburgh Craig was put through his paces in a 60-minute work-out with Alistair.

Alistair was suitably impressed. “I’m glad the squad has already been picked because I’m certain I would have come under a lot of pressure,” he said.

“For me, Craig is one of the world’s best keepers and it was a fantastic opportunity to meet up with him.

“It was a great gesture of him to fly down from Edinburgh and he was a really down-to-earth guy.”

Craig enjoyed his hockey clinic with Alistair but is not sure just yet whether he wants to hang up his goalkeeping gloves.

“It was a great insight into what it’s like to be a hockey keeper.

“I can certainly see now why they need all that padding.  I had a great time and I’d like to wish Alistair, the men’s team and the women’s team all the very best in Beijing.

“I’ll certainly be following their progress in Beijing.”

Via Great Britain Hockey

Also see: Craig Gordon takes different type of stick