Rover Oxford’s Richard Beer takes on the mantle of manager of the England women’s team for the first time today when they face Spain in Nottingham.

“It’s a big honour,” says Richard, who was manager of the GB women’s under 21 team that won the gold medal at the Youth Olympic Festival in Australia in January.

Beer, who lives in Kennington, is a well-known figure in Oxfordshire sporting circles.

He has played hockey for Rover Oxford for many years, and is the club chairman. He also plays cricket for Oxford 2nd in The Oxford Times Cherwell League Division 1.

And in a working capacity, he is the Sports Development Manager on the Oxfordshire Sports Partnership.

This involves liaising with the national bodies of sport to assist with the development of sport across the county, including club, coach, workforce and volunteer development.

It is his expertise in administration and logistics which has helped Beer climb up the management ladder in hockey after he was involved in regional development work for England Hockey.

“Hilary Rose and I have been appointed joint managers for the senior England women’s team until after the 2010 Commonwealth Games,” he said.

“You need two people because it’s a busy year coming up and it’s probably too much for one person to be able to get the necessary time off work.

“I’m managing the team for this weekend’s matches against Spain and for the Champions Trophy.

“Then next summer there’s the World Cup in Argentina, the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, and then the Champions Trophy in Nottingham.

“But being manager is not the same as in football,” he was eager to point out. “The coaches make all the tactical decisions on the pitch, the manager’s job is much more about logistics.

“Mind you, I’ll be the one making all the substitutions, and in a game we tend to make 60-70 substitutions!”

As well as his commitments with England and GB, Beer is working on a big hockey project in Oxford this summer.

“The city has been chosen as a junior regional performance centre. We’ll have 250 of the most talented 13-16-year-olds and it will take place at Iffley Road, Oxford Hawks and Brookes. It’s really big for Oxford to get it.”