The old Olympic ideal that “taking part is more important than winning” is truer for Great Britain’s women footballers than most.
Simply competing in an Olympic Games is a difficult and substantial achievement, to date granted to a mere 18 players. On Thursday that elite band will nearly double in number when the squad for Tokyo is named.
Although football has been played at every Olympics since 1900, Great Britain winning the inaugural event, the women’s tournament only began in 1996.
By then GB no longer entered for fear of opening the door for Fifa to argue the four Home Nations should enter a combined team at the World Cup.
An exception was made, with Fifa assurances, for London 2012 for both genders but it was a one-off and though England women qualified for Rio 2016 opposition from the other home nations meant they could not take up the place.
However, the FA subsequently persuaded the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish FAs to permit the formation of a GB team for Tokyo 2020 if England qualified.
In the women’s game the Olympics is a much bigger deal than in the men’s with no age restrictions on players (the men’s is an under-23 event with three overage players). The FA feel participation, with terrestrial TV coverage, would hugely benefit the sport.
The Lionesses booked a place by reaching the semi-finals of the 2019 Women’s World Cup but during the Covid-induced year’s delay coach Phil Neville left for Inter Miami. He has been replaced by Hege Riise who, being Norwegian, comes to the role without some of the perceived prejudices an English coach would have.
She is the interim England manager, but has only led the team for three matches and will be returning to Norway after the Olympics. However, with only one warm-up match to build cohesion the party will inevitably be based on the England squad.
Riise, who won Olympic gold herself in 2000, has said she wants players with good energy levels and versatility. She can only pick 18 for potentially six matches in 17 days in the humidity of a Japanese summer. The strict Covid restrictions placed on all Olympic athletes means there will also be an emphasis on players who can cope with living in a tight “bubble”.
There will be one definite survivor from 2012 in Ellen White with City teammate Steph Houghton joining her, as captain, if fully recovered from an Achilles injury that has prevented her playing since March. Karen Bardsley could also make the cut, her experience and good form on loan to US club OL Reign edging out Carly Telford and Sandy MacIver despite out a bad error when recalled in April.
Two other 2012 veterans, Kim Little and Jill Scott, face competition from Jordan Nobbs and Jess Fishlock while other choices for Riise to make include Millie Bright or Rachel Corsie? Demi Stokes or Alex Greenwood? and Nikita Parris or Beth England? Versatility should earn places for Rachel Daly, Leah Williamson, Georgia Stanway and Sophie Ingle.
Possible Team GB squad
Goalkeepers
Roebuck, Bardsley (both Man City)
Defenders
Bronze, Stokes, Houghton (all Man City), Williamson (Arsenal), Bright (Chelsea)
Midfielders
Walsh, Stanway, Weir (all Man City), Ingle (Chelsea), Nobbs, Little (Arsenal)
Forwards
Hemp, White (both Man City), Kirby (Chelsea), Parris (Lyon), Daly (Houston)
from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/2QUF6a9
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