London [UK], March 10 (ANI): The Football Association (FA) on Wednesday announced that interim head coach Hege Riise will take charge of Great Britain’s women’s football team at the summer Olympic Games in Tokyo.
“Hege Riise is to have the honour of being the GB Football head coach who will lead the Team GB squad into this summer’s Olympic Games in Tokyo,” FA said in a statement.
FA said Riise, a gold medal winner as a player with Norway at the 2000 Games, will combine the “prestigious” role with her ongoing duties as interim head coach of England Women before the home nations unite as a GB football squad to begin their preparations in June.
Following the Olympic Games, Riise will continue in her role with England until Sarina Weigman’s arrival in September, FA said.
Riise will be assisted by Rhian Wilkinson with whom she formed an immediate successful partnership during England Senior Women’s February international camp at St. George’s Park, with a further coach “to be announced in due course.”
Team GB will be one of 12 international teams taking part in the football tournament at the rearranged Tokyo Olympic Games, with matches taking place between July 21 and August 6.
It will be the first time Great Britain and Northern Ireland will be represented at the Olympics since London 2012, with the squad qualifying via England’s run to the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup semi-finals. “The FA is the nominated country from the home nations to deliver the GB football programme, and the final squad of 18 will be based on consideration of players from across the home nations,” the statement read.
“I know first-hand as a former player just how huge the Olympics are as a tournament and I’m enormously proud to have this opportunity to lead the GB squad into the Games. We’ll go there to give everything we have to be successful and I hope we can also use the power of the Games to help women’s football continue to grow in popularity,” Riise said. (ANI)