Carly Telford added to Team GB women's football squad for Olympic Games; Goalkeeper Telford replaces Karen Bardsley, who has withdrawn due to injury; Telford was part of England squad which reached 2019 World Cup semi-final
Friday 18 June 2021 11:22, UK
Carly Telford has been called up to the Team GB women's football squad for the Olympic Games after Karen Bardsley had to withdraw through injury.
The Chelsea goalkeeper helped England reach the semi-finals of the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup - a feat which secured GB Football their spot at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, which get under way next month.
Telford said: "This is an amazing honour, although I really feel for KB and send her all my best wishes for her speedy recovery.
"The goalkeepers' union is not a cliché - although we are competing to play we always want each other to do well. I am so disappointed for her but of course tremendously proud to get the chance to play at an Olympic Games. It is an incredible honour and I will give it all I can."
Although Sandy MacIver is on the reserve list, head coach Hege Riise opted for Telford to be Bardsley's direct replacement due to her experience.
She will now compete with Ellie Roebuck to be in the starting XI when the Games get under way on July 21 against Chile.
Riise said: "We are very fortunate to be able to call on a goalkeeper of Carly's pedigree. Losing Karen was a blow of course but her selection was always a close-call with Carly, given they both have such strong reputations. Carly is a leader and she will be a big asset for us and what we are hoping to achieve."
Riise remains confident her Great Britain women's football squad will be able to avoid a chaotic start at the Olympics.
Team GB athletes face the prospect of six days' hard quarantine in Tokyo under rules which risk harming their preparations.
A Tokyo 2020 spokesperson has confirmed athletes are not exempt from the Japanese Government restrictions which were imposed last week due to fears over rising cases of the Covid Delta variant in the UK.
Riise said: "This year we need to deal with everything which comes. We don't focus too much on what might happen. We have a plan but the rules change all the time. The Covid situation changes all the time.
"We think by the end of us travelling we will be OK and that is the Plan A for us.
"We want to travel and go straight into training, if not that's something we need to talk more about.
"We have a plan because of the rules changing all the time but we haven't spent too much time talking about it. We want to be prepared for either none or a few days' quarantine."
