Manager Hege Riise has sought to instil resilience while also looking after players’ wellbeing at the Olympics
Hege Riise spoke of the importance of managing the mental toll tournament football can take on players and described her whirlwind management of Team GB as a “privilege” as she readied her squad to face Australia in the quarter-finals of the Olympics.
The former Norway midfielder – who won Olympic gold in 2000, the World Cup in 1995 and the Euros in 1993 and was an assistant coach with the US women’s national team from 2009 to 2012 – joined the England setup as a temporary assistant coach alongside the Canada international Rhian Wilkinson in January. With Phil Neville parting ways with the Football Association to become manager of Inter Miami shortly afterwards, Riise stepped up as interim England manager and then the FA turned to her to lead Team GB in Japan with Wilkinson as her No 2.
