Neville lined up to lead GB in Toyko

ENGLAND are starting to plan to send a GB women’s football team to the Tokyo Olympics with Phil Neville as manager.

The other home nations confirmed before the FIFA congress in Moscow today that they remain as opposed as ever to fielding a combined team. But they will not prevent any of their players who wish to be part of the GB squad from being considered for selection.

However it will be left to England to organise the side, with Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland having confirmed to FIFA that they have no objection. The FA have appointed their women’s head of performance David Faulkner to be the administrative team leader. Faulkner, a 1988 Olympic hockey gold medallist, spent seven years as performance director of England and GB Hockey. And Neville, the new England women’s manager, is in place to take charge of the side as his predecessor Hope Powell did in Rio in 2016.

Baroness Campbell, FA head of women’s football, fully expects Neville to take the team to Japan in 2020 provided he is still at the FA.