Interim England Women head coach Hege Riise to be named Team GB boss

Interim England Women boss Hege Riise is to lead Team GB’s women’s football team at the Olympics this summer.

The PA news agency understands the 51-year-old Norwegian, who won Olympic gold during her distinguished playing career, will oversee Great Britain’s quest for glory in Tokyo.

Riise took charge of the England team in January following Phil Neville’s departure for Inter Miami and presided over a resounding 6-0 friendly victory over Northern Ireland last month.

She will remain at the helm until Holland coach Sarina Wiegman replaces Neville on a permanent basis in September.

England’s progression to the 2019 World Cup semi-finals booked Team GB’s place at the Tokyo Games and the squad is likely to be dominated by women currently under Riise’s charge.

The Lorenskog-born coach, a World Cup and European Championship winner in addition to her Olympic success, was capped by her country on 188 occasions and scored 58 goals from midfield.

Her club career – she played until the age of 37 – took her from her native country to Japan and the United States, and she was named the best Norwegian footballer of all time in 2003, three years before her retirement.

Riise, who served as assistant coach to the USA team which won Olympic gold in 2012, claimed six consecutive league titles as assistant and then head coach at Lillestrom-based LSK Kvinner.