Thriving on attention
- Friday,
Team GB v Canada
London 2012 Olympics
Women's Football Quarter Final
7.45pm, Friday 3 August 2012
City Of Coventry Stadium
Live on BBC3
Team GB Head Coach Hope Powell believes the increased attention around her squad over the last ten days has acted only as an inspiration to her players.
Powell's team beat Olympic favourites Brazil in front of over 75,000 fans at Wembley Stadium last week, the biggest ever attendance for a women's game in Great Britain and there has been a real focus on the women's game since then.
And Powell believes her players are thriving on the attention as they prepare to take on Canada at the City Of Coventry Stadium in Friday evening's quarter final.
"I don't think it (the expectation) has been a distraction," revealed Powell.
"The unprecedented attention after the first game inspired the girls to keep doing well. They enjoy the adulation and attention and want to stay in the competition. It is more of a positive than negative."
That all culminated in the match at Wembley and a few days in the Olympic Village in Stratford, after playing their first two games in Cardiff's Millennium Stadium but that has also helped the squad remain determined to extend their adventure even further.
"They are very grounded, recognise what is at stake and remain focused," she added.
"Our ambition is to win every game. Everyone wants to put themselves into a position where they can go for medals. We are no different."
