Tokyo 2020: Northern Ireland not 'respected' in GB squad selection - Furness
- Published
Rachel Furness celebrates scoring against Ukraine in the Euro 2020 play-off first leg
Northern Ireland's Rachel Furness claims players from the team were not considered for the Great Britain squad for the Olympic Games.
NI have qualified for the Euro 2022 finals but are not represented in Hege Riise's 18-player panel for Tokyo.
"We're the only home nation to have qualified for the Euro finals with England hosting it," said Furness.
"I don't think we've been looked at and respected enough as a nation to even be considered."
"If we were potentially considered that would inspire a young generation to not only believe they can compete for their country at a major tournament but potentially represent Great Britain at the Olympics," added the Liverpool midfielder.
"It is a barrier we are trying to knock down and hopefully in the future we can have some representation at the Olympics."
Making history
Furness scored in the Euro 2022 play-off victory over Ukraine in April as Northern Ireland qualified for a major tournament for the first time.
The 32-year-old, who has bagged 31 goals in 77 international appearances, has been key to Northern Ireland's progress under Kenny Shiels along with Everton striker Simone Magill.
'We haven't been respected enough as a nation' - NI's Furness
Northern Ireland warmed up for the Ukraine play-off with a 6-0 hammering at the hands of England in a February friendly at St George's Park.
Riise was in the dugout for the game as England boss and Furness admits it was not a display to impress the manager who would go on to select the Great Britain squad.
"For us it wasn't a showcase for the Olympics - it was successful friendly as we went on to beat Ukraine and that was the ultimate goal," she added
"I don't think anybody could have turned round after playing England and said they deserved to be selected on that one performance, but I don't think one performance should shape what we achieved as a nation.
"Simone Magill is playing in the top league in England and has had one of her best seasons as a professional - her goals ratio this season is probably one of the best in her career. A lot of the girls have been playing at a high level for a very long time now.
"We are doing everything we can as individuals and it's kind of speaking for itself on the pitch for Northern Ireland. I think what we've got to do is just continue to do that and hopefully qualify for major tournaments and then I think it'll be impossible not to select one of us in the future.
Simone Magill and Rachel Furness after both scored in the play-off first leg win over Ukraine in Kovalivka
"As a nation we have always been dismissed, we've always been the underdogs, we've never been considered but now we've qualified for a major tournament. We were the underdogs, we made history and achieved what everyone thought was impossible.
"But I think if we stay quiet about these things it's going to continue just to okay, not to to look at Northern Ireland, to continue to dismiss us. So I'll fight, I'll fight as long as I'm playing and I'll continue to fight when I retire for our girls to be recognised, obviously on merit but if we are continuing to achieve as a whole country then I think that deserves to be looked at."
Furness is currently sidelined with a broke fibula but hopes to be fit for the World Cup qualifiers in September.