Women's World Cup: England goalkeeper Karen Bardsley happy to put 'ego on the shelf' - BBC Sport
Goalkeeper Karen Bardsley will put her 'ego on the shelf' if she is rested for England's second game of the Women's World Cup against Japan.
England goalkeeper Karen Bardsley says she will "put the ego on the shelf" in pursuit of success at the World Cup - even if it means being rested as head coach Phil Neville rotates the squad.

The Manchester City stopper, 34, started in England's opening Group D win over Scotland, but Carly Telford could be preferred for their next match against Argentina on Friday.

"We've created a fantastic group that understands there is only one shirt and we support each other 100%," Bardsley told BBC Sport.

"Phil was very explicit when he took over 16 months ago. He said he was going to rotate the squad. We didn't know if that would apply to goalkeepers - he said that it would.

"It's not one person. It's not you, you, you. It's us, it's we. That's what we're most passionate about and just getting the job done. That's all we care about, put the ego on the shelf and talk about it later."
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Bardsley was England's number one at the 2011 and 2015 World Cups, helping them to reach third place in Canada after beating Germany in the third-fourth place play-off.

But under Neville, Chelsea goalkeeper Telford, 31, has been used more often. She played in England's final warm-up game against New Zealand, which the Lionesses lost.

She also started in two of England's SheBelieves Cup games last spring, a tournament which the Lionesses won.

Asked if there was fierce competition for the goalkeeper's jersey, which also includes third goalkeeper Mary Earps, Bardsley said: "I don't think it would be fierce, we all really like each other. Fierce tends to have a negative connotation which I don't think exists.

"Everyone has something they can bring to the squad, everyone contributes. Carly's distribution is fantastic, she's a great shot-stopper, Mary also is a great shot-stopper, her distribution is excellent.

"I think we all have a lot of strengths, some more than others in certain places, but I would say on the whole, we're very much on an equal par."

The Californian-born player added: "Our squad is so deep and so committed to wanting to win. No-one is going to remember in five or 10 years' time, who did what and when.

"You're just going to look at the World Cup medal and go, 'yeah I was part of that'."

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