London 2012: Jessica Fishlock says Wales feels 'taken out'

Wales captain Jess Fishlock will support Team GB in their opening Olympic match against New Zealand at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium but is disappointed there are no Welsh women in the squad.

GB manager Hope Powell selected 18 players, 16 from England and two Scots.

That leaves midfielder Fishlock forced to spectate on Wednesday.

"It does feel like a whole nation has been completely taken out of the equation," she said.

"Especially as two of [Team GB's] games are in Wales.

"But the other side of that: you want to pick your best squad, not that Wales shouldn't be in there."

Fishlock, who plays for Bristol Academy and is the Football Association of Wales' player of the year, made it clear she felt rejected but is now philosophical after failing to make the original squad when it was announced in April.

"[I] wanted to be there [in the squad] right now but it's not to be. So it's okay," she said.

"It is disappointing that there is no [Wales] representative in there. It is what it is.

"The team has just been picked, apparently, on form and it comes down to one person's opinion and that's the way that it is.

"The squad is her [Powell's] best 18 from Great Britain and you just have to accept that. You just have to accept that there is no Welsh, no Northern Ireland in there."

But Fishlock believes the squad should have representatives from all four countries in the UK to help the promotion of women's football.

"I think there was a bigger picture to the Olympics that should have been taken into account, especially with women's football. We are trying to promote it and make it bigger," insisted Fishlock.

Fishlock is confident Team GB will do well in the Olympic tournament, which sees them in a group with New Zealand, Cameroon and Brazil.

"Let's not get away from the fact that Team GB are still a great side, still have great players and they can actually do really well," she said.

"After playing against some of these girls and watching them play, I just hope they go out and play the way they can, because if they play with enjoyment and play how they want to, they can go on and win it."

"I'm going to be there with my Union [Jack] flag."