Karen Bardsley

The only technical difference you will find is, if you are keeping goal as a male, they will play a bit further out, but set positions are the same, and techniques are constantly evolving.

My goal has never been to see how many stats I can rack up.

It's a goalkeeper's job. There's so many times you're doing nothing for 89, 90 minutes, and then there's a split-second moment. It's a different challenge to outfield players, who have a lot of physical challenges and battle. We have a lot of mental battles; it's about maintaining your focus, refining processes of what you do in a game.

To build more interest in goalkeeping, we have to change how people think and report on goalkeepers. You are not just there to keep the ball out of the back of the net: you are there to impact the back four, to organise the team, essentially lead from the back. It is a really pivotal position.

My teammates always have my back on the field, and I will do everything in my power to make sure I always have theirs.

Every minute I'm on the field, I'm out there playing for my team, and the success of our team is what is most important to me.

Kids in school told me my parents had accents, but I had no idea; they've always sounded that way to me.

Everyone provides a different experience, and for me, personally, it's important that all perspectives are seen.

Different techniques are now being used in futsal and handball. It's about timing more than anything else. Those little intricacies are slowly being picked up in the women's game - and it's kind of going unnoticed.

We do get a lot of sexist tweets and comments, things about a woman's place being in the kitchen, not on the pitch.

You take the opportunities when you get them, and you try to see if there's any cues the opposition gives you, but more important is focusing on your own process, trusting your instincts, and being decisive.

It's very important for me to constantly push myself.