Soccer Aid: GK Barry is given football coaching by her partner, Pompey midfielder Ella Rutherford
A Pompey midfielder is training her partner in preparation for her Soccer Aid debut.
Ella Rutherford moved to Fratton Park last year and the former Under-19 England player is getting some early coaching experience - giving her partner, the influencer GK Barry, a crash course in football skills before the televised event.
Barry, whose real name is Grace Keeling, said lessons were being given in their garden. The former I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! contestant will play in the charity match at West Ham United’s London Stadium on May 31, despite having never played the game before.
She said: “I said to Ella, let me just play in your position so you can teach me well, and she is a centre attacking midfielder, so I was like, ‘I’ll do that’. But what I didn’t realise is that that is quite a lot of attacking, and I am built like a beanstalk, so this could go one of two ways for me.
“We’ve been in the back garden with some cones, I’ve had my little football boots on, so I’m learning how to dribble, and she’s taking me to a football pitch so I can learn where I’m actually allowed to be on the pitch and where I’m meant to go. So this poor girl’s got her work cut out for her.”
The Saving Grace podcaster said that before meeting Portsmouth midfielder Rutherford, who plays in Women’s Super League 2, the second highest division of women’s football in England, her only experience of the sport was looking at what the footballers’ wives and girlfriends would wear at men’s World Cups.
The 26-year-old added: “To be honest with you, pre-Ella, I didn’t really have a clue about actual football, I’ve only just started when I’m watching her, (to) sort of kind of know what’s going on, usually I’ll be at the bar, I’ll get a Prosecco, and I’ll watch her play a game.
“But now I’m doing Soccer Aid, I’ve had to take it a little bit more seriously, like I’m proper watching what’s going on. So I actually know a little bit about football.”
Barry said she became interested in doing the charity match when watching last year’s edition and thinking it was “really wholesome” and “such a nice atmosphere”, before getting the call and telling Rutherford to coach her.
She added: “I don’t want to show off, but I can do an incredible header, the size of my head is criminal, so I do feel like I’m getting there, but I don’t want anyone to expect any amazing football skills out of me.”
Soccer Aid for Unicef takes place on Sunday, May 31 at the London Stadium, with adult tickets on sale from £20 and junior tickets starting at £10 on the Soccer Aid website.