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State of the Game debate
Our State of the Game series is investigating women's football and we want to hear YOUR views.
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Our State of the Game series is investigating women's football and we want to hear YOUR views.
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Comments
Siani Sproul says...
I play football for a local womens football team and as some of you are saying that men are physically better then women, i know a few lasses that could give men a run for their money in strength and skill.
Posted 12:28 6th May 2008
Mark Poleykett says...
I currently manage Crawley Wasps LFC 1st Team, who have just completed a very successful season and have been involved in women's and girls football for nearly 10 years. It shouldn't be about equality at the top of the pyramid and complaining that top female footballers are not treated the same as men is to invite comparison between the men's and women's game which is pointless. Women's football should succeed or fail on its own merit and that means growing numbers of players and supporters from the bottom up. Men's football took over 100 years to reach its current position by building up local support and being self-financing. To be sustainable women's football needs to take the same route (although hopefully in less time) and not rely on hand-outs from the FA or men's clubs. Equal opportunity at the grass roots level is essential but you can't force equality at the top. The teams in the FA premier league are entirely dependant on the men's club they are affiliated with. Look at what happened at Charlton, Fulham, Birmingham and Sunderland when that support was taken away. The huge increase in numbers of girls playing football in the last 10 years is a great start. But it is only a start - we need to build on that success by increasing support at the local level and remaining independent of the men's game.
Posted 11:36 6th May 2008
Jonathan Milner says...
All of this really makes me laugh, why don't women compete with men in the Olympics? Or compete with men in tennis etc? Because they are physically weaker, sure, you can label me a sexist, but those are the facts, men are naturally a lot stronger physically which translates very well into these sports, which is why a lot more people are always interested in men¿s games more. Women should be allowed to play whatever sport they want to, but bring it more to the level of men¿s games? Please, don't make me laugh, it will never happen because men are just physically a lot stronger which suits these sports very well (Don't even get me started on women wanting to play in men¿s teams at the highest level, what a joke).
Posted 11:16 6th May 2008
Scott Abraham (arsenal fan) says...
OK, I'm an Arsenal season ticket holder at the Emirates, and would like to take this opportunity to agree that it can't possibly be a bad thing that women are given the recognition they deserve, particually in this day and age in all sports. However, baring in mind the Arsenal Ladies are currently the best club in England if not Europe, and have been for quite some time... watching it is about as exciting as watching paint dry. Yes, of course its to be expected that women arent as physically strong as men, and some may argue that the womens game is perhaps more skill based that that of the mens, but realistically it will NEVER is, nor will be. I currently pay in the region of £1200 a season to renew my season ticket, which admittedly is terrible, but an Arsenal Ladies season ticket will set me back a whole £20 a season. There are reasons for that i need not explain.
Posted 10:28 6th May 2008
Steve Jacques says...
I'm a Charlton fan, a lot of our fan base were up in arms when we disbanded the women's team following relegation. Yet they were getting the proverbial one man and his dog attendance the season before, which speaks volumes. People are only trying to get the women's game to a professional level for 'sexual equality' reasons, not because anyone will actually watch it. Yes, I'm sure it would improve slightly if women were professional, but the level is ridiculously poor. As someone pointed out, Arsenal Ladies are male pub team standard at best.
Posted 10:23 6th May 2008
Damien T says...
Why is there such negativity towards the womens game, I am a male who is fed up time after time of the male national team letting us down, I watched the women last year achieve a quarter final place and thought they did amazingly well considering they do not receive the same backin as their male counterparts. The women who are not professional playing at the moment should be, theyre showing the passion to be in the game whereas the men are not, and i bet half of them wouldnt go to grounds as easy as the men
Posted 09:49 6th May 2008
Carl Findlay says...
Why should we have to watch womens football. Yes every women deserves to play the sport at every type of level, but if the standard isn't very good no one will watch. People say its down to grass roots but, when i first started playing football i had to pay to play. So its not about funding, thats just an easy thing to blame. At the end of the day women's football is dominated by one team so it is pontless watching it. When was the last time a mens team lost a FA cuup final 4-1.
Posted 00:08 6th May 2008
Harriet Rudd says...
People need to remember women's football is not a professional game and therefore people should not be comparing it to mens, personally i think women's football needs to be looked at as a different sport altogether, of course the mens game is going to be better, some of the players are on £120,000 a week, the women get £20 a game if they are lucky. Personally I feel womens football is heading in the right direction, i went to watch todays game and it was great! Women play for the love of the game and NOT the money!
Posted 21:48 5th May 2008
James Walsh says...
They don't have and audience because it's borring. The only reason it's (womens football) big in the USA and China is because the mens football in those countries are poor also.
Posted 21:25 5th May 2008
Helen H says...
Cont'd.... the people's game is no longer the peoples'. So what exactly is it that makes the FA the authority on football? No one is happy with them, even the Government! I agree the women's game needs to develop more excitement - to get to this stage, the game has to be accepted at all levels and gain more investment. I also think serious consideration should be given to adapting the equipment to suit the female phsyique - smaller pitches would create faster games for a start. As a grassroots coach of girls football, having experienced over 10 years in the game, there have been considerable improvements, however, I am dismayed at the suggestion of the retrograde steps being considered - mixed games to U14 - non-competitive Centre of Excellences - Summer season??? How do these things enable us to create a strong and sustainable sport for women? It's tough getting girls interested in the game in the first place with the resistence they face to it, how do grassroots survive the summer holidays? How can our so called 'good players' benefit from non-competitive seasons? How will playing with the boys help, they will only take the best and they will only get a few - it's enough to put most teenage girls off, and frankly we don't need it. We just need a fair opportunity like the boys get. There's no question the skill level is there, just not the support from the people who should be giving it. And that includes the press and media. Or does excelling in sport require money nowadays to get noticed? Shame on those whose weekly wage could support a female club for a year or more! Even more shame on those who think women and girls don't deserve to play!
Posted 20:57 5th May 2008
Cassie Newnham says...
I am so glad that women are now starting to get the recognition in sports that they deserve. I also recently came across the social networking site www.nikehereiam.com which is a great lifeline for female sports fanatics and is a place where girls can connect with other girls across the UK and Europe and share their sports stories and passions. Women¿s football is definitely a growing sport with massive potential and it is great to see companies like NikeWomen offering support towards the expanding female sports community. Women should be proud of playing sport and I seriously encourage all female athletes to join the site and help spread the word!
Posted 20:51 5th May 2008
Steve Pardoe says...
My daughter took up football a couple of years ago & now plays for a very good centre of excellence, Northampton Town U12's. I take an active interest in womens football & love to watch it. It's skilful, fast paced & intricate. Its a great spectator sport & I can recommentd it to all football fans. This was not always the case. I think if more people especially men are exposed to the delicacies of the female game there will be more fans & tolerance. After all if you play football you experience the same elation, disappointment, bruises & satisfaction whether you're male of female. Some suggestions to increase the exposure could be: Exhibition matches free to season ticket holders on none mens match days. Exhibition tasters before or after Professional mens matches, maybe even 20 minutes each way, kick-off at 1.30. A compillation magazine type programme similar to MOTD could be broadcaste in a quiet slot.
Posted 20:48 5th May 2008
Helen H says...
Having just watched the debate on Sky Sports News, which we watch regularly and think is an excellent programme, I was pleased to see a few minutes dedicated to the issues in women's football, considerably more attention than the so-called 'impartial and inclusive' BBC's Match of the Day. It was however, disappointing that after inviting viewers to express their opinions by contacting you, the only one you read out was from someone who had the stereotypical viewpoints the women's game has been fighting against since it began, one which offered no intelligent and constructive suggestions on how to improve things. Perhaps that's why Man U don't have a women's team, are those thoughts representative of Man U in general? As for standing or falling on its own merits - I would agree with you if the women and girls were starting on a level playing field, which is all we want. There are numerous issues preventing women's football from excelling in this county, some of which have been expressed above. I believe, however, at the very heart of the difficulties lies a society which doesn't believe in the women's game, this non-belief is fostered by the blatant discrimination of the female gender by the only Organisation I know of that can get away with it legally - the FA. It is the FA who have generated the male dominated football passion that exists in this country today, through their business deals, publicity and marketing, youth development programmes and and links to world markets. All of these things over the decades have not been open or extended to the female population very until recent years and even then, only in pitifully small doses. to appease those who have dared to object. The sad thing is this country's male football is in a sorry state, no National team to speak of, English players confined for the most part to the Championship,League One and League Two - Cont'd
Posted 20:40 5th May 2008
Lucy Paley says...
Hi, i am Lucy Paley and am currently a player that is at the oxford united girls centre of excellence which unfortunately has only been a prospect developed this year. It is true that womens football is underestimated entirely and in moving the level up to premier will allow the men to understand that they are getting paid the same and that the pay is for a player not for a man or women. The game has been consistantly slow to progress and since the age of 2 i started playing the game. Yes of course the game needs to develop and progress to the next level, one of the frequent issues is that people of my age 14 have had our development come to a stand still because of the failure to develop. Especially in oxfordshire , i find that people of my age see this as a barrier meaning that because the centre near us has only just opened that we have less of an oppurtunity, this is definately a cause of the number of girls dropping out of the game. Myself personally want to become an elite player to help the game to develop and for enjoyment. I believe that i can make it and will, this is what every girl should be thinking. It is extremly difficult to get scouted unless you make that step to push to get trials we shouldnt have to do this and if scouts are at one game they judge you based on 1 game. This is not right because you could be hving a shocker you should be given more than one opputunity which is also a cause to many of the girls quiting the game. Today at the city ground all the players should come round and show their appreciation but for me this didnt happen my dream is to meet kelly smith but she didnt want to know anyone which really dissapointed me however faye did come over to us as everybody else stood along the dugout stand . thanks if you could email back it would be great
Posted 20:17 5th May 2008
Kay Tanser says...
My daughter plays for a local team, Malet Lambert Girls, and has been unbeaten for the last 3 seasons. The girls are passionate and train very hard which is reflected in their achievements, this year adding the Tesco County Cup to the League and Cup double. These girls would be more than a match for any boys team and most definitely worth watching, the games are exciting, tough and technical. It is not all about slide tackles, diving and fouls like the boys these girls win games by their own determination and fitness. Our last game of the season is on the 10th May - why not send the camera's down to see some class action. Kay from Hull
Posted 20:08 5th May 2008
Lorna Mcgowan says...
If anybody watched the game today or anyone watches any womens game they will see that the game is at a really high level but more development is not possible due to the fact that everyone at the top level has to work full time!! How would the mens game cope if they had to work full time as well as play??? The FA need to more into womens football to see the development and a higher standard!
Posted 20:06 5th May 2008
Catherine Poleykett says...
As a 19 year old female, having attained my level one coaching certificate and having played for over 11 years at club level and with Chelsea Centre of Excellence for four years (aswel as a year with Chelsea reserves) I have had vast experience with the FA over the years. There has been a vast improvement with the quality of women's football, of which they have played a reasonable role, but I see this as only fair since they didn't do much for the game by banning it for over 50 years in the early twenties. More attention needs to be paid in encouraging girls to play this increasingly popular sport at younger ages as this is predominantly where the skills are learnt. Furthermore negative comments like those previously are completly unhelpful and unproductive. Of course women are going to be slower and weaker, it is how we are built -we can't help that..but skillfully many individuals are as good, if not better than men to make up for this. Lets not also forget that whilst all the men in the Premier league are playing for thousands of pounds a week these women are dedicating the same time and effort for virtually nothing.
Posted 20:05 5th May 2008
Kay Tanser says...
My daughter plays for a local team, Malet Lambert Girls, and has been unbeaten for the last 3 seasons. The girls are passionate and train very hard which is reflected in their achievements, this year adding the Tesco County Cup to the League and Cup double. These girls would be more than a match for any boys team and most definitely worth watching, the games are exciting, tough and technical. It is not all about slide tackles, diving and fouls like the boys these girls win games by their own determination and fitness. Our last game of the season is on the 10th May - why not send the camera's down to see some class action. Kay from Hull
Posted 20:05 5th May 2008
Stephanie Ankrah says...
I was at both the Arsenal vs Everton Men's game (sunday)and the Arsenal vs Leeds Women's FA Cup today with my boyfriend. We have to say that the Ladies game was far more exciting than the men's match and for the last comment re: women's football isn't very good I would ask if he has ever seen a match live. It is just different to the men's game but just as enjoyable and competitive.
Posted 20:00 5th May 2008
Mathew Jackes says...
To be fair women should have the oppertunities as the men but at the end of the day its just not exiting to watch. I have a question. Could Arsenal ladies the best womens football team beat a male pub team? I dont think so. Maybe we should find out. Would people turn on the tv to watch a pub team. No they wouldnt.
Posted 19:57 5th May 2008
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