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[Other Sport] EURO 2022 Official Thread













mikeyjh

Well-known member
Dec 17, 2008
4,607
Llanymawddwy
That's the thing isn't it. Football at it's heart is not just about quality levels - it's about passion, belief, bonding, teamwork, competitiveness - and so on. Whoever it's played by.

Definitely. And if England don't absolutely smash Sweden, I'll be very disappointed, that was terrible.
 




Harry Wilson's tackle

Harry Wilson's Tackle
NSC Patron
Oct 8, 2003
56,086
Faversham
That Sweden performance reminded me of a trip to Lincoln many years ago when we peppered their goal, only to lose to their one shot on target - by 'Silky' David Cameron :facepalm: That could have happened tonight....except the right team won in the end. Just.....
 








Jack Straw

I look nothing like him!
Jul 7, 2003
7,108
Brighton. NOT KEMPTOWN!
I'll miss Davina Philtjens now Belgium have gone. About three stone soaking wet, only as tall as most of the other players knee-level, but with a Ferrari engine and heart of a lion. Up and down the pitch, never stopped. Like Lamptey on speed. What a smashing little player she is.
 


Winker

CUM ON FEEL THE NOIZE
Jul 14, 2008
2,524
The Astral Planes, man...
That was like watching Brighton last season - 99% possession, 400 attempts on goal, unable to break down an 11 ma... er woman defence. The only difference being, unlike us, Sweden actually managed to score in the end.
 






Lady Whistledown

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 7, 2003
47,625
So I've been to both England games at the Amex so far. Tickets for the Norway game were a Christmas present and I was quite meh about it until the day of the game. I'm writing this as somebody who's followed the Albion for over thirty years, but also as a woman who played the game for many years too. I don't mind admitting I've never found watching women's games particularly enjoyable.

The Norway game was far more fun than I'd expected, and not just because of the eight goals. Yes, the atmosphere was very different to a men's game. It's like the crowd desperately want to sing songs, but they lack the coordination and match experience to do so, which means the range of songs is quite limited, largely to Engerland, Engerland, Engerland; Football's Coming Home and the odd round of Beth Mead's On Fire from the more adventurous. On the plus side, there are no knobbers piping up with "Your Support Is ****ing Shit" or "We Pay Your Benefits", so, every cloud. I enjoyed the Norway game so much, I went after tickets for the Spain quarter final, and unexpectedly found myself bagging a pair.

The atmosphere for Spain was more ramped up, a slightly bigger crowd, with more adults and fewer school kids. When I noticed the bloody England band were present, my heart sank at first. I hate their droning dirges at England men's games: I think they actually detract from the atmosphere. But perhaps in the women's game as it currently is, they actually work much better. They lead the crowd, who follow on enthusiastically. The longer the game went on, the better the atmosphere got. There was no sense of fans getting on the players' backs even when they were losing, and you could sense the anticipation building as England managed to force the pressure back on to Spain as the second half went on. When England equalised, the whole place was on its feet. When they got the winner, it's the closest I've ever seen to limbs at a women's game: honestly it was absolutely bouncing.

It's great to see so many women and girls at the game, but you might be surprised to hear me say that the the best thing is actually how many men are starting to engage with this England team. That's far more impactive than perhaps you'll ever know. It's fantastic to see young girls looking up to Beth Mead, Alessia Russo and Lucy Bronze as role models, but it's even better for society if we see boys doing the same. For almost all of football's history, female football fans have idolised male players, so why shouldn't boys look up to Ella Toone? I absolutely love the fact that I've seen guys walking around in the England women's team replica shirts too. I've seen some men suggesting they like it but wouldn't buy it as 'It's a women's shirt". It comes in men's fit, just as the England men's team shirt comes in women's fit, so why not (apart from the £75 price, obviously)? The away shirt in particular is beautiful. It would be incredible to see men walking around with Russo 23 or Mead 7 on the backs of their shirts.

I really hope this team can really do something in this tournament. I played football for so many years, for Sussex and South East representative sides as well as my club teams, with no hope of ever making a career out of football, so it's still incredible to me to see these women making such an impact. I love the idea that kids now run up to Millie Bright and Ellen White asking for autographs. If you've never had to fight for recognition in life, then perhaps you won't understand just how much representation matters. Trust me: it really does, and I'm genuinely so thrilled to see some of these players becoming household names. I'd love to see England get to the final and win this thing, just to see how much it really draws the wider footballing public in.

Who knows: perhaps it might even inspire dull Gareth and his troops in Qatar? Go on, girls. Show us just how good you can be, and seize the opportunity to make a nation proud. Well, most of us, anyway :)
 


Wozza

Custom title
NSC Patron
Jul 6, 2003
24,372
Minteh Wonderland
I absolutely love the fact that I've seen guys walking around in the England women's team replica shirts too.

As discussed on here somewhere, some folk don't realise that this is the women's kit for Euro 2022 - available in women's, men's and youth sizes - and that the men's World Cup 2022 kit will be different. (Sadly)

I've seen some men suggesting they like it but wouldn't buy it as 'It's a women's shirt". It comes in men's fit, just as the England men's team shirt comes in women's fit, so why not (apart from the £75 price, obviously)?

It's sold out everywhere.

(Nice post though)
 


Bry Nylon

Test your smoke alarm
Helpful Moderator
Jul 21, 2003
20,572
Playing snooker
So I've been to both England games at the Amex so far. Tickets for the Norway game were a Christmas present and I was quite meh about it until the day of the game. I'm writing this as somebody who's followed the Albion for over thirty years, but also as a woman who played the game for many years too. I don't mind admitting I've never found watching women's games particularly enjoyable.

The Norway game was far more fun than I'd expected, and not just because of the eight goals. Yes, the atmosphere was very different to a men's game. It's like the crowd desperately want to sing songs, but they lack the coordination and match experience to do so, which means the range of songs is quite limited, largely to Engerland, Engerland, Engerland; Football's Coming Home and the odd round of Beth Mead's On Fire from the more adventurous. On the plus side, there are no knobbers piping up with "Your Support Is ****ing Shit" or "We Pay Your Benefits", so, every cloud. I enjoyed the Norway game so much, I went after tickets for the Spain quarter final, and unexpectedly found myself bagging a pair.

The atmosphere for Spain was more ramped up, a slightly bigger crowd, with more adults and fewer school kids. When I noticed the bloody England band were present, my heart sank at first. I hate their droning dirges at England men's games: I think they actually detract from the atmosphere. But perhaps in the women's game as it currently is, they actually work much better. They lead the crowd, who follow on enthusiastically. The longer the game went on, the better the atmosphere got. There was no sense of fans getting on the players' backs even when they were losing, and you could sense the anticipation building as England managed to force the pressure back on to Spain as the second half went on. When England equalised, the whole place was on its feet. When they got the winner, it's the closest I've ever seen to limbs at a women's game: honestly it was absolutely bouncing.

It's great to see so many women and girls at the game, but you might be surprised to hear me say that the the best thing is actually how many men are starting to engage with this England team. That's far more impactive than perhaps you'll ever know. It's fantastic to see young girls looking up to Beth Mead, Alessia Russo and Lucy Bronze as role models, but it's even better for society if we see boys doing the same. For almost all of football's history, female football fans have idolised male players, so why shouldn't boys look up to Ella Toone? I absolutely love the fact that I've seen guys walking around in the England women's team replica shirts too. I've seen some men suggesting they like it but wouldn't buy it as 'It's a women's shirt". It comes in men's fit, just as the England men's team shirt comes in women's fit, so why not (apart from the £75 price, obviously)? The away shirt in particular is beautiful. It would be incredible to see men walking around with Russo 23 or Mead 7 on the backs of their shirts.

I really hope this team can really do something in this tournament. I played football for so many years, for Sussex and South East representative sides as well as my club teams, with no hope of ever making a career out of football, so it's still incredible to me to see these women making such an impact. I love the idea that kids now run up to Millie Bright and Ellen White asking for autographs. If you've never had to fight for recognition in life, then perhaps you won't understand just how much representation matters. Trust me: it really does, and I'm genuinely so thrilled to see some of these players becoming household names. I'd love to see England get to the final and win this thing, just to see how much it really draws the wider footballing public in.

Who knows: perhaps it might even inspire dull Gareth and his troops in Qatar? Go on, girls. Show us just how good you can be, and seize the opportunity to make a nation proud. Well, most of us, anyway :)

All of this! And I for one am LOVING sharing this journey that this England squad are taking us on. I love the endeavour, courage, togetherness and never-say-die spirit in this team and how clearly they are loving their time in the spotlight and seizing the moment.
I love how they go out and play the game and actually find them far easier to relate to and connect with compared to their multi- millionaire male counterparts.

Looking forward to Tuesday with a mixture of excitement and anxiety as I’m desperate for them to get to the final and go on and win this thing.
 
Last edited:




Lady Whistledown

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 7, 2003
47,625
Looking forward to Tuesday with a mixture of excitement and anxiety as I’m desperate for them to get to the final and go on and win this thing.

Totally. They've made such an impact that it would be an anti-climax if they didn't at least reach Wembley. I still see a few blokes responding to tweets about the tournament with "nobody cares about women's football" or "they wouldn't last a second in the men's game". No, they wouldn't, but then they're not asking to play with the men. Just to be recognised as talented footballers in their own right. Nobody says Laura Kenny isn't any good because she wouldn't keep up with Jason Kenny or Chris Hoy over ten laps of the track, so why do women footballers get that treatment? And the ones tweeting that nobody cares, whilst responding to tweets about women's football...clearly they have no sense of irony or self awareness.

I'm really glad you're enjoying and feeling invested in it. Honestly, it means so much to see guys buying in to it. I really, really want to see what happens to them if they win. Will they get an invite to Downing Street (many might say that was a negative, but you get the point) and a parade if they do? Because they would deserve it. Female players in the US are nationally recognised. I'd love to see the same happen to our players. It's terrific for your daughters and granddaughters if it does.
 


Bry Nylon

Test your smoke alarm
Helpful Moderator
Jul 21, 2003
20,572
Playing snooker
Totally. They've made such an impact that it would be an anti-climax if they didn't at least reach Wembley. I still see a few blokes responding to tweets about the tournament with "nobody cares about women's football" or "they wouldn't last a second in the men's game". No, they wouldn't, but then they're not asking to play with the men. Just to be recognised as talented footballers in their own right. Nobody says Laura Kenny isn't any good because she wouldn't keep up with Jason Kenny or Chris Hoy over ten laps of the track, so why do women footballers get that treatment? And the ones tweeting that nobody cares, whilst responding to tweets about women's football...clearly they have no sense of irony or self awareness.

I'm really glad you're enjoying and feeling invested in it. Honestly, it means so much to see guys buying in to it. I really, really want to see what happens to them if they win. Will they get an invite to Downing Street (many might say that was a negative, but you get the point) and a parade if they do? Because they would deserve it. Female players in the US are nationally recognised. I'd love to see the same happen to our players. It's terrific for your daughters and granddaughters if it does.

I definitely sense a change is happening and this England squad are catalysts for that change and trailblazers for future generations. (Whether or not they want to be trailblazers I don't know; I'm sure they just want to go out there and play their football - but 30'000 sell out crowds, bouncing stadiums and 7 million watching at home live on tv suggests something is building).

And I sense this change in a more subtle but equally significant way at grassroots level. My son plays in the u12 team for our local town. The club runs boys and girls teams from u8 through to u17 and I found out this week that there is now actually a waiting list of girls wanting to join squads for next season. This is the first time that this has happened. Another thing I notice is that when my 11year old son sits down to watch England play he doesn't really care if its Harry Kane or Beth Mead who is the striker; he just wants to watch England play.

So yes - I'm 100% invested in it and who wouldn't want to be? Partly because its just a great thing to feel part of and partly because, as you say, it will be fascinating to see what the reaction and response is across the country is if they win it. I really hope they get the recognition and plaudits they deserve.
 
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ozzygull

Well-known member
Oct 6, 2003
4,159
Reading
Totally. They've made such an impact that it would be an anti-climax if they didn't at least reach Wembley. I still see a few blokes responding to tweets about the tournament with "nobody cares about women's football" or "they wouldn't last a second in the men's game". No, they wouldn't, but then they're not asking to play with the men. Just to be recognised as talented footballers in their own right. Nobody says Laura Kenny isn't any good because she wouldn't keep up with Jason Kenny or Chris Hoy over ten laps of the track, so why do women footballers get that treatment? And the ones tweeting that nobody cares, whilst responding to tweets about women's football...clearly they have no sense of irony or self awareness.

I'm really glad you're enjoying and feeling invested in it. Honestly, it means so much to see guys buying in to it. I really, really want to see what happens to them if they win. Will they get an invite to Downing Street (many might say that was a negative, but you get the point) and a parade if they do? Because they would deserve it. Female players in the US are nationally recognised. I'd love to see the same happen to our players. It's terrific for your daughters and granddaughters if it does.

It is because SOME men can’t get over something they are not interested in is shown or mentioned and their dip sh!t selfish brains explode, as they have not grown up like women who have managed to ignore the decades of male sports that we have endured yet have zero interest in.

They are best ignored.
 


herecomesaregular

We're in the pipe, 5 by 5
Oct 27, 2008
4,649
Still in Brighton
Tbh, I went to the England v NZ friendly and was unimpressed and no glimpses I caught on tv had convinced me otherwise since. But....I am happy to admit watching many games through this tournament and I have gradually enjoyed it more and more (otherwise I wouldn't have continued to do so, that's argument enough imo). Some of the passages of play and goals have been first class in terms of quality, control and finishing. {Saying that I was a bit frustrated at how poor Sweden, the top seeds, were yesterday though, shockingly poor in quality}. I hoping we beat them and then smash Germany in the final, that could really ignite the nation further. And yes, I'd also like it as it could add a bit of extra pressure on the men to up their game because the women will have the bragging rights. So, I was wrong, Women's footie rules at the moment (until the season starts).

edit- I'll aslo add I was a bit sick before this tourno started that the BBC were pushing it so. Yes, I was a bit "no one cares, no one watches Women's football, you're only promoting it because it's the only sport the BBC can afford". But again, happy to admit I got that wrong. The coverage and the new presenters/analysts have been a joy and the coverage has really worked imho.
 




amexer

Well-known member
Aug 8, 2011
6,830
So I've been to both England games at the Amex so far. Tickets for the Norway game were a Christmas present and I was quite meh about it until the day of the game. I'm writing this as somebody who's followed the Albion for over thirty years, but also as a woman who played the game for many years too. I don't mind admitting I've never found watching women's games particularly enjoyable.

The Norway game was far more fun than I'd expected, and not just because of the eight goals. Yes, the atmosphere was very different to a men's game. It's like the crowd desperately want to sing songs, but they lack the coordination and match experience to do so, which means the range of songs is quite limited, largely to Engerland, Engerland, Engerland; Football's Coming Home and the odd round of Beth Mead's On Fire from the more adventurous. On the plus side, there are no knobbers piping up with "Your Support Is ****ing Shit" or "We Pay Your Benefits", so, every cloud. I enjoyed the Norway game so much, I went after tickets for the Spain quarter final, and unexpectedly found myself bagging a pair.

The atmosphere for Spain was more ramped up, a slightly bigger crowd, with more adults and fewer school kids. When I noticed the bloody England band were present, my heart sank at first. I hate their droning dirges at England men's games: I think they actually detract from the atmosphere. But perhaps in the women's game as it currently is, they actually work much better. They lead the crowd, who follow on enthusiastically. The longer the game went on, the better the atmosphere got. There was no sense of fans getting on the players' backs even when they were losing, and you could sense the anticipation building as England managed to force the pressure back on to Spain as the second half went on. When England equalised, the whole place was on its feet. When they got the winner, it's the closest I've ever seen to limbs at a women's game: honestly it was absolutely bouncing.

It's great to see so many women and girls at the game, but you might be surprised to hear me say that the the best thing is actually how many men are starting to engage with this England team. That's far more impactive than perhaps you'll ever know. It's fantastic to see young girls looking up to Beth Mead, Alessia Russo and Lucy Bronze as role models, but it's even better for society if we see boys doing the same. For almost all of football's history, female football fans have idolised male players, so why shouldn't boys look up to Ella Toone? I absolutely love the fact that I've seen guys walking around in the England women's team replica shirts too. I've seen some men suggesting they like it but wouldn't buy it as 'It's a women's shirt". It comes in men's fit, just as the England men's team shirt comes in women's fit, so why not (apart from the £75 price, obviously)? The away shirt in particular is beautiful. It would be incredible to see men walking around with Russo 23 or Mead 7 on the backs of their shirts.

I really hope this team can really do something in this tournament. I played football for so many years, for Sussex and South East representative sides as well as my club teams, with no hope of ever making a career out of football, so it's still incredible to me to see these women making such an impact. I love the idea that kids now run up to Millie Bright and Ellen White asking for autographs. If you've never had to fight for recognition in life, then perhaps you won't understand just how much representation matters. Trust me: it really does, and I'm genuinely so thrilled to see some of these players becoming household names. I'd love to see England get to the final and win this thing, just to see how much it really draws the wider footballing public in.

Who knows: perhaps it might even inspire dull Gareth and his troops in Qatar? Go on, girls. Show us just how good you can be, and seize the opportunity to make a nation proud. Well, most of us, anyway :)

Interesting and agree with so much of what you said. The best thing in last 2 years is that it is the norm for young girls to be playing cricket,football and rugby. Very little going down injured and no disputing ref decisions which is worst of mens game. Has to be realised this is a high profile tournament. The domestic game needs a new audience as for a start it is a different game and club supporters will not go to 2 games. Albion crowds are 7/800 but understand Man City etc are only 2/3k. How do you think crowds can be improved.because until they are players will not earn good wages unless of course they play for England
 


Durlston

"You plonker, Rodney!"
Jul 15, 2009
10,017
Haywards Heath
Edna, I have always loved your posts and the two you have written above are a thing of beauty. I'm so glad you've told us how proud it makes you feel that the women are getting the attention they so much deserve now. The atmospheres you described are a thing of beauty - no offensive songs, no bad language, youngsters (boys and girls equally) loving the beautiful game. I hope so much that our Lionesses can strike gold in Euro 22.

I'm really looking forward to watching France v Holland tonight on BBC1. The winner of that will complete four special semi-finalists. I am loving this tournament more than I ever felt was possible. Next season I'm going to watch Brighton and Hove Albion or Lewes ladies to get a football fix. Keep going, girls. "We're gonna win the cup!" :O
 


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