[Football] Women's Euro 2022 Final- England v Germany 31.07.2022- OFFICIAL THREAD

[The Clamp]

Should we not be asking men to watch women’s football too? Or does stretch the narrative to realms of pure fantasy ?

I guess we should end it there.

For the sake of sanity and for the sake of world peace.

As I said before, men do watch football. Not enough women go and see club level women’s football. It’s all very well to say we should all be getting behind women’s football when not enough women themselves support it.

That may be an uncomfortable fact but a fact it remains.

One swallow does not a summer make. It’ll take more than a whizz-bang euro final to secure the future of women’s football.

I hope women and everyone else gets behind women’s football in future, let’s see.

I won’t be, it doesn’t interest me much. But if you want it to grow, you need to support at all levels. Not just the glory games.

 

[Kosh]

As I said before, men do watch football. Not enough women go and see club level women’s football. It’s all very well to say we should all be getting behind women’s football when not enough women themselves support it.

That may be an uncomfortable fact but a fact it remains.

One swallow does not a summer make. It’ll take more than a whizz-bang euro final to secure the future of women’s football.

I hope women and everyone else gets behind women’s football in future, let’s see.

I won’t be, it doesn’t interest me much. But if you want it to grow, you need to support at all levels. Not just the glory games.

Fair enough - although I'd argue that has an awful lot to do with the fact that traditionally football was viewed as a man's sport, almost exclusively so. It's no small wonder therefore that a large proportion of women of 'going to the match age' firmly believe it's not for them... after all, that's what society has taught all of us.

It'll be interesting to see if this moment, is a societal tipping point where football (ever more so), becomes the people's game no matter the demographic.

Obviously I hope so, but I'll give credence to your words that this is merely (potentially) a beginning and yes it could go either way. That said, shrugging ones shoulders that it has ever been this way, and thus ever it will be, is precisely why societal change is so hard to render... I'm ever hopeful we'll see young women buying into this moment and in the decade to come we'll see an upturn in attendance and engagement from, not just women, but men too.

It's not about bringing an end to the men's game, it's about the rise of its female equivalent (hopefully) minus the 'attitude' --- after all, every man (and woman) must have a dream

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Looking forwards to seeing Tess again. What a fantastic young lady she is.

Rachel Daly is lovely. Overshadowed yesterday though, by the beautiful, leggy, German right back, Giulia Gwinn

 

[Uh_huh_him]

Nope was not a penalty , var checked , no GERMAN APPEALED , and as for a red card you must still be looking for payback after your lot got stuffed 4-0

Surprisingly difficult to find any decent footage of the incident.

https://www.reddit.com/r/WomensSoccer/comments/wcv084/the_handball_situation_with_leah_williamson/

Looks like top of arm/shoulder to me,
Very unlikely to be given by VAR.

And as for a red card... not a chance.

 

[dazzer6666]

Fair enough - although I'd argue that has an awful lot to do with the fact that traditionally football was viewed as a man's sport, almost exclusively so. It's no small wonder therefore that a large proportion of women of 'going to the match age' firmly believe it's not for them... after all, that's what society has taught all of us.

It'll be interesting to see if this moment, is a societal tipping point where football (ever more so), becomes the people's game no matter the demographic.

Obviously I hope so, but I'll give credence to your words that this is merely (potentially) a beginning and yes it could go either way. That said, shrugging ones shoulders that it has ever been this way, and thus ever it will be, is precisely why societal change is so hard to render... I'm ever hopeful we'll see young women buying into this moment and in the decade to come we'll see an upturn in attendance and engagement from, not just women, but men too.

It's not about bringing an end to the men's game, it's about the rise of its female equivalent (hopefully) minus the 'attitude' --- after all, every man (and woman) must have a dream

With you on this. This could absolutely be a catalyst for rapid and massive growth…..or it might not……but need to recognise the women’s game literally lost generations of followers through the ban. Need to think perhaps more of it as a sport still in it’s relative infancy that has had a phenomenal boost. Very, very interesting to see what happens next. The laws are the same but there are many fundamental differences (some of which will always be there), with positives and negatives for both sides. Personally I’m very happy watching either without needing to compare the two (in the same way I watch non league) - all that leads to is a succession of irrelevant ‘well Sanchez would have saved that easily’ or ‘any PL player would be rolling around of the floor for ages after a challenge like that’ type thoughts. I’ve got more than a passing interest in the development of the women’s game as junior is employed in it - probably don’t need to tell you he (long with everyone at his club) are massively excited by what’s happened.

 

[Justice]

I see Brentford are signing Damsgaard was definitely a star in the Euro’s.

 

[Guinness Boy]

They do but nothing like the same extent that girls do. I attended a seminar on girls in sport a few months ago and the drop-off rate among girls was stark. More than 40% of girls who described themselves as sporty at primary school had given up sport by the time they were 15 (that's a rate twice as high as boys.

Yep. I have a Level 1 football badge and coached my son's team for two seasons, U9 and U10. At that point girls and boys play together in mixed games. I had a girl who was probably the third best in the squad overall and easily the hardest. Put her in defence and she could mark, tackle, pass, head, block and generally shithouse against any boy.

Then one day she disappeared and never came back. Eventually I worked out her family had a sibling at my daughter's school when I saw them in the playground and asked them why she stopped. "Wanted to try something else" I was told. I genuinely hope it was running or kickboxing or rugby - she'd have been brilliant at any of the three - but I suspect not.

The same club, despite having a leading committee member who was only really interested in girls' football, tried to start a couple of specialist girls teams at higher ages. Great initial turn out but 50% down after week three.

My hope would be that this major tournament win starts to fix that, rather than paying the next Lucy Bronze £200K a week on crowds of 5000 at less than £20 a pop.

 

[Gwylan]

Yep. I have a Level 1 football badge and coached my son's team for two seasons, U9 and U10. At that point girls and boys play together in mixed games. I had a girl who was probably the third best in the squad overall and easily the hardest. Put her in defence and she could mark, tackle, pass, head, block and generally shithouse against any boy.

Then one day she disappeared and never came back. Eventually I worked out her family had a sibling at my daughter's school when I saw them in the playground and asked them why she stopped. "Wanted to try something else" I was told. I genuinely hope it was running or kickboxing or rugby - she'd have been brilliant at any of the three - but I suspect not.

The same club, despite having a leading committee member who was only really interested in girls' football, tried to start a couple of specialist girls teams at higher ages. Great initial turn out but 50% down after week three.

My hope would be that this major tournament win starts to fix that, rather than paying the next Lucy Bronze £200K a week on crowds of 5000 at less than £20 a pop.

Absolutely. This is what we need to fix and as I said earlier, it's about lots of things. Clubs, schools and coaches have to buy into the idea of girls doing the same sport as the boys. And there needs to be a shift in attitude among the players themselves - boys will seek to isolate girls and girls find themselves under peer pressure to drop sport as it's not a cool thing. That's really not to be under-estimated, we've lost a lot of girls from our rugby teams and it's not, as you fear, to play other sports, it's because it's not seen as the thing that cool girls do. Throw in issues such as periods and poor changing facilities and you can see the difficulties clubs face.

I'm sure it will change - it will have to change - but it's a long haul. England's Euro win won't do it, but let's hope it's the kick-start

 

[Milano]

The WSL needs to follow the hundred or the tennis. Sorry but there’s no way Lords sells out for a women only hundred game, not sure about Wimbledon if it was women only either. However mix it and you have a capacity crowd. Do this for the WSL. Kick off before or after the men. Maybe not everyone would get there early or stay but some would, I’d suggest more than would have gone to Crawley otherwise.
Im not trying to belittle the womens game, just looking to be practical.

 

[Me and my Monkey]

The WSL needs to follow the hundred or the tennis. Sorry but there’s no way Lords sells out for a women only hundred game, not sure about Wimbledon if it was women only either. However mix it and you have a capacity crowd. Do this for the WSL. Kick off before or after the men. Maybe not everyone would get there early or stay but some would, I’d suggest more than would have gone to Crawley otherwise.
Im not trying to belittle the womens game, just looking to be practical.

That's one possible solution. Brighton women really need a home in Brighton (or Brighton area). As long as they continue to play home games away from home in Crawley, then attendances are always going to stall, in my opinion.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

Did I enjoy the tournament and the win for the Lionesses yesterday ? Absolutely, very much so.

Would I swap yesterdays win for the Lionesses for the England mens team to have beaten Italy in last summers Euros Final ? In a HEARTBEAT.

Not me. The atmosphere and subsequent tales of what went on with the crowd makes me glad (in hindsight) that we didn't win. I am not talking about the bloke with the flare up his arse btw. It all sounded poisonous. I was a regular at Wembley in the 80's so I have some experience of following England.

It has taken the women's football to remind us how to win and how to lose. And, as it happens - how to play the game. I reckon Weigman in charge of the men would have won it last year, and Southgate in charge at the weekend would not have got to the final.

So well done to the women. Let everyone enjoy what is an amazing success. Let the numbers playing the beautiful game grow. And some on here (not talking about you Easy) should go and watch the womens game - you may be pleasantly surprised.

 

[Brovion]

Not me. The atmosphere and subsequent tales of what went on with the crowd makes me glad (in hindsight) that we didn't win. I am not talking about the bloke with the flare up his arse btw. It all sounded poisonous. I was a regular at Wembley in the 80's so I have some experience of following England.

It has taken the women's football to remind us how to win and how to lose. And, as it happens - how to play the game. I reckon Weigman in charge of the men would have won it last year, and Southgate in charge at the weekend would not have got to the final.

So well done to the women. Let everyone enjoy what is an amazing success. Let the numbers playing the beautiful game grow. And some on here (not talking about you Easy) should go and watch the womens game - you may be pleasantly surprised.

Well said. Totally agree.

EDIT: Although, as I said earlier, I'm still expecting WSL crowds to be County Championship level when compared to Test matches. And no, I won't see that as a 'failure' just an example that Rome wasn't built in a day.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

The WSL needs to follow the hundred or the tennis. Sorry but there’s no way Lords sells out for a women only hundred game, not sure about Wimbledon if it was women only either. However mix it and you have a capacity crowd. Do this for the WSL. Kick off before or after the men. Maybe not everyone would get there early or stay but some would, I’d suggest more than would have gone to Crawley otherwise.
Im not trying to belittle the womens game, just looking to be practical.

I am not sure. Maybe ok to promote the game. I have never seen an Albion WSL game, but at county level it is a different atmosphere. Far more family. Far more relaxed. I think the womens game needs to build its own crowd - and attract the family which the men's game has priced out. It'll take time sure, but you can see there is a demand. They need to get it right - which does include moving the Albion women back to town.

 

[Bry Nylon]

I think the womens game needs to build its own crowd - and attract the family which the men's game has priced out. It'll take time sure, but you can see there is a demand.

It’s something I’m actively looking at. At £100+ just for tickets (plus the attendant travel ballache), there is absolutely zero chance of me bringing my kids to a PL game at the Amex this season, given the £3,400 rise in energy bills coming in autumn. At present we go to our local League One club if we fancy getting to a game but I can see us maybe giving women’s football a go as well. Plus I reckon my daughter will enjoy the culture more.

 

[Easy 10]

Not me. The atmosphere and subsequent tales of what went on with the crowd makes me glad (in hindsight) that we didn't win. I am not talking about the bloke with the flare up his arse btw. It all sounded poisonous. I was a regular at Wembley in the 80's so I have some experience of following England.

It has taken the women's football to remind us how to win and how to lose. And, as it happens - how to play the game. I reckon Weigman in charge of the men would have won it last year, and Southgate in charge at the weekend would not have got to the final.

So well done to the women. Let everyone enjoy what is an amazing success. Let the numbers playing the beautiful game grow. And some on here (not talking about you Easy) should go and watch the womens game - you may be pleasantly surprised.

The drunken coked-up feral ratboys who sullied the final last year did not (and do not) diminish my ongoing desire to see the England mens team win a tournament. I've followed them all my football-supporting life, and watched every tournament since 1982 hoping the team will finally win something in my lifetime. I'm not going to abandon that just because of a selection of f*cking pricks (as Jill would say) who latch on to the national team.

I'm chuffed the Lionesses won the Euros, they've done us all proud. But I just don't have anything like the same level of investment in the womens game, it doesn't matter as much to me.

 

[Springal]

There’s some pretty lazy assumptions here - from what I saw being there those that broke into Wembley for the mens final I doubt even have been to see a match in person before. Certainly those I saw first hand both in the concourse and then in our seats and in the block designated for England fans through the FA had a similar profile - tracksuit wearing chavs in Nike trainers etc …


While England fans are not perfect, those travelling home and away largely passes without issues or any real notable trouble.

Certainly nothing worse than I’ve witnessed at Brighton away games the last few years (open drug taking, train toilets being destroyed etc)

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

The drunken coked-up feral ratboys who sullied the final last year did not (and do not) diminish my ongoing desire to see the England mens team win a tournament. I've followed them all my football-supporting life, and watched every tournament since 1982 hoping the team will finally win something in my lifetime. I'm not going to abandon that just because of a selection of f*cking pricks (as Jill would say) who latch on to the national team.

I'm chuffed the Lionesses won the Euros, they've done us all proud. But I just don't have anything like the same level of investment in the womens game, it doesn't matter as much to me.

I have similar commitment to the England team - and would love to see us win a major tournament (although I was watching on the box in '66). But on that day for me, the events at the ground would have tainted my memories of any victory. I would love to see us win a tournament - but not in those circumstances. As a country we didn't deserve it. Next time however .........

(I appreciate mine is a minority view .............)

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

While England fans are not perfect, those travelling home and away largely passes without issues or any real notable trouble.

Of course. There are always a number of idiots in any crowd. But on that day it was a disgrace.

 

[Springal]

Of course. There are always a number of idiots in any crowd. But on that day it was a disgrace.

But they weren’t ‘England fans’ in any sense for the majority. They were local rats from Wembley / Brent etc

 

[Durlston]

8pm on a Sunday was a ridiculous kick-off time. Fans had the chance to drink and use cocaine all day. If it had started at 5pm - like the women's final, there wouldn't have been as much disorder a year ago. There would still have been some fired-up dickheads but not on the same scale.

But ultimately both games should have started at 3pm. Just right. Our traditional time in our country.