[Football] Women's Football - Discuss

[Albion Prem]

The goals are too big! No sexist intent here, but its a fact that the average woman is shorter than the average man. I think the game would be improved by scaling the goals in line with these differences.

Plus quarter sized pitches

 

[dsr-burnley]

The goals are too big! No sexist intent here, but its a fact that the average woman is shorter than the average man. I think the game would be improved by scaling the goals in line with these differences.

On the other hand, women today are as tall as men were 90 years ago. Pretty much, anyway. I saw a list of the squad of Nelson FC in the only year they played in the second division of the Football League - they had a goalkeeper at 6 foot 2, but every other member of the squad (about 30 of them) was 5 foot 9 or less.

(That was the year they became the first, and possibly still the only, team to win away matches at both Real Madrid and Manchester United. The Madrid game was a friendly; Man U was a league game.)

 

[Super Steve Earle]

My wife loves football, & everything that goes with it....but has absolutely no interest in going along to the women's games - & never watches them on TV despite watching every other EPL, La Liga, MLS etc. game she can thats broadcast. She just doesn't find women's football that good, or interesting tbh. She also finds it annoying that all of a sudden every broadcaster feels they have to have a woman pundit...and says it feels as if they are just doing it just for the sake of it, and trying to be PC after all the headlines in the entertainment industry the last couple of years. If they cant grab an ardent female fans interest, what hope do they have in getting it really mainstream?

Hmm. Do we share the same wife

That really soundslike Mrs Earle!

 

[goldstone]

My wife loves football, & everything that goes with it....but has absolutely no interest in going along to the women's games - & never watches them on TV despite watching every other EPL, La Liga, MLS etc. game she can thats broadcast. She just doesn't find women's football that good, or interesting tbh. She also finds it annoying that all of a sudden every broadcaster feels they have to have a woman pundit...and says it feels as if they are just doing it just for the sake of it, and trying to be PC after all the headlines in the entertainment industry the last couple of years. If they cant grab an ardent female fans interest, what hope do they have in getting it really mainstream?

A number of women I know feel exactly the same way. They cannot understand why we have female pundits and commentators for a men's game. It can only be a nod to the lefty equality brigade, there's no other possible reason. Bring back all male pundits and commentators please.

 

[Bob'n'weave]

The prominence and coverage that the Women's "Super" League gets in our media now is ENTIRELY out of wack with the numbers who have enough interest to actually turn up and watch it. The average attendances last season in the WSL dropped from 1,128 the previous year, down to 833.

833.

How on earth those kind of numbers are supposed to support a professional league is baffling. About half the teams in the National League South (the likes of Billericay, Dartford, Slough Town, Wealdstone) and 20 out of 22 teams in the National Legaue North (Alfreton Town, Leamington, Curzon Ashton) average more than that - and I don't see any of them featuring prominently on the front sports webpages of the BBC or the Guardian every day. Neither do they get regular national TV coverage. Nor do their players get invited into a studio at a World Cup or Premier League stadium, or onto Match of the Day, to pass comment on the game.

Womens football and the WSL is just another niche sport, like fencing, or canoeing. Except for some reason, its being hyped to the 9's these days. I'll continue to try to ignore it, but its getting more and more difficult as they continue to spam it onto us with posters, emails etc. I wish I could find an opt-out somehow.

This.

And if the only reason it's being pushed on TV is because it's women playing and not because the football is particularly good, or even supported, then isn't it a bit of an insult to women?

 

[Bob'n'weave]

I'm completely at odds with some of the views on here.

Football grew as a male sport through the 1800s into the 20thCentury when attitudes toward women prevent their participation in the game, or other sports for that matter difficult, frowned up or whatever else.

In order for girls to get into the sport and enjoy it, they need to see inspiration and success, and in turn participation and interest will grow. It is about face, but it is necessary in order to grow this part of the game, and it will be worth it if girls get into the sport in much greater numbers than they do now.

I do say this as a manager of an U15 girls team, and have been involved in girls football for a while, I've met George Parris a few times and what his team are doing over at Lancing, and how the approach of promoting the game will help this side to grow. I also know many of the girls that play will be going on Sunday, and the England Women's international in the summer

It might seem pointless now, but if in a few, or 5 or 10 years there are many more girls playing football, being active and having fun, then it is genuinely a good thing.

It isn't a niche sport for the girls that play. It's still the beautiful game. Great that the media covers it, are we really saying the male game needs anymore coverage, podcasts, column inches, blogs etc. than it already gets that it can't spare a bit of time for the Women's game? Come on, behave.

Spare a bit of time is one thing, plaster every channel with 'pro' women's football like its something it's not i.e pro football, and purely because its women playing, is disingenuous, forced and not a healthy way for the women's game to grow. It needs to grow organically in two key areas - skill levels and support. No amount of TV is going to improve the skill level or put bums on seats, unless support for the women's game justifies TV coverage, not the other way around. Seems like football fans are being guilt tripped into supporting the women's game, not a good policy. I think women's football is shite, just as I think Div 1 football is shite, which is why I take great pleasure in missing the grotty EFL show, I can't wait to miss it!

 

[DumLum]

Bigger crowd than I expected today.
BBC saying around 3000 expected. I assume the west stand is closed for the benefit of the tv cameras?

 

[bhafc99]

Guardian doing MBM on today's game between Brighton and Arsenal:

"This is the first WSL game to be played at the Amex Stadium, and the crowd is in the thousands rather than hundreds."

 

[Medwayseagull]

A number of women I know feel exactly the same way. They cannot understand why we have female pundits and commentators for a men's game. It can only be a nod to the lefty equality brigade, there's no other possible reason. Bring back all male pundits and commentators please.

That would be an argument if there were many decent male pundits around - and there aren't.

 

[John Byrnes Mullet]

Good luck to women's football but there are more supporters at most non league games even in National League South than the women's Super League.
The media coverage is well over the top and attendances prove it.

 

[Weststander]

Bigger crowd than I expected today.
BBC saying around 3000 expected. I assume the west stand is closed for the benefit of the tv cameras?

My family have gone, their first Women’s match.

 

[tedebear]

Some of the views on here are pretty horrendous to be honest, but sadly still widely vocalised. If you don't want to watch it don't, no need to pass derogatory comments in the process of doing so. Women are second best in alot of things in life, and having had first hand experience in my sporting career and my professional career of having to work twice as hard for 2/3rds the rewards, its disheartening when it rears its ugly head with a minority of patronising men. Why is it when its women its boring or poor, but when its the mens game, you'll talk failing tactics or bad managers or out of position players, crap transfers, bad signings, bad attitude, but we don't get the respect of being criticised for our tactics or effort or skill, we're just boring. I'd suggest todays womens game will be better than yesterdays first half!!

 

[Questions]

This.

And if the only reason it's being pushed on TV is because it's women playing and not because the football is particularly good, or even supported, then isn't it a bit of an insult to women?

It’s better to be noticed than respected.

 

[Questions]

I'd suggest todays womens game will be better than yesterdays first half!!

I watched some of a boys U12 game this morning whilst walking the mutt that was more exciting than yesterday’s first half. I don’t think picking on Brighton recent performances will win over many to women’s football though.

 

[whitelion]

I can't think of a world record for speed strength agility where a woman has eclipsed a man. The differences are fairly obvious. As has been said before in the thread there are some women's sports that are absolutely worth watching...tennis being one. But football? I find it difficult watching men's football but watching a woman's match would be torture. The level they could compete at with men ie elite women (1700 at the Man City semi-final) would be less than amateur imho.

 

[Questions]

I can't think of a world record for speed strength agility where a woman has eclipsed a man. The differences are fairly obvious. As has been said before in the thread there are some women's sports that are absolutely worth watching...tennis being one. But football? I find it difficult watching men's football but watching a woman's match would be torture. The level they could compete at with men ie elite women (1700 at the Man City semi-final) would be less than amateur imho.

It’s not that they wouldnt beat certain levels of men for me - for the record I don’t think they would get anywhere near a good county league team - it’s just that they struggle to play on a pitch with the size of goals we have with their lack of physical abilities compared to men. Younger lads play on smaller pitches. Why do women only play 3 sets in tennis ? We know why.

 

[tedebear]

I watched some of a boys U12 game this morning whilst walking the mutt that was more exciting than yesterday’s first half. I don’t think picking on Brighton recent performances will win over many to women’s football though.

No, but to be honest I'm not trying to convert people. Watch it if you like, don't watch it if you don't. My point was more around being respectful enough to offer constructive criticism rather than dismissing it as boring, or even better, closing ones gob if you haven't anything nice to say...but I'm old fashioned like that...

 

[Knocky's Nose]

No, but to be honest I'm not trying to convert people. Watch it if you like, don't watch it if you don't. My point was more around being respectful enough to offer constructive criticism rather than dismissing it as boring, or even better, closing ones gob if you haven't anything nice to say...but I'm old fashioned like that...

In fairness, the title of the thread is "Women's Football - Discuss" and not "Women's Football - Be Nice"

 

[Raleigh Chopper]

Some of the views on here are pretty horrendous to be honest, but sadly still widely vocalised. If you don't want to watch it don't, no need to pass derogatory comments in the process of doing so. Women are second best in alot of things in life, and having had first hand experience in my sporting career and my professional career of having to work twice as hard for 2/3rds the rewards, its disheartening when it rears its ugly head with a minority of patronising men. Why is it when its women its boring or poor, but when its the mens game, you'll talk failing tactics or bad managers or out of position players, crap transfers, bad signings, bad attitude, but we don't get the respect of being criticised for our tactics or effort or skill, we're just boring. I'd suggest todays womens game will be better than yesterdays first half!!

Nice post.
Please console yourself by the fact that in life and the things that matter, women are by far the stronger sex, strength and power in the scheme of things are secondary to the important stuff, where generally females best males by miles.

 

[Questions]

No, but to be honest I'm not trying to convert people. Watch it if you like, don't watch it if you don't. My point was more around being respectful enough to offer constructive criticism rather than dismissing it as boring, or even better, closing ones gob if you haven't anything nice to say...but I'm old fashioned like that...

Oh I wouldnt say it was boring, no tedebear, just not as entertaining and so I think it’s being pushed a bit too hard on tv. Trust me I am right behind the promotion of the game in schools and all that because my daughter played to a pretty good standard winning cups galore and I know how good all that is. If they artificially promote it beyond its level though it will not survive anyway.
Like you say though if like it watch if not ?