[Football] Women's Football - Discuss

[Super Steve Earle]

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.

Actually women's football was more popular than men's football in the 19th Century with 000's watching big matches. It was only crushed by a early 20th century Gordon Taylor style FA propaganda campaign against women in football.

 

[Super Steve Earle]

I like it. I've seen some women's matches (including England v Finland at the Goldstone sometime in the 1980s) and I enjoyed them in the same way I enjoy non-League games.

And one thing I'll say: yes, given a choice I'd much rather the men won the World Cup as opposed to the women - but I'd rather watch the England women's team win as opposed to the men's team lose. Same goes for Rugby and cricket.

I also enjoy women's matches in the same way as non-League games....... I wouldn't accept a free ticket for either.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

I watched some of England's matches in the last World Cup and enjoyed them. But it's the goalkeeping that lets women's football down. Almost any lob towards goal seems to have a chance of going in. Which made it all the more annoying when BT Sport (I think) had the Burnley-supporting former England women's team goalkeeper in the studio for the Burnley game, criticising Maty Ryan. Like she was any good ...

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

Like she was any good ...

Joe Hart was on the other night.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

I
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
.

I agree with your post btw. But how do you go about building a girl's squad ? I am involved with Steyning Town and we have girls teams in some years - and a women's first team and as a community club we are looking at how we build on what we have.

 

[Bold Seagull]

I agree with your post btw. But how do you go about building a girl's squad ? I am involved with Steyning Town and we have girls teams in some years - and a women's first team and as a community club we are looking at how we build on what we have.

You have to get as many girls as possible starting as young as possible. Obviously they can mix at a young age, but if you get even say 5 or 6 that you can split off into a ‘wild cats’ or whatever you want to call it, you can start attracting more girls, a lot of whom don’t always want to play with boys. Once you can establish a girls team, you can start to promote that and build your reputation as a girls team football club. It’s hard though and takes a bit of time because you simply don’t get the numbers you get with boys. Sussex FA are also really helpful in giving you support, Clare Nichols runs the women’s section for them.

 

[daveinplzen]

Take shirts off when scoring could grab my interest. I've tried to watch women's matches but for some reason just doesn't hold my interest for long. No idea why really

 

[Nixonator]

Would you be happy for the Albion men's team to subsidise the women's when we are forced to pay them equal wages and we have to lower our standards for the men's team? Don't laugh, it is on the table for discussion.

It would be counter-intuitive to campaign for such a thing considering clubs will just bin off their women's teams if so.

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

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?

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

You have to get as many girls as possible starting as young as possible. Obviously they can mix at a young age, but if you get even say 5 or 6 that you can split off into a ‘wild cats’ or whatever you want to call it, you can start attracting more girls, a lot of whom don’t always want to play with boys. Once you can establish a girls team, you can start to promote that and build your reputation as a girls team football club. It’s hard though and takes a bit of time because you simply don’t get the numbers you get with boys. Sussex FA are also really helpful in giving you support, Clare Nichols runs the women’s section for them.

Cheers. Much appreciated. What is your club ?

 

[Blazing Apostle]

How do you get to join the PC Brigade...is there an application form or do you have to be nominated to join?

 

[BrickTamland]

How do you get to join the PC Brigade...is there an application form or do you have to be nominated to join?

You just don’t have to an insecure whiny old man

 

[Arthritic Toe]

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.

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

I don't watch it. But I don't watch it because I don't have the emotional investment in it. If I were to have a daughter, I'd be encouraging them to take an interest in it and I'd do the same for their benefit.

I think it will get there as more and more women take an interest, but it won't happen over night and it needs to grow organically over time.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Cheers. Much appreciated. What is your club ?

Mile Oak Wanderers. I'm also chairman of Fishersgate Flyers; I don't like too much of my own time!

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

Mile Oak Wanderers. I'm also chairman of Fishersgate Flyers; I don't like too much of my own time!

I doff my cap.

 

[dejavuatbtn]

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.

To be fair, we could do with larger goals for the men’s team.

 

[Pavilionaire]

I watched some of England's matches in the last World Cup and enjoyed them. But it's the goalkeeping that lets women's football down. Almost any lob towards goal seems to have a chance of going in. Which made it all the more annoying when BT Sport (I think) had the Burnley-supporting former England women's team goalkeeper in the studio for the Burnley game, criticising Maty Ryan. Like she was any good ...

Totally this. I watched the women's highlights on Sunday after MOTD and said to the wife watch out for the goalkeeping. Sure enough, in the first action the keeper came rushing out to a bouncing through-ball, misjudged it so ended up handling it with both hands a yard outside her box. Straight red, then her replacement flapped at one from a corner, they conceded and lost..

 

[piersa]

Of course women should be able to play it, but every game I have watched has been a tedious. All the televised stuff is essentially a tick in the PC box. Not sure it's ever really going to take off.

 

[Tooting Gull]

I enjoy watching it these days, especially for the big tournaments and the best domestic matches. The standard is unrecognisable from 20 years ago.

Will go and see the Lionesses at the Amex for their last game before the World Cup, and as the family are doing Paris during it we have tickets for a quarter-final while we're there, probably France v USA if it goes to form.