Women's Football

[spyinthesky]

Seems to be growing in popularity

 

Apparently it is only us and Man Utd, out of the Prem, who have not got a Ladies team

 

Suewhistle may be able to comment on this but didn't the Southampton Ladies team do very well a few years ago when Sue Lopez was playing?

 

I remember my uncle used to go and watch occasionally (in the 70's?) and I think they originally played on the Common or possibly the Sports Centre.

[Batman]

its growing partly because the BBC has (or is) losing their main sports coverage so have latched on to this..

[Saintandy666]

its growing partly because the BBC has (or is) losing their main sports coverage so have latched on to this..

 

I wouldn't say that is the reason. It's much more to do with giving it a fair hearing - women's sport is too often shoved away. I'm glad it's getting the exposure it deserves. The increased exposure will lead to better quality as well, as resources improve so it's a win win.

[LGTL]

I've had to unfollow the FA and BBC Sport on Twitter ever since the start of that 'World Cup'.

[Batman]

I wouldn't say that is the reason. It's much more to do with giving it a fair hearing - women's sport is too often shoved away. I'm glad it's getting the exposure it deserves. The increased exposure will lead to better quality as well, as resources improve so it's a win win.

 

and it seems only BBC are really interested. why is that?

 

I heard someone on 5live yesterday say that 'more must be done' to bridge the pay inequality between mens and womens football....

[whelk]

From Ollie Holt:

More and more curious as to why Manchester United have no presence in women's game. Lack of interest starting to look rather odd.

 

30000 at Wembley today. BBC are over doing it with general coverage though.

[trousers]

[suewhistle]

Well, in 1993 there were only 80/90 girls teams in the country. I wasn't in a position to play then and didn't live near Southampton and was only kickabout in the park level, but Southampton competed at the top more or less until support was withdrawn when SFC was relegated. I remember seeing them play at Totton's old ground.

 

I believe their reserves/youngsters are in my team's division: certainly the manager said he'd seen them play, commented on their fitness and our fitness training was notably stepped up this week! I just hope to get on the pitch at some stage this season as my knees are crocked but I can't really complain at my age. It's just good that opportunities to play are much more widespread now although you still get crap male attitudes at times. It puts some of the youngsters off and the others develop a tough skin. This season there are 30 teams in the 3 Hampshire County divisions after which you go up to the various southern region/south-western combination leagues (not sure of the exact pyramid).

[spyinthesky]

Understand that Southampton Ladies won the Women's FA Cup eight times between 1971 - 1983

 

Perhaps we should add this to our 'History'!!

[sadoldgit]

and it seems only BBC are really interested. why is that?

 

I heard someone on 5live yesterday say that 'more must be done' to bridge the pay inequality between mens and womens football....

 

It will grow and at the point there is serious money to be made from it there will be more interest from the likes of SKY. Could take a while though.

[70's Mike]

Well, in 1993 there were only 80/90 girls teams in the country. I wasn't in a position to play then and didn't live near Southampton and was only kickabout in the park level, but Southampton competed at the top more or less until support was withdrawn when SFC was relegated. I remember seeing them play at Totton's old ground.

 

I believe their reserves/youngsters are in my team's division: certainly the manager said he'd seen them play, commented on their fitness and our fitness training was notably stepped up this week! I just hope to get on the pitch at some stage this season as my knees are crocked but I can't really complain at my age. It's just good that opportunities to play are much more widespread now although you still get crap male attitudes at times. It puts some of the youngsters off and the others develop a tough skin. This season there are 30 teams in the 3 Hampshire County divisions after which you go up to the various southern region/south-western combination leagues (not sure of the exact pyramid).

 

Agree about attitudes , the Club I am Chairman of have a very good female teams from Women(Winners of Hants 2 Last Season and Hants Intermediate Cup) to Under 10.

Its about treating them completely equally with no special privileges, that can be hard when some of the girls leagues allow games to be regularly called off, without real punishment.

The quicker the structure of the girls leagues, in terms of mini soccer to under 10, 9 v 9 Under 11 and 12 and then 11 a side the better, the quicker equality will happen

[The Kraken]

and it seems only BBC are really interested. why is that?

I heard someone on 5live yesterday say that 'more must be done' to bridge the pay inequality between mens and womens football....

It's not only the BBC; BT Sport show quite a few games. I know this as I've been caught out many times by clicking on to it in expectation of a decent game and ending up quickly disappointed.

[Lord Duckhunter]

It's shocking and doesn't deserve any coverage . I'd rather watch a Wessex League game , but the bbc would never cover that . It's the same with the chicks " ashes" , bigged up by the bbc to a level completely unjustified .

[Lighthouse]

Pretty much the BBC killing two birds with one stone. Very cheap sports coverage and fits in with their liberal, equal opportunities stand point. I say equal, a men's game of that standard wouldn't even get a mention on SSN. As a display of sporting talent, better 20 seconds of coverage at 1:30am on the Football League Show.

 

If these women were good enough to be on TV they would be playing for Chelsea and Man Utd. Or even Saints... or Bompey... or anyone in the football League... but they aren't.

[Twinkle Toes]

 

If these women were good enough to be on TV they would be playing for Chelsea and Man Utd. Or even Saints... or Bompey... or anyone in the football League... but they aren't.

 

As with other negative comments on this thread you seem intent on comparing the women's game with the men's game. But that would be like saying that women's tennis shouldn't be on TV because the men could beat them. These women are the best in the women's game and so deserve coverage. We are all used to watching only the men's game and so when we see women play we are struck by the difference in physicality. You would think we would have the same reaction to women's tennis but we don't because we are now used to see women playing tennis on TV. I'm sure attitudes will change with more exposure - except for those who don't want to see any women playing sport because a woman playing sport isn't at home cooking/cleaning/ironing

[hypochondriac]

As with other negative comments on this thread you seem intent on comparing the women's game with the men's game. But that would be like saying that women's tennis shouldn't be on TV because the men could beat them. These women are the best in the women's game and so deserve coverage. We are all used to watching only the men's game and so when we see women play we are struck by the difference in physicality. You would think we would have the same reaction to women's tennis but we don't because we are now used to see women playing tennis on TV. I'm sure attitudes will change with more exposure - except for those who don't want to see any women playing sport because a woman playing sport isn't at home cooking/cleaning/ironing

 

If that were the case then why is it that all we heard during the woman's world cup from the BBC were comparisons with the men's game? They continually went on about it. Either it's separate and should be enjoyed independently or we can compare.

[Lighthouse]

As with other negative comments on this thread you seem intent on comparing the women's game with the men's game. But that would be like saying that women's tennis shouldn't be on TV because the men could beat them. These women are the best in the women's game and so deserve coverage. We are all used to watching only the men's game and so when we see women play we are struck by the difference in physicality. You would think we would have the same reaction to women's tennis but we don't because we are now used to see women playing tennis on TV. I'm sure attitudes will change with more exposure - except for those who don't want to see any women playing sport because a woman playing sport isn't at home cooking/cleaning/ironing

 

Half the interest in the women's game stems from pervy men watching the likes of Sharapova, Ivanovic and Kournikova. The other half is legitimate enough but the women's game is comparable in terms of skills, even if the pace of the game is less.

 

Women's football is just so badly lacking in terms of overall skill and pace, I just can't get into it. Even the semi-finals of the World Cup were worse than watching one of those FA Cup first round qualifiers which are sometimes on TV.

 

If you're watching women's football, you are watching for no other reason than because women are playing. If that makes you happy then fill your boots but as a display of sporting talent it shouldn't be on TV.

[Lord Duckhunter]

Half the interest in the women's game stems from pervy men watching the likes of Sharapova, Ivanovic and Kournikova. The other half is legitimate enough but the women's game is comparable in terms of skills, even if the pace of the game is less.

 

Women's football is just so badly lacking in terms of overall skill and pace, I just can't get into it. Even the semi-finals of the World Cup were worse than watching one of those FA Cup first round qualifiers which are sometimes on TV.

 

If you're watching women's football, you are watching for no other reason than because women are playing. If that makes you happy then fill your boots but as a display of sporting talent it shouldn't be on TV.

 

Spot on.

 

The comparisons with tennis is so wide of the mark , it's untrue . The Williams sisters and chicks like that would easily beat non pro males from the local tennis club , just as that bird Ennis with the nice arse would outrun most blokes . However , chick footballers are useless . The very best wouldn't even get in a Sunday league side . Women's tennis , athletics , swimming & golf are elite sports , football isn't , despite the bbc lefties trying to tell us it is .

[suewhistle]

Agree about attitudes ' date=' the Club I am Chairman of [/quote']

 

That would be WW's I presume. Played against you off the bench the year before and although we lost gave you a bit of a fright.

 

Any thread or comment section after an article about women's football will have the same crap, so I just zone it out. There are never any original or constructive comments. But it's a great game to play, and as time goes on standards will rise. The FA, in their forward-looking, infinite wisdom wouldn't allow women to play on affiliated pitches until the 70's or later. These days most clubs have various age group teams, like yours, and as players retire the youngsters come through. It's great to see, and although facilities are still largely crap, it's so much better than it was.

 

You watch football because you want to, if you don't, don't. It could be a top level team like Saints (did you guys watch them in L1?), or it could be Eastleigh, or your local pub or village side. Unless the support is there no team is going to get better, and thankfully there is a bit more support and broader base now. For contrast: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/33705481

[bridge too far]

Loved reading that link Sue - thanks for posting it.

[LGTL]

As with other negative comments on this thread you seem intent on comparing the women's game with the men's game. But that would be like saying that women's tennis shouldn't be on TV because the men could beat them. These women are the best in the women's game and so deserve coverage. We are all used to watching only the men's game and so when we see women play we are struck by the difference in physicality. You would think we would have the same reaction to women's tennis but we don't because we are now used to see women playing tennis on TV. I'm sure attitudes will change with more exposure - except for those who don't want to see any women playing sport because a woman playing sport isn't at home cooking/cleaning/ironing

 

Girl tennis is awful too.

[whelk]

Anyone changed their mind and watching the semi final tonight?

[Hatch]

Austria missed all their penalties in the first semi final shoot out just now.

They missed one in normal time too.

[hypochondriac]

I might stick it on in the background. The most irritating thing I'd every BBC article mentions how the bloke manager is the first England manager since sir alf to reach a final abd the girl striker is the first one to score a hat trick ffs it's like a totally different sport why are they comparing records between the men's and women's teams? Let them stand on their own.

[aintforever]

and it seems only BBC are really interested. why is that?

 

I heard someone on 5live yesterday say that 'more must be done' to bridge the pay inequality between mens and womens football....

 

it's on Channel 4

[Hatch]

They lost playing badly to a lower ranked team so presumably

The press will lay into them tomorrow,

[Kingsbridge Saint]

I won't be engaging with Womens football any time soon, but respect their right to play it, and the BBC's right to show it. Good luck with it. Let me know how it goes.

[Batman]

it's on Channel 4

 

two years on, yes

seen a better standard at the Paralympics

[whelk]

two years on, yes

seen a better standard at the Paralympics

 

You watched it then? Some progression

[whelk]

I might stick it on in the background. The most irritating thing I'd every BBC article mentions how the bloke manager is the first England manager since sir alf to reach a final abd the girl striker is the first one to score a hat trick ffs it's like a totally different sport why are they comparing records between the men's and women's teams? Let them stand on their own.

 

BBC are so annoying with their insistence that it is some sort of equal I agree. I am not anti it at all and welcome it on tv really but it is nothing more than a minority sport.

[hypochondriac]

BBC are so annoying with their insistence that it is some sort of equal I agree. I am not anti it at all and welcome it on tv really but it is nothing more than a minority sport.

Oh I'm totally supportive of it and I hope the women do well so that it becomes a more popular sport. Every single BBC article mentioned a comparison with the men's team though and that's pretty mental when you consider the comparative strengths.

[Lord Duckhunter]

What makes me laugh are all the birds & metro sexuals that think this is some form of liberation & equality. It's not, they're just piggie backing on the back of the men's game. Sky even reported " in football, England blah blah blah. "In football", it's not football it's women's football. The Dog & Duck could beat any bird team it's appalling, especially the keepers. I've seen 18 stone **** artists save more than them on a Sunday morning

 

 

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[suewhistle]

What makes me laugh are all the birds & metro sexuals that think this is some form of liberation & equality. It's not, they're just piggie backing on the back of the men's game. Sky even reported " in football, England blah blah blah. "In football", it's not football it's women's football. The Dog & Duck could beat any bird team it's appalling, especially the keepers. I've seen 18 stone **** artists save more than them on a Sunday morning

 

 

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Dear mods,

 

Allow me to tell this antideluvian **** to **** off. Thank you. I can't be ar**d with wasting my time arguing with him.

 

But just to say I pay my subs to play the game because I enjoy it, and there is no way I want to piggie back on anything Lord *uckhunter is associated with.

 

Utter ******************. I've given a few extra letters there so you can choose your own epithet.

 

'night.

[Patrick Bateman]

What makes me laugh are all the birds & metro sexuals that think this is some form of liberation & equality. It's not, they're just piggie backing on the back of the men's game. Sky even reported " in football, England blah blah blah. "In football", it's not football it's women's football. The Dog & Duck could beat any bird team it's appalling, especially the keepers. I've seen 18 stone **** artists save more than them on a Sunday morning

 

 

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This. I did actually try to watch some, my god it's poor quality - why the BBC feel the need to ram it down our throats I don't know, it's very poor.

[LGTL]

All that hype and they got absolutely battered. If that was the men, they'd have been lambasted, but quelle surprise the only thing in the media is about how brave our lionesses are. And don't get me started on that absolute **** Sampson.

 

Embarrassment.

[Pamplemousse]

The state of some of the people in this thread.

 

Imagine getting worked up over women playing football. Or it being shown on terrestrial TV. Or people actually watching it and getting interested.

 

So what?

[Lord Duckhunter]

This. I did actually try to watch some, my god it's poor quality - why the BBC feel the need to ram it down our throats I don't know, it's very poor.

 

It's not just football that the BBC have lost all perspective when it comes to birds sport.

 

I downloaded the TMS cricket podcast celebrating 60 years of the programme. Blowers, Aggers & Jim Maxwell in discussion. "This will be good " I thought . So what was their starting point, John Arlott, Ashes series, Or maybe Compton or Boycotts 100 100. No "we'll start pretty much at the end" the bird hosting it said, "England's World Cup win against India last week" . What? Have I missed something, was I in a coma? What World Cup win? They went to a correspondent who gushed on about the Women team winning the World Cup. Is that really where anyone would start a review of cricket the past 60 years. To compound it, the correspondent then claimed " an unbelievable atmosphere that day, the noise was incredible" before adding (****ing get this) " Lords has never heard anything like it". All the great matches, stories, centuries , bowling feats, one day finals , but according to this dopey bint , the home of cricket hasn't seen an atmosphere like that before.

 

FFS, I'm sure the BBC is trying to troll us.

 

 

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[benjii]

BBC does seem obsessed with the idea of having a female sports presenter who appears to know **** all about sports on the BBC Breakfast program lately as well.

 

There was that "Sally" girl, I think her name was. Nice but clueless and seemingly a bit dim.

 

The today there was some bird at the athletics who clearly had no clue whatsoever what the Community Shield is.

[whelk]

It's not just football that the BBC have lost all perspective when it comes to birds sport.

 

I downloaded the TMS cricket podcast celebrating 60 years of the programme. Blowers, Aggers & Jim Maxwell in discussion. "This will be good " I thought . So what was their starting point, John Arlott, Ashes series, Or maybe Compton or Boycotts 100 100. No "we'll start pretty much at the end" the bird hosting it said, "England's World Cup win against India last week" . What? Have I missed something, was I in a coma? What World Cup win? They went to a correspondent who gushed on about the Women team winning the World Cup. Is that really where anyone would start a review of cricket the past 60 years. To compound it, the correspondent then claimed " an unbelievable atmosphere that day, the noise was incredible" before adding (****ing get this) " Lords has never heard anything like it". All the great matches, stories, centuries , bowling feats, one day finals , but according to this dopey bint , the home of cricket hasn't seen an atmosphere like that before.

 

FFS, I'm sure the BBC is trying to troll us.

 

 

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It was a sell out I think. For you to not know anything about it says more about you.

[whelk]

BBC does seem obsessed with the idea of having a female sports presenter who appears to know **** all about sports on the BBC Breakfast program lately as well.

 

There was that "Sally" girl, I think her name was. Nice but clueless and seemingly a bit dim.

 

The today there was some bird at the athletics who clearly had no clue whatsoever what the Community Shield is.

 

'Some bird' eh.

There is middle ground here but some of you lot seem like public school boys who don't really know how to cope with women.

And strangely threatened by it all

[adrian lord]

It all fits with the BBC's absurd left wing equality agenda, where we are expected to deny all biological differences between the sexes, and market forces regarding the "pay gap". Cringeworthy the way they gushingly present and with breathless hyperbole attempt to build-up games that no-one is interested in. Emperor's New Clothes.

.

Surprised they haven't pushed transgender, or gender-fluid football yet.

 

Anyone for Mens Netball? Didn't think so.

[hypochondriac]

'Some bird' eh.

There is middle ground here but some of you lot seem like public school boys who don't really know how to cope with women.

And strangely threatened by it all

I agree to an extent but then we know that the BBC are supporters of forced diversity hires and discriminating against prospective hires based on their race and sex and this sort of push becomes a little more insidious. I want to see women's sport succeed because it's a great product in its own right (rather like women's athletics for example.) rather than because the BBC decide to push it continuously.

[Lighthouse]

Don't agree at all with some of the, frankly demeaning comments about 'bird's and 'chicks' but I can't say I've changed my opinion in the last couple of years. I don't begrudge anyone the right to play but the standard of talent and general pace of the game is just too poor for me to be interested. Don't know anyone personally who has shown any interest in this tournament either.

[Lord Duckhunter]

It was a sell out I think. For you to not know anything about it says more about you.

 

My point was that it's not really the place to start when discussing cricket the past 60 years. A load of women playing a shiete standard. And to say that Lords hadn't seen an atmosphere like it before, is just laughable.

 

If the BBC did a program celebrating British music since 1960, they wouldn't start with Freddie & the Dreamers or claim that the pivotal song that changed everything was Tiger Feet by Mud. It had absolutely no place in any programme about cricket, unless the programme was 98 hours long. It certainly didn't merit the prime spot they gave it. It was supposed to be about TMS, Arlott, Trevor Bailey, Fred , Blowers etc etc. Has there even been a bird in the TMS commentary team (knowing the BBC there probably has been). TMS is a programme about MEN'S cricket, the tribute should have reflected that. If they wanted chicks on it, they should have done a chick podcast.

 

 

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Edited 7 August, 2017 by Lord Duckhunter

[buctootim]

 

Anyone for Mens Netball? Didn't think so.

 

The Harlem Globetrotters did very well out of it.

[Lord Duckhunter]

I've been quite critical of birds in football & particularly the BBC pandering to them and over promoting them in their sports coverage. But credit where it's due, I listened to Five live's football daily podcast from Saturday and in particular the results at the end. Some bird read them out and although no James Alexander Gordon, did a bloody good job. Clear, concise, professional voice. Very impressed and it just goes to prove that when given jobs on merit alone they can be impressive. She was as good as any man could be.

 

 

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[benjii]

I've been quite critical of birds in football & particularly the BBC pandering to them and over promoting them in their sports coverage. But credit where it's due, I listened to Five live's football daily podcast from Saturday and in particular the results at the end. Some bird read them out and although no James Alexander Gordon, did a bloody good job. Clear, concise, professional voice. Very impressed and it just goes to prove that when given jobs on merit alone they can be impressive. She was as good as any man could be.

 

 

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[The9]

Anyone for Mens Netball? Didn't think so.

 

Interesting example - in 6th Form as some kind of PE experiment "the boys" agreed to play the school netball team (female, obvs) for charity. We beat them 12-1, despite none of us ever having played netball before and having had all of a week to learn the rules. From this I can conclude that our school's netball team was rubbish.

 

Having said that, not all women's sport is a gash version of men's... I just haven't seen one so far that isn't - though apparently there are one or two sports where physical superiority isn't a factor.

Edited 20 August, 2017 by The9

[hutch]

I've been quite critical of birds in football & particularly the BBC pandering to them and over promoting them in their sports coverage. But credit where it's due, I listened to Five live's football daily podcast from Saturday and in particular the results at the end. Some bird read them out and although no James Alexander Gordon, did a bloody good job. Clear, concise, professional voice. Very impressed and it just goes to prove that when given jobs on merit alone they can be impressive. She was as good as any man could be.

 

 

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The BBC's online report of our game on Saturday was written by a female reporter, who opened by telling us West Ham twice came from behind.

[Evil Monkey]

Woman absolutely have the right to play any sport they wish. But the reason I rarely watch any of it, is because I want to watch the pinnacle of sporting talent. Same reason that I wouldn't want to sit and watch a League 2 match on a Tuesday night or something. (obviously it's different when you support the team). If true equality is what people want, we should try mixing genders in sports. How many woman would make the England football or cricket teams? How many would make the cut at the Open? How would Williams get on Vs Federer? I haven't seen too much recently about wanting equal pay but if true that would be an insult to men's sport imo.