Womens football

[WTF11]

Ok, tin hat time (maybe), but has anyone seen the results from tonight's games? Scores of 7, 10, 12 and 15 - 0 are a clear indication that some countries just shouldn't be in the competition and the organisers have vastly over-egged that ability of certain countries to field a competitive team.

It's taken the men's game nearly 100 years to finally get to a position where there are no (or very few), "easy" games. The days of England playing Egypt was a slam dunk are long gone.

Imagine what those players who are leaving the field this evening having conceded a dozen or more goals with no reply feel like? I'm genuinely all for equality of opportunity and equality of treatment, but that doesn't equate to opening the doors irrespective of capability and competence.

I wish the women's game every success, but results like this evening's don't bode well for the future.

[spaldy]

I've coached several National Level AAU womens basketball teams. In football those would be equivalant of U-18 teams. Had some very wide disparities. Usually when I ran up against the Nike, Adidas, or one of the big shoe teams that had players from the entire country fly in vs my local based team. However, as time went on the gaps decreased and in some games we actually were competitive. The objective was exposure to college coaches vs trophies but I remember how quickly the difference narrowed down. I have coached boys and girls and will tell you flat out that the girls are much more "coachable" than boys of the same age. No comparison on athleticism but as far as drive, desire and game "smarts" they are every bit as good. There is a lot of "drama" that takes a long time to get used to. Boys hammer out differences on the spot and then it's usually over. Girls may hold grudges for the length of the season or even longer.

I think the same thing is likely to happen in womens football. it won't take a 100 years to narrow the gap. More like 10-20 years.

One big difference will be just how many countries want their women "barefoot, pregnant and taking care of their man/household". You are not going to see much, if any, talent from entire chunks of the world. The concept of developing a feeder system dedicated to building talent is alien to someone that can't even go to school, drive, own property or is more worried about surviving than playing a sport. it's a sad reality that likely enforce the disparity that is currently occurring in football.

it's unfortunate. Women's football translates to some interesting strategies and matches that would likely be very good for young women to watch and play.

[hopelesslyoptimistic]

Suspect a lot of it has to do with funding and support.

Those countries that invest in and support the women’s game and national teams will hugely outperform those that don’t.

Good parallel with rugby where the England team players are fully full time professionals for a few years and dominate everyone in the 6 nations bar France (who are also fully professional).

Some of the most talented players Inhave played with or coached have been female.

If you look at some of the scores/games in mens football internationally in the 1960s/70s/80s there were some big disparities which you don’t see so much because of the money in the men’s game and the ability to get players fitter and steep them in harder to beat tactics.

Give it a few years and it should get better as the money flows into the game.

[whitestomper45]

Before the ridiculous 50 year ban in 1921, women's football was very popular with big crowds, its getting better each year

[klix]

90k at barca v Madrid full houses up and down the country...
Personally I am astonished how far womens football has come over the years, it will get bigger and bigger, hopefully one day we will see a female break in to a prem team...
Wasn't that long ago some said, a women will never complete the grand national course...
Ah well Rachel but that to the sword and won it

[CalverleyBoy]

I suspect fitness levels are also a key factor with some teams

[WTF11]

My point when starting the thread was a question as to the pace of how countries across the world, some with a footballing heritage (I.e. Spain, and acknowledging what klix posted about Barca v Madrid) and others without, are being thrust together (and not necessarily to the benefit of all), presumably because of the money men, rather than some high-minded philanthropy?

[Billyni]

Before the ridiculous 50 year ban in 1921, women's football was very popular with big crowds, its getting better each year

1921. Probably was the only chance to see a woman in shorts hence the popularity.

[Billyni]

Our girls were a bit loose at the rear last night

[ozleeds]

Our girls were a bit loose at the rear last night

Hope they weren't playing a greek team