Football Special

[Edward G]

Roger,
I'm bowing out with this post because we are going to bore the pants of the other users with tit for tat postings.
Your clinical habbit of "isolating certain comments in inverted commas" is just tedious,man!
Also, I cannot take any more mention of Arsenal, who you keep petitioning like some charity case. OK - they were sometimes exciting to watch but you seem to have missed the small point of them drawing and losing too many games. Who cares anyway! I did carefully read your posts and you were at a loss to give the ladies any credit. Compared to thier male professional counterparts they are very impressive without all the ballyhoo and attention the men seem to crave. It's only natural to compare the contrasting style mens and womens team when both play at world cups and the women are playing at one now. It wasn't the standard alone that I was more taken with - it's the honesty and teamwork of thier play that most impressed me -I don't know why you are so hostile about it.
Your point about why the women's team isn't as popular as the mens.
You could apply that to nearly all sports where women's rewards and attendances are lower than mens.
Anyone for tennis? They play three sets against the mens five - should they be similarly undermined by you?
Is popularity alone the definition of worthyness in your world?
That measure would make "The Birdy Song" superior to "Sultans of Swing"
What balderdash you come out with Roger.

Are you Alf Garnett in disguise?

[RogerThornhill]

Edward,

"Also, I cannot take any more mention of Arsenal, who you keep petitioning like some charity case."

I used Arsenal as a way of highlighting that results can be far more important than the way the game looks. How on earth is that petitioning them as a charity case? if anything it's a criticism of them for not getting results.

"I don't know why you are so hostile about it."

I couldn't care less how they play the game so I can't be hostile about that. What I am hostile about is that you choose to praise the women's team by denigrating the men's team.

"What balderdash you come out with Roger.

Are you Alf Garnett in disguise?"

It's a pity that you felt it necessary to resort to personal remarks.

[batman]

The recognition it gets is the recognition that it deserves. The people in the UK who want to watch women's football are the people who are doing so. If it was so entertaining and irresistible then crowds would be flocking in their thousands to watch it but they aren't.

I will have to disagree there Roger, women's football does IMHO deserve a far higher profile than it gets in the UK and one of the main reasons for it not getting a higher profile is that people dismiss it simply because it is women playing the game and not men.

Many of my friends used to say exactly that until they actually watched a few games and realised that these girls can play the game to a very high standard.

In Europe and in the USA there are full-time professional leagues which regularly attract crowds of 20,000+. In the USA women's football is far more popular and attracts larger crowds than most MLS matches.

Here in the UK the game is on the up and the new summer 'super league' which started it's first season a months or so ago is proving to be successful. Crowds are increasing and sponsors are being attracted to the game.

The BBC covers most of England's matches and the viewing figures have increased dramatically over the past four or five years.

The women's game in the UK is in it's infancy compared to many other countries, but it's an infant that has reached a Euro final and the World Cup quarter finals twice in a row. There are some great youngsters in the team and if this infant reaches it's potential they should become a real force in international women's football.

The women's game will probably never be as high profile as the men's game, but IMHO it is extremely entertaining and features some very skillful and gifted players who deserve a lot more recognition for their efforts and for the sense of pride they show in representing their country.

For that alone I have more respect for them than I do for the likes of the male England player who recently blamed their dismal showing in the last world cup on 'the media'.

ENGLAND V FRANCE - WOMEN'S WORLD CUP QUARTER FINAL - SATURDAY 9TH JULY

LIVE ON FREEVIEW CHANNEL 301

[golightly]

Just thought of a joke reading this argument, what's the difference between the England Women's team and Arsenal, Arsenal are the ones that play like women - ha.

[RogerThornhill]

I will have to disagree there Roger, women's football does IMHO deserve a far higher profile than it gets in the UK and one of the main reasons for it not getting a higher profile is that people dismiss it simply because it is women playing the game and not men.

As I mentioned before I'm not at all interested in the way that they do or don't play the game. In my posts I haven't criticised the way that they play, my argument is against the comparisons that are made between the men's game and the women's game. It doesn't say much for the women if they are praised by demeaning and denigrating the men who are playing the game. As for the future of the women's game, if people want to watch it then that's up to them, my firm belief is that the vast magority of men don't see or want to have women as their sporting heroes, if other men do want that then good luck to them.

[batman]

It doesn't say much for the women if they are praised by demeaning and denigrating the men who are playing the game.

I have been praising the women's game for years Roger and it is a natural comparison to make. I criticise male footballers all the time, not necessarily with regard to female players.

[billy bentley]

Without getting caught up in any dispute, I'd like to point out that "Soccer" here in the U.S. is a very much a boys and girls sport at the pre-teen level and although there appears to be some drop off as they mature, there are a lot of girls playing through their teens. Practically all High Schools (14-18) have a serious Girls Soccer Team. When you add that to the fact that for most non-immigrant Americans football is a relatively new discovery, the sport does not come with as much male dominated history as it does elsewhere. My lads take it for granted that some girls are better than them at football and there are often a few girls playing when they join a "pick up" game. Now when I was a lad, there were no girls round my way that played football and very few female supporters at Upton Park. I recently went to a New York Red Bulls game and there were a lot of girls and ladies there.

[batman]

Well, the England Women's team have at least one thing in common with their male counterparts, they know how to lose a World Cup quarter-final on penalties. The girls drew 1-1 after extra-time with France (the French equalised in the 88th minute) and lost 4-3 on penalties. The French actually deserved the win after playing the brighter football over the course of the 120 minutes. Our girls played well but couldn't get out of first gear. Still, at lest we get to see more of the French striker Louisa Necib ....

[batman]

The Women's World Cup Final will be between USA and Japan (beaten by England in Round One). Should be a good match. It's a shame that the BBC decided not to televise any more of the tournament (not even highlights) after England were eliminated.

[Edward G]

What a disappointing l decision by the Beeb. They should realise that not all their viewers are as parochial as their schedulers!
It's a final I would love to have seen, despite the elimination of England.

The Women's World Cup Final will be between USA and Japan (beaten by England in Round One). Should be a good match. It's a shame that the BBC decided not to televise any more of the tournament (not even highlights) after England were eliminated.

[jaycad]

I like to watch Womens Football as much as I like to watch Mens Netball!

[batman]

I like to watch Womens Football as much as I like to watch Mens Netball!

No one is forcing you to watch either!

I like watching Women's Football but I don't like watching Netball (Women's or Men's, if there is such a thing) .... so I don't watch it.

[jaycad]

No one is forcing you to watch either!

How do you know that I'm not at this moment being held at gunpoint by two suffragettes intent on making me watch betamax recordings of Doncaster Belles vs Arsenal with only the ironing to look forward to afterwards??

[batman]

How do you know that I'm not at this moment being held at gunpoint by two suffragettes intent on making me watch betamax recordings of Doncaster Belles vs Arsenal with only the ironing to look forward to afterwards??

Because if you were you wouldn't have been able to write that post.

[jaycad]

Because if you were you wouldn't have been able to write that post.

The post was dictated to the suffragette who has a PC and wants the world to know of my predicament!

[batman]

The post was dictated to the suffragette who has a PC and wants the world to know of my predicament!

Now you're just exaggerating.

[jaycad]

Now you're just exaggerating.

I swear it's the truth! Seriously though,the womens game has improved drastically over the last few years but the goalkeepers are still absolutely awful from what I've seen!

[batman]

The BBC must have heard our whining EdwardG ..... the Final will be shown live on BBC3 on Sunday!

Re goalkeepers ... there are some pretty good female goalkeepers, unfortunately this seems to be a fixation for many sports commentators and so any mistakes they make get highlighted over and over again. The Mexican goalkeeper was just 16 and she was very competent.

[Edward G]

Bats,
Your powers are unlimited - you really are the caped crusader!
Thanks for the nod on this welcome news.
Goalies do take it on the chin.
Alan Rough will testify...


yOP

The BBC must have heard our whining EdwardG ..... the Final will be shown live on BBC3 on Sunday!

Re goalkeepers ... there are some pretty good female goalkeepers, unfortunately this seems to be a fixation for many sports commentators and so any mistakes they make get highlighted over and over again. The Mexican goalkeeper was just 16 and she was very competent.

[golightly]

When I watch women's football I try and compare it with the men's game and although the skill level is good they obviously don't have the strength or stamina of the men. I don't think they would give the FA Sunday Cup finalists a game and you would probably have to look to the lower echelons of the amateur game to judge what level they are at in relation to the men. Personally I find it difficult to watch but I'm not anti women's football and if you enjoy it all well and good.