To those who carp about the standards ...

I'm 60 this year and the football heroes from my youth are now old men, and frankly dying all too regularly. If you could magically transport the likes of Ralph Coates, Leighton James and Martin Peters forward to the modern game, how would they cope ? They'd love the protection from the referees, love the state of the playing surfaces that's for sure. Would they be a yard too slow, two yards ? I grant you, with a couple of years strength and conditioning and modern diets, they may well be competitive ... What we do know is that they were great players who stood out among their peers at the time ...

My point is we can only judge players and teams on the basis of their peers. The Lionesses are European Champions, have lost once in 38 matches under the present manager, whilst conceding only 15 goals in the process, and on Sunday, will be in a World Cup final. In women's football they are an outstanding team, and all England fans should be backing them to the hilt ...

All you can say is women’s football improves every year massively, who knows what level it will be at in another generation with the funding and growth it’s getting

Clarets4me wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 17, 2023 7:03 pm

. . . . . The Lionesses are European Champions, have lost once in 38 matches under the present manager, whilst conceding only 15 goals in the process, and on Sunday, will be in a World Cup final. In women's football they are an outstanding team, and all England fans should be backing them to the hilt ...

Burnley fans will be getting bad press again at the Final.
The Spanish Monarch is going.
Ours isn't.


I'm looking forward to it, anyway!

They are absolutely fantastic! They have had to work so hard to get to where they are and they deserve it! If they win it will be immense!

Good intentions - not a dig at the original post - but I'd love to just talk about and enjoy the game without having to criticise or justify the standard.

Buxtonclaret wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 17, 2023 7:14 pm

Burnley fans will be getting bad press again at the Final.
The Spanish Monarch is going.
Ours isn't.


I'm looking forward to it, anyway!

WHo is the current King of Burnley?

Rowls wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 17, 2023 7:25 pm

WHo is the current King of Burnley?

Manuel Benson.

Agree with the sentiment of this post. I wish it wasn’t necessary but well done for saying it when you’re guaranteed to get some flack. Looking forward to a great day on Sunday and seeing England lift another trophy

I have 3 Grandaughters who are footy mad ... 16, 14, and 12, they all play for at least 2 teams regularly and the 2 eldest at county standard ... and all 3 at age groups higher than their actual ages.

I have another Grandaughter 20 yrs old who plays International Lacrosse for England, (and has done since schoolgirl level) and have watched her in the Home Internationals in both Edinburgh and Nottingham very succesfully.
Nobody tries to compare Mens and Womens Lacrosse ... so why then Football.

We only have to look at our own BFC Ladies team and the increase in standard in a short space of time...

Why people try and bring comparisons beats me between the mens and womens game.

So if you don't want to watch Womens Elite sports fair enough ... but keep the negatives to yourself because they are neither needed nor wanted ...

Come on England on Sunday morning your nation is watching and wanting you to win.

Pickles wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 17, 2023 7:17 pm

Good intentions - not a dig at the original post - but I'd love to just talk about and enjoy the game without having to criticise or justify the standard.

The "standard" is the best in the world for this particular sport. It's the latter stages of the World Cup, it doesn't get better than that in any sport.

On another note, I know they've had the nickname for ages, but does anyone else find "Lionesses" a bit naff?

TheFamilyCat wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 17, 2023 8:22 pm

The "standard" is the best in the world for this particular sport. It's the latter stages of the World Cup, it doesn't get better than that in any sport.

On another note, I know they've had the nickname for ages, but does anyone else find "Lionesses" a bit naff?

No, I think its a perfect name. They certainly have more 'roar' than the lions.

Bosscat wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 17, 2023 7:56 pm

I have 3 Grandaughters who are footy mad ... 16, 14, and 12, they all play for at least 2 teams regularly and the 2 eldest at county standard ... and all 3 at age groups higher than their actual ages. I have another Grandaughter 20 yrs old who plays International Lacrosse for England, (and has done since schoolgirl level) and have watched her in the Home Internationals in both Edinburgh and Nottingham very succesfully.
Nobody tries to compare Mens and Womens Lacrosse ... so why then Football.

We only have to look at our own BFC Ladies team and the increase in standard in a short space of time...

Why people try and bring comparisons beats me between the mens and womens game. So if you don't want to watch Womens Elite sports fair enough ... but keep the negatives to yourself because they are neither needed nor wanted ...

Come on England on Sunday morning your nation is watching and wanting you to win.

Regular readers will know that my limited sporting gifts were for the oval ball, and a group of us who played for Blackburn Rugby Club's U19's in the early 1980's are still very much in touch, with the odd reunion etc ...

My wonderful Daughter-in-Law has hit a 50 at Lords in a women's University final, albeit in a losing cause for Leeds against Loughborough, and also played for Lancashire women. Another mate's Daughter is also a Welsh Lacrosse International ... Our old Hooker's Daughter played for Lancashire Ladies Rugby on the Wing before starting her family, and the proud Papa asked if a few of us would come to support her on her debut against Cumbria at Vale of Lune's ground in Lancaster .As she ran out wearing the red and white hoops of Lancashire, and with the Red Rose on her chest, the four of us looked over at her Dad, an ex-Para ....tears of pride were running down his cheeks, which rather set a couple of us off as well

Pickles wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 17, 2023 7:17 pm

Good intentions - not a dig at the original post - but I'd love to just talk about and enjoy the game without having to criticise or justify the standard.

I actually read his post as saying exactly that.

Clarets4me wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 17, 2023 8:36 pm

Regular readers will know that my limited sporting gifts were for the oval ball, and a group of us who played for Blackburn Rugby Club's U19's in the early 1980's are still very much in touch, with the odd reunion etc ...

My wonderful Daughter-in-Law has hit a 50 at Lords in a women's University final, albeit in a losing cause for Leeds against Loughborough, and also played for Lancashire women. Another mate's Daughter is also a Welsh Lacrosse International ... Our old Hooker's Daughter played for Lancashire Ladies Rugby on the Wing before starting her family, and the proud Papa asked if a few of us would come to support her on her debut against Cumbria at Vale of Lune's ground in Lancaster .As she ran out wearing the red and white hoops of Lancashire, and with the Red Rose on her chest, the four of us looked over at her Dad, an ex-Para ....tears of pride were running down his cheeks, which rather set a couple of us off as well

know the feeling watching my Grandaughter get player of the Tournament for England at Nottingham was a very poignant moment both her her Mum and Dad were tearful and that set me and the Mrs off

I’m an ex mickey taker.

Sure the standards are worlds apart, but if you watch the game for what it is, then I’m sure like me you’ll learn to relax and enjoy it.

Absolutely rooting for the lionesses…. There’s summat about ‘em. I love how they give everything for each other, I love how their rawness sees them conga-ing over tables mid interview, I love how they don’t take every single opportunity to cheat their opponents and the paying public, and I love how their manager doesn’t try to re-invent the game by being far too clever for her own good - square peg in a square hole seems to work, who knew????

Good luck ladies, we’re behind you.

It’s great people are embracing it now who wouldn’t have previously. The standard has risen hugely from where it was and there’s a better understanding of the difference between men’s and women’s football as sports. The next generation of girls will take the level even higher.

Shame there’s no Burnley game obviously, but a weekend of non league FA cup action and the women’s final certainly fills the void.

I tried to watch a couple of WSL games, it was a poor standard and not for me.

Watched the euros semis and final and the international standard was better.

I think this tournament is a big step up. In quality and entertainment.

Spain have never got out of the group stages. So this will be a big challenge to beat the UKGirls.

Buxtonclaret wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 17, 2023 7:14 pm

Burnley fans will be getting bad press again at the Final.
The Spanish Monarch is going.
Ours isn't.


I'm looking forward to it, anyway!

FFS, Charles wouldn't be able to point to Burnley on a map,let alone name the current manager. Drop the pathetic cap doffing, he's nowhere near interested.

It's going to be a very tough game. We only narrowly beat Spain in the quarter-finals in the Euros. They're young and very hungry for success.

I wish them well and hope they lift the trophy. I’m not a fan of women’s football but cannot ignore how good the England women are.
They started shakily but have now found their stride. My wife will be watching it but I will be out for a cycle ride on Sunday morning.

Rowls wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 17, 2023 7:25 pm

WHo is the current King of Burnley?

Have to look that one up!

Rowls wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 17, 2023 9:15 pm

It's going to be a very tough game. We only narrowly beat Spain in the quarter-finals in the Euros. They're young and very hungry for success.

Spain really outplayed us in that Euros game, they looked a very good side then.

Being shown in the Fanzone.

I think the constant comparisons are caused by the way the media present the game.

It should be considered to be a game in its own right but we get the daft stuff like “first final since 1966” and “England’s most capped every player” etc.

They do the same in cricket and it’s totally unnecessary. We had the press asking if the England women’s spin bowler was the greatest spin bowler in England this summer…..she plays second XI league cricket.

Celebrate and enjoy the game for what it is but don’t constantly push a narrative that it’s comparable with the elite men’s game.

I think if the press presented it this way, your more casual observer would appreciate it more.

A big thing that I like is the absence of cheating (Columbia apart). They just get on with it. I really enjoy watching this team. So much more than the men’s team

Will definitely be watching and shouting at the TV from time to time
Hoping for an England victory,obviously .

AmbleClaret wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 17, 2023 9:14 pm

FFS, Charles wouldn't be able to point to Burnley on a map,let alone name the current manager. Drop the pathetic cap doffing, he's nowhere near interested.

I'm no royalist, but Charles has appeared to have a genuine interest in the town, and visited and promoted the town and its heritage.
(I think that his widely publicised claim to be a Burnley fan is also genuine)

AmbleClaret wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 17, 2023 9:14 pm

FFS, Charles wouldn't be able to point to Burnley on a map,let alone name the current manager. Drop the pathetic cap doffing, he's nowhere near interested.

I think he may have been joking …

Saw the last twenty of the semi. Watched it go from 1-1 to 3-1, but still couldn’t get excited about it. Not a criticism, it’s just not for me.

Good luck to them though, I hope they do it.

DAVETHEVICAR wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 18, 2023 9:21 am

Will definitely be watching and shouting at the TV from time to time
Hoping for an England victory,obviously .

I would have thought that like a good number of us you would be working on a Sunday morning?

i just enjoy watching them.... no comparisons,they give their heart and souls to the game,they are super successful,and a breath of fresh air,come
girls you can do it.......england expects.

arise_sir_charge wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 18, 2023 8:44 am

I think the constant comparisons are caused by the way the media present the game.

It should be considered to be a game in its own right but we get the daft stuff like “first final since 1966” and “England’s most capped every player” etc.

They do the same in cricket and it’s totally unnecessary. We had the press asking if the England women’s spin bowler was the greatest spin bowler in England this summer…..she plays second XI league cricket.

Celebrate and enjoy the game for what it is but don’t constantly push a narrative that it’s comparable with the elite men’s game.

I think if the press presented it this way, your more casual observer would appreciate it more.

Spot on this.

Hope England win, it's great for the women's game and they're inspiring loads of youngsters to get into football. It's totally different to the men's game though, I've got about as much interest in it as I have in rugby.

FA chief: Sarina Wiegman could be England men’s manager candidate
Mark Bullingham also defends pay disparity between Wiegman and Gareth Southgate and reveals plan to build Lionesses statue at Wembley

Molly Hudson, Sydney Thursday August 17 2023, 2.15pm, The Times

The FA chief executive Mark Bullingham says there is no reason why Sarina Wiegman should not be considered for the England men’s manager job.

Wiegman, 53, is contracted to lead the women’s team until the end of the European Championship in 2025. She has made history as the first coach to take two different nations — Holland and England — to World Cup finals, and has also claimed the Euros trophy with both teams.

England play Spain in their first women’s World Cup final on Sunday. An audience of 7.3 million watched England’s semi-final against Australia on BBC1.

“Firstly, I think it’s a bit disrespectful of the Lionesses to project [managing the men] as a step up,” Bullingham said. “People always say it is the best man for the job or the best Englishman. Why does it have to be a man?

“I think our answer is always that it’s the best person for the job. We think Sarina is doing a great job and hope she continues doing it for a long time. I think Sarina could do anything she wants in football.”

The FA’s immediate concern will be retaining Wiegman’s services for the women’s team, given she has bolstered her reputation by navigating a turbulent build-up to the tournament, with several key players missing because of injury.

While England have found success under Wiegman, the United States, the historical dominant force in women’s football, have struggled, crashing out of the World Cup in the round of 16.

Vlatko Andonovski, the US manager, stood down on Thursday and Wiegman has been linked with the role.

“We’ve seen lots of rumours, and look, she is a special talent,” Bullingham said. “We know that. From our side, she’s obviously contracted through until 2025. We think she’s doing a great job. We 100 per cent [would reject approaches].”

Bullingham insists there is a long-term aim to equalise the pay structure for Wiegman and Gareth Southgate, the men’s manager, but believes the present disparity in the financial markets in men’s and women’s football prevent the FA from accelerating that.

It is understood that Wiegman earns about £400,000 a year, only 10 per cent of Southgate’s salary of about £4,000,000. The FA does not disclose official figures.

“Over time, I think that’s where you’ve got to get to,” he said. “If you look at the disparity in the market and the income coming in, that’s why you’ve got a difference. I would say that Sarina is, within the market she operates, well paid.

“The average [annual] salary in the WSL [roughly £30,000] is less than the average salary in the Premier League for a week. We’ve got brilliant football being played by the Lionesses and actually all of the teams in this tournament, and I think they’re showing that there is demand for that.

“The viewing figures have been great. We’ve then got to translate that into broadcast revenue and commercial revenue, and then you’ve got to build it up that way.”

The FA has received permission to honour England’s historic European Championship victory last summer with a statue outside Wembley Stadium.

The exact timescale remains unclear, and is understood to be dependent on Brent council, but the process is entering the design stage, with an emphasis on the collective nature of the triumph.

“In terms of statues it’s something we are looking at post-Euros [2022], we’ve made progress on that and it would be right to have something to commemorate that success outside Wembley,” Bullingham said. “It’s more the whole team [rather than just Sarina].”

quoonbeatz wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 18, 2023 10:31 am

Spot on this.

Hope England win, it's great for the women's game and they're inspiring loads of youngsters to get into football. It's totally different to the men's game though, I've got about as much interest in it as I have in rugby.

How is it totally different? Last time I checked it had the same rules

RVclaret wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 18, 2023 10:47 am

How is it totally different? Last time I checked it had the same rules

It's got the same rules, thats it.

nil_desperandum wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 18, 2023 9:46 am

I would have thought that like a good number of us you would be working on a Sunday morning?

Nice One!

RVclaret wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 18, 2023 10:47 am

How is it totally different? Last time I checked it had the same rules

Walking football shares a lot of the same rules as the 'more physical' game. However, walking football sets out to be a different game, and not just the difference between walking and running. The rules are designed to prevent injury to the players - that way older men and women can enjoy the game without the constant risk of injuries.

Paul Waine wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 18, 2023 11:20 am

Walking football shares a lot of the same rules as the 'more physical' game. However, walking football sets out to be a different game, and not just the difference between walking and running. The rules are designed to prevent injury to the players - that way older men and women can enjoy the game without the constant risk of injuries.

‘A lot of the same’ vs ‘the exact same’ is quite a difference in this context

RVclaret wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 18, 2023 10:47 am

How is it totally different? Last time I checked it had the same rules

England schoolboys play by exactly the same rules and would probably give the Lionesses a good game. We don't have to pretend that their manager could be next in line to replace Gareth Southgate though.

I hope they win on Sunday. They need to make the goals smaller though, or find some taller goalkeepers.

Bosscat wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 17, 2023 7:56 pm

I have 3 Grandaughters who are footy mad ... 16, 14, and 12, they all play for at least 2 teams regularly and the 2 eldest at county standard ... and all 3 at age groups higher than their actual ages.

Do they play for the National Champions, Lancashire Schools' F.A. U14 and U16 Girls ?

RVclaret wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 18, 2023 10:47 am

How is it totally different? Last time I checked it had the same rules

That's about all that's the same.

MT03ALG wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 18, 2023 11:40 am

Do they play for the National Champions, Lancashire Schools' F.A. U14 and U16 Girls ?

They live in Guisborough and play for local teams up there

arise_sir_charge wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 18, 2023 8:44 am

I think the constant comparisons are caused by the way the media present the game.

It should be considered to be a game in its own right but we get the daft stuff like “first final since 1966” and “England’s most capped every player” etc.

They do the same in cricket and it’s totally unnecessary. We had the press asking if the England women’s spin bowler was the greatest spin bowler in England this summer…..she plays second XI league cricket.

Celebrate and enjoy the game for what it is but don’t constantly push a narrative that it’s comparable with the elite men’s game.

I think if the press presented it this way, your more casual observer would appreciate it more.

This is correct. The last people you'll hear comparing it to men's football is the women playing it. They know the difference. It's a really good sport in its own right.

My daughter plays in the top division in South Yorkshire, they're a really good team and watching over the last few years has helped me appreciate women's football. It is different. If they play a boys team (u15), then they'd have to drop down to maybe the 5th division of the local Sheffield League to make it a fair game. And even then on set pieces etc, they already can't compete at that age.

Maybe it's because people are new to it. Nobody watches the women's final at Wimbledon and spends the whole time sneering that they wouldn't give a Top 300 men's pro a game.

Anyway, I'll be watching on Sunday, really looking forward to it.

Doesn't seem to be a problem in athletics when we discuss things like the last GB runner to win a gold medal.

Really looking forward to the final on Sunday, I hope thay mange to win it.

I'm not looking forward to listening to Vicki Sparks screaming through the TV, I'll have to watch it with the sound off.

Rowls wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 17, 2023 9:15 pm

It's going to be a very tough game. We only narrowly beat Spain in the quarter-finals in the Euros. They're young and very hungry for success.

Very true, although a lot of that Spanish team have been omitted, some of their own volition, following a bust up between the Coach and players last year ...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65882053

Robbo1882 wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 18, 2023 1:33 pm

Really looking forward to the final on Sunday, I hope thay mange to win it.

I'm not looking forward to listening to Vicki Sparks screaming through the TV, I'll have to watch it with the sound off.

It's being shown on ITV as well, I'm fairly sure they had a male commentator on their highlights reel for the semi-final ...

I do wish the media and the general public would stop drawing comparisons between the men’s and women’s game tbh. You simply can’t compare the two and trying to do so is a pointless exercise in my opinion which inevitably leads to sexist remarks being made.

Admittedly, some of the Women’s footballers don’t help themselves in this matter when you have the likes of Rapinoe banging on about unequal pay between the men’s and women’s game as if it’s some sort of sexist issue. This sort of situation has nothing to do with equality, and is purely driven by market value, much the same as any other job or career. In other words, far less people ‘buy’ the ladies game compared to the men’s meaning lower pay.

Instead, I think it’s better to simply admire just how much the ladies game has improved in such a short space of time with our ladies leading the way! Fingers crossed the Lionesses can win a World Cup this weekend because this would inspire a huge number of kids nationally and would continue to raise the profile of the women’s game. This is the only way to achieve some sort of parity to the mens game.

Clarets4me wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 18, 2023 2:05 pm

It's being shown on ITV as well, I'm fairly sure they had a male commentator on their highlights reel for the semi-final ...

I know Sam matterface has done some games for ITV and his voice is worse than any male or female commentator.