The Humble Realist Posted February 20, 2020 Report Share Posted February 20, 2020 So a thought provoking question... Should the womens game aim to become as similar to the Mens game or vice versa? Clearly popularity wise the womens game is growing and I'm sure everyone involved would like one day to see 70k sold out stadiums on a weekly basis. However ...if our womens team were to turn up at ashton gate against arsenal (I use purely as an example)...would the womens game want a 'normal mens ' crowd at the game . If a slightly larger built womens player came over to take a corner it would make national headlines if thousands of fans called her the C word in unison or screamed 'w**ker' at a corner taker by the south stand . Would the womens game want the nastiness and hostility that accompanies the mens game at times ? I genuinely dont know but like I said ...imagine if it happend overnight next week The womens matches seem to have a far more family feel to them from what I can see and I wonder if womens games popularity continues to rise whether it will become more like the mens in this aspect or whether the mens game will begin to think 'maybe the game should become more like the womens ' Certainly the mens matches are far less hostile than they were 20 or 30 years ago so perhaps the womens atmosphere is the future whether fans want it or not ? Similar discussions are happening with the new 'hundred ' competition in the cricket ...they've clearly stated they want family friendly atmospheres and not 'stag do' atmospheres - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin phantom Posted February 20, 2020 Admin Report Share Posted February 20, 2020 50 minutes ago, The Humble Realist said: Similar discussions are happening with the new 'hundred ' competition in the cricket ...they've clearly stated they want family friendly atmospheres and not 'stag do' atmospheres Everything else no, two completely different sports. England women getting a bigger than normal attendance at Wembley against Germany was more a combination of riding on the euphoria created by the world cup run, playing at Wembley, being cheap, being against Germany and tickets being well marketed to local girls sides County cricket grounds will continue to sell out for their games, nobody is interested in the 100, they will have to do like the IPL and give away thousands of tickets just to get people in the grounds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wendyredredrobin Posted February 20, 2020 Report Share Posted February 20, 2020 The way our midfield plays is pretty much like the women's game already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristolcitysweden Posted February 20, 2020 Report Share Posted February 20, 2020 More fair play in womens football. They don't fall like primadonnas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxjak Posted February 20, 2020 Report Share Posted February 20, 2020 Gotta say.............as hard as I have tried......I find womens football boring, and i could never see myself paying to watch it. i wish them all the luck in the world, and I am pleased a lot of women are earning a good living from it, but the lack of intensity, physicality and excitement leaves me cold. Each to their own I guess? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norn Iron Posted February 20, 2020 Report Share Posted February 20, 2020 1 minute ago, maxjak said: Gotta say.............as hard as I have tried......I find womens football boring, and i could never see myself paying to watch it. i wish them all the luck in the world, and I am pleased a lot of women are earning a good living from it, but the lack of intensity, physicality and excitement leaves me cold. Each to their own I guess? But what are the pies like? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isawjonshaw Posted February 20, 2020 Report Share Posted February 20, 2020 1 hour ago, maxjak said: Gotta say.............as hard as I have tried......I find womens football boring, and i could never see myself paying to watch it. i wish them all the luck in the world, and I am pleased a lot of women are earning a good living from it, but the lack of intensity, physicality and excitement leaves me cold. Each to their own I guess? And the sh17e goalies! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Hitler Posted February 20, 2020 Report Share Posted February 20, 2020 Oh good a new thread on this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pieman Posted February 20, 2020 Report Share Posted February 20, 2020 Personally I would prefer the men’s game to become more aligned to the women’s game in one aspect; not being on tv very often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Offside Posted February 20, 2020 Report Share Posted February 20, 2020 3 hours ago, maxjak said: the lack of intensity, physicality and excitement leaves me cold. Each to their own I guess? Sounds a bit like many of City’s home performances over the last few seasons! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie0016 Posted February 20, 2020 Report Share Posted February 20, 2020 The keeper can’t even kick it past the half way line Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBW Posted February 21, 2020 Report Share Posted February 21, 2020 16 hours ago, The Humble Realist said: If a slightly larger built womens player came over to take a corner it would make national headlines if thousands of fans called her the C word in unison or screamed 'w**ker' at a corner taker by the south stand . Would the womens game want the nastiness and hostility that accompanies the mens game at times ? Personally I'd find it hilarious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cider-manc Posted February 21, 2020 Report Share Posted February 21, 2020 14 hours ago, bristolcitysweden said: More fair play in womens football. They don't fall like primadonnas. You can't have watched much of the womens World cup. USA especially kept throwing themselves to the ground as if they had been shot anytime anyone went near them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Posted February 21, 2020 Report Share Posted February 21, 2020 In regard to atmosphere, I went to the City women v Chelsea women earlier in the season. Chelsea brought a fair number of fans, set up numerous flags behind one end and sang the full repertoire of old-school Chelsea songs, including old classics such as Zigger Zagger. I must say I was rather surprised. However. The quality of football on show from each team was of a vast difference. They play in the same league but you’d not be a fool if you thought there was at least 3 or 4 divisions between them. Chelsea were of a vastly superior quality to City. Whilst there is such a big level of quality differential within teams in the same league, you’re not going to serve up a regularly competitive and spectator-friendly product. Plus, as has been pointed out by many women players, but is somehow shot down by the ‘woke’ crowd as sexist, they need to reduce the size of the goals. The average man is around 5.5 inches taller than the average woman. It’s not sexist to suggest that an 8ft goal is more difficult to defend for someone who is 5.5 inches shorter on average. That should be the first and most fundamental change to women’s football to improve the game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedLionLad Posted February 21, 2020 Report Share Posted February 21, 2020 This game might have been worth watching... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Horse With No Name Posted February 21, 2020 Report Share Posted February 21, 2020 "Oh Tracey Palmer......... I'd let you shag my husband" doesnt have quite the same ring to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erithacus Posted February 21, 2020 Report Share Posted February 21, 2020 Ah, quite a subject that has exercised my mind for quite a while. I'm sure there is a university student somewhere who is basing their thesis on this subject. I've been taking an interest in women's football in the area for some time (back to the days of Marcia Dean, if you have any idea who she is) and have watched many games at various levels. The idea that the women's game is essentially the same as the men's is undeniable, at least in principle. However, there are a number of important differences that have naturally been part of the different journeys the game has had in this country. Firstly, the men's game has roots going back to the late nineteenth century and has continued as a popular sport ever since. Initially an amateur past-time, it has become (today) a massive vehicle that encompasses so much that wasn't there in the beginning - like professionalism in athletic, technical, psychological and economic disciplines. The women's game has had similar roots, but was effectively strangled in the post-war era. Since that ban was removed and efforts made to allow women to embrace the beautiful game, we have seen an expansion and elevation beyond all that has gone before. Their football world is still a very young, evolving and somewhat unpredictable one. Given that, it is indisputable that the two have many more similarities than differences - the laws are the same, the dynamics of play is the same, the spirit is the same. Perhaps it is no surprise that they are following a common path, albeit not at the same point. I have long pondered if the women's game will replicate the men's in all its aspects, good and bad. Will we ever see the time when hooliganism takes place at a WSL match? Will the social media storms that brew up occur with females? Will a player be sold for £millions? Will a woman achieve world-wide fame/notoriety? Could the Lionesses be as exaulted as the Boys of '66 one day? Time will tell, of course. But are there fundamental differences that will never be overcome? We can see clearly that women are undeniably different to men with regards to size, strength, physical assets and the like. Men have a biological advantage, plain and simple. But can it be argued that women will never be able to match men for intellectual capacity? Could it not be said that women can be as skillful, or be as determined? Take other sports as a comparison. Already we have seen this year a woman darts player win against a man in the big tournament. The 'soft' skills are perhaps where women can take a slight advantage. Ultimately, it appears to be the case that women's football has got its own character with regard to a few things. The general nature of play brings out less physical stuff, less aggressive behaviour (although not without occasional flares-up!) and tends to put more emphasis on skills; brains rather than brawn. Another thing that strikes me is that there appears to be a higher degree of camaraderie between sides - a common bond if you will. Men's teams are more prone to disregard their opponents. The warrior takes no prisoners. What really intrigues me is the way a game ends and often women players will usually stop at the pitchside to meet the fans and do the autographs and selfies. I remember watching the 2012 Olympics football tournament when Team GB was beaten by Canada at Coventry. After the final whistle, the players didn't scuttle into the changing rooms and hide from the media. Instead, I was surprised to see a Canadian player wander into the stands and walk a fair way up the aisle to talk to some people (I assume friends or relatives). I thought that men wouldn't do that! I accept that a male player in the midst of the crowd would be considered (sadly) unwise, but that is the real difference. And it's a common theme in just about all women's games - I often see the City Women take their time to leave the field due to speaking with all the (admittedly young family) fans. But do I detect that there is a very slight shift that male players are beginning to do something similar? So should mens' football be more like women's? I suggest there is room for some improvement, on both sides, but of the many things that men could do they might need to take a leaf out of their counterparts. What I think is more important is the way these changes would need to be felt off the field - particularly the fans. Perhaps the biggest difference between the genders is not the realm of the teams, the managers, the owners, the media or the accountants. It's us. We make the game what it is, for all its aspects. Women's football is a much more family oriented occasion, with very young fans attending that would not be at a men's. Of course, crowds are much smaller (show pieces apart) and so there is a more peaceful atmosphere because of that. Will this be eroded if women attract the size of crowds that men do? Maybe it will. I have watched the growth of women's football and can see there has been a rapid 'catch-up' on many fronts, mainly on the playing side. Whilst there is currently a great divide between the two, the gap is surely shrinking. Whether they will eventually stand shoulder to shoulder or remain as distinct and discrete sports is to be accounted in the future. As it is, I enjoy watching the various levels of football, be they professional men's, women's or local Toolstation League. I appreciate the positive ways the game is played out, accept the differences and standards of skill on show. (Anyone who has seen me try to play in our 6-a-side league will quickly understand why I am below all of the above; I look up to them all.) I try not to look at these lower tiers of football from the point of view of a professional men's team, and don't assume the players are any the less for their level. What joins us all is the pleasure of playing and watching this game. The Beautiful Game has no gender. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeAman08 Posted February 22, 2020 Report Share Posted February 22, 2020 12 hours ago, Harry said: In regard to atmosphere, I went to the City women v Chelsea women earlier in the season. Chelsea brought a fair number of fans, set up numerous flags behind one end and sang the full repertoire of old-school Chelsea songs, including old classics such as Zigger Zagger. I must say I was rather surprised. However. The quality of football on show from each team was of a vast difference. They play in the same league but you’d not be a fool if you thought there was at least 3 or 4 divisions between them. Chelsea were of a vastly superior quality to City. Whilst there is such a big level of quality differential within teams in the same league, you’re not going to serve up a regularly competitive and spectator-friendly product. Plus, as has been pointed out by many women players, but is somehow shot down by the ‘woke’ crowd as sexist, they need to reduce the size of the goals. The average man is around 5.5 inches taller than the average woman. It’s not sexist to suggest that an 8ft goal is more difficult to defend for someone who is 5.5 inches shorter on average. That should be the first and most fundamental change to women’s football to improve the game. I agree. I’d probably make the pitch a bit smaller as well. Not massively but maybe 10 yards shorter and 5 less width. Isn’t a sexist thing like you said. It is small adjustments to make the game more entertaining for everyone. Entertainment means more revenue. There are differences between men and women physically so embrace them and be creative in making ways to make your game better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedLionLad Posted February 22, 2020 Report Share Posted February 22, 2020 12 hours ago, The Horse With No Name said: "Oh Tracey Palmer......... I'd let you shag my husband" doesnt have quite the same ring to it. Is there much of a difference between male and female rings then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin101 Posted February 22, 2020 Report Share Posted February 22, 2020 14 hours ago, Harry said: In regard to atmosphere, I went to the City women v Chelsea women earlier in the season. Chelsea brought a fair number of fans, set up numerous flags behind one end and sang the full repertoire of old-school Chelsea songs, including old classics such as Zigger Zagger. I must say I was rather surprised. However. The quality of football on show from each team was of a vast difference. They play in the same league but you’d not be a fool if you thought there was at least 3 or 4 divisions between them. Chelsea were of a vastly superior quality to City. Whilst there is such a big level of quality differential within teams in the same league, you’re not going to serve up a regularly competitive and spectator-friendly product. Plus, as has been pointed out by many women players, but is somehow shot down by the ‘woke’ crowd as sexist, they need to reduce the size of the goals. The average man is around 5.5 inches taller than the average woman. It’s not sexist to suggest that an 8ft goal is more difficult to defend for someone who is 5.5 inches shorter on average. That should be the first and most fundamental change to women’s football to improve the game. Or should men’s goals be made bigger? The size of the goal hasn’t changed since the Victorian era, when the average male was much smaller. Might make for more goals and entertainment? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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