women's lympic footie

[thebish]

Not sure i ever claimed to be a fan of the british mens or ladies teams. I am the same as you, i would rather just watch Arsenal - and that includes the womans team if they are on the telly (ie once a year when we get to the cup final!)

indeed! and that's the problem... there are lots of people who stand up for women's football and defend it - but it's usually only in theory... I've heard too many people argue that more people (but usually not themselves) should like it and go to watch it and thus generate the interest and bums on seats to attract the sponsorship that might make a difference. For anything to change in the fortunes of women's football, theoretical support - for the "idea" of it - which is never really strong enough to mean that you actually follow it is never going to be enough.

I've nothing against women's football - it just doesn't interest me, that's all. And it doesn't really interest you (or Bruce) (or Verbal) or enough people to make a difference.

FWIW I don't think the lack of interest is because women's football is rubbish - it clearly isn't. I suspect that the reason nobody goes to watch it is that whether we like it or not the working class culture of football being a man's game that pervades the roots of the game over here (despite the fact that it is farrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr removed from that now) are still massively dominant in the mindset of people living in the UK. Football is tribal over here - people watch it because they belong to a tribe - not because it is particularly lovely to watch - and you can't impose new tribal loyalties. I suspect that women's football will grow in the UK - but never very big - and fans will never be as passionately for a team or against another - it'll be watched purely for entertainment - which (light bulb goes on in head!) might be why it has taken off at Arsenal???

I suspect this is the reason that Women's football is so much more successful in America - they don't have that history - for them the whole game is relatively new in their collective psyche - they don't have the baggage that we do.

[Worthy4England]

No...Hope Solo !
*drool*
and Bruce wants male goalkeepers!

If Hope Solo was in goal, i would miss my pen on purpose then ask her if she fancied doing anything later.

never heard of her - who's she??

Clearly not that much of a fan of womens football eh Bish?!

Indeed not - as I have said - I don't watch it. Neither do you - except I admit that I don't watch it!

(I pretty much only watch Bolton unless I am very, very bored)

Not sure i ever claimed to be a fan of the british mens or ladies teams. I am the same as you, i would rather just watch Arsenal - and that includes the womans team if they are on the telly (ie once a year when we get to the cup final!)

Bish is an Arsenal fan????!!!

[Gooner Girl]

I think thats part of the reason i don't go to watch Arsenal ladies live (the main reason being its so far away and not as easy to get too as The Emirates) Part of the reason i love watching the Arsenal mens team IS the tribal element, the chanting, the banter with other fans, being part of a large crowd you just don't get that at womens football sadly and its a vicious circle.

Women play sport's and all too often earn nothing for it. Their competitions are rarely or barely covered, and so there’s no money. It’s not marketable. Because there’s no money, there’s no investment and because there’s no investment, it’s harder to improve the overall quality. There’s no excuse as to why newspapers can’t start covering more womens sport considering all the crap they do give column inches over too but they don't.

[Gooner Girl]

(I pretty much only watch Bolton unless I am very, very bored)

Not sure i ever claimed to be a fan of the british mens or ladies teams. I am the same as you, i would rather just watch Arsenal - and that includes the womans team if they are on the telly (ie once a year when we get to the cup final!)

Bish is an Arsenal fan????!!!

Ssssshhh! thats a secret. I didn't mean for it to slip out. Ooooppps.

[thebish]

Women play sport's and all too often earn nothing for it.

yet this year at wimbledon - despite playing massively fewer games because the poor loves can't manage 5 sets - the wimmin were paid the same as the men in prize money...

equal pay for equal work - fine - but play 5-set matches!!!

[thebish]

I think thats part of the reason i don't go to watch Arsenal ladies live (the main reason being its so far away and not as easy to get too as The Emirates) Part of the reason i love watching the Arsenal mens team IS the tribal element, the chanting, the banter with other fans, being part of a large crowd you just don't get that at womens football sadly and its a vicious circle.

Women play sport's and all too often earn nothing for it. Their competitions are rarely or barely covered, and so there’s no money. It’s not marketable. Because there’s no money, there’s no investment and because there’s no investment, it’s harder to improve the overall quality. There’s no excuse as to why newspapers can’t start covering more womens sport considering all the crap they do give column inches over too but they don't.

which women's sports that are not covered in the papers do you care about enough to read about?

[Gooner Girl]

I think thats part of the reason i don't go to watch Arsenal ladies live (the main reason being its so far away and not as easy to get too as The Emirates) Part of the reason i love watching the Arsenal mens team IS the tribal element, the chanting, the banter with other fans, being part of a large crowd you just don't get that at womens football sadly and its a vicious circle.

Women play sport's and all too often earn nothing for it. Their competitions are rarely or barely covered, and so there’s no money. It’s not marketable. Because there’s no money, there’s no investment and because there’s no investment, it’s harder to improve the overall quality. There’s no excuse as to why newspapers can’t start covering more womens sport considering all the crap they do give column inches over too but they don't.

which women's sports that are not covered in the papers do you care about enough to read about?

Arsenal ladies mostly. I have to read on BBC Sport or the Arsenal website (not that i really get to sit and read a paper these days anyway) I'd also like to read about gymnastics too. The one sport where women seem to be given fair coverage is athletics.

[Worthy4England]

Women play sport's and all too often earn nothing for it.

yet this year at wimbledon - despite playing massively fewer games because the poor loves can't manage 5 sets - the wimmin were paid the same as the men in prize money...

equal pay for equal work - fine - but play 5-set matches!!!

I guess the problem here is - who's paying and how much into the game they're playing - be it football or owt else.

If there's nowt coming in, then there's nowt to pay 'em with.

I recall before when TV put some wonga into cricket, County Cricketers didn't make much at all.

[thebish]

Women play sport's and all too often earn nothing for it.

yet this year at wimbledon - despite playing massively fewer games because the poor loves can't manage 5 sets - the wimmin were paid the same as the men in prize money...

equal pay for equal work - fine - but play 5-set matches!!!

I guess the problem here is - who's paying and how much into the game they're playing - be it football or owt else.

If there's nowt coming in, then there's nowt to pay 'em with.

I recall before when TV put some wonga into cricket, County Cricketers didn't make much at all.

indeed - for women footballers to earn more - more people would have to go and watch them either live or on telly (starting off with live to encourage the telly people!) - and it seems that not even any of the good people on this football loving forum do that....

[TANGODANCER]

Doffing the cap to the GB ladies. Two wins and some nifty football. They know how to score goals too.

[Tals-biggest-fan]

Team GB will fall short if they play the US, they're unstoppable, probaly have the best looking squad aswell!!

and anyone who thinks that the woman players are any less physical then the mens are clearly mistaken!

[ohjimmyjimmy]

She grabbed her by the tit.

[thebish]

She grabbed her by the tit.

then scratched her and pulled her hair?

[TANGODANCER]

Anyway, half-time, GB ladies 1- Brazil 0....

[TANGODANCER]

Full time and the GB girls beat Brazil 1-0. (and we missed a penalty too) Sign Stephanie Houghton up for Bolton. Great stuff girls. Heroines all.

[thebish]

Full time and the GB girls beat Brazil 1-0.

sounds like a close shave...

[Gooner Girl]

Cracking stuff GB and all the girl gooners playing! Could be a medal for the ladies?!

[Bruce Rioja]

Full time and the GB girls beat Brazil 1-0.

sounds like a close shave...

[Tals-biggest-fan]

Cracking stuff GB and all the girl gooners playing! Could be a medal for the ladies?!

Brits will be fighting for Bronze, sadly by winning the game they've gone and got themselves a match with Canada which they'll win but then in the semi's they'll go up against the US who are by far the best team in the tournament.

The final will likely be France - USA and the bronze will likely be GB - Brazil

[thebish]

Cracking stuff GB and all the girl gooners playing! Could be a medal for the ladies?!

oh - you're interested now they are winning!!