Hearing the news about the huge deal that Sky Sports have signed with women’s football in England is fantastic news for the game and in my view it is about time. The deal worth £8 million is set to be the biggest deal for women’s football anywhere in the world and will certainly help the clubs develop as a brand. I do have some major regrets as to why it’s taken so long as other clubs who helped develop the game in the UK will no longer benefit. I’m talking about the likes of Doncaster Belles, who are an iconic name in the game which stretches back many decades, and Notts County who helped lay foundation for women’s football in the East Midlands. Plus who can forget Sunderland who have developed so many international players over the years including England internationals, Steph Houghton, Lucy Bronze, and Lucy Staniforth.
Don’t get me wrong it’s excellent news for the development of the game and an opportunity for female athletes to do football as a full-time profession, I’m just disappointed that it’s taken so long to spot the potential that the women’s game has. I’ve said previously that you could have developed the game by having one team per region which not only would it give every aspiring teenage girl access to a professional club it would’ve meant for exciting and equal competition. However, the current make up of the league is heavily weighted with North-West and London based teams, which mirrors that of the men’s Premier League. Whilst I’m sure that the league will thrive one can see similarities between this deal with Sky Sports and the men’s deal with Sky Sports in 1992 in terms of it being the exact same teams who will benefit pretty much. It just leaves a bitter taste that smaller clubs helped develop the game only for some of the bigger men’s sides (who created a women’s team in the last three years) to come along and score a tap in at the far post. A case of right place, right time indeed.
0 Comments
It’s a fair assumption that women’s football hasn’t been in the best of places in recent months with the saga surrounding the Mark Sampson and Eni Aluko allegations as well as the continuing decrease in competitiveness in the WSL. The later point the FA continues to try and address and I’ll address in this article too, while the first point the FA has failed get hold of the situation, a bit like a slippery eel. Anyway, the point I’m addressing today is the issue surrounding the league with the FA announcing this week that the licence format including a league revamp will start next season with a new 8-14 team top tier made entirely out of professional clubs, while WSL 2 (the current second tier) will become a semi-professional league. I believe this will be catastrophic for the game as it has become clear over recent seasons that a professional women’s club is only sustainable if it has significant financial backing from their men’s side (if associated), as clubs who don’t have this fail as seen with the demise of Notts County and the continued uncertainty surrounding Sunderland. In my honest opinion the structure is broken as the top priority of FAWSL when it was launched in 2011 was to increase popularity of the sport and to increase participation amongst girls taking up football. By making the league fully professional and by changing the criteria to get a WSL 1 licence some clubs will see attendances decrease and struggle as a result, while aspiring footballers will be left without a top tier side in close proximity. My reservations, which I have stated numerous times if you follow me on Twitter is that the WSL 1 will just turn into the women’s equivalent of the men’s Premier League, where positions are dictated by money and where the participating teams will be from London and the North-West only meaning it erects barriers to aspiring footballers from other parts of the country. My radical idea, not that anyone will take note of it as money talks, would be to implement a franchise system where teams are not backed by a sole individual / club as they will be based in regions. Let me explain, an example would be to give a franchise to the South-West where the likes of Plymouth Argyle and Exeter City can support a franchise and games can alternate between stadiums. This in my opinion is a much more sustainable approach to the women’s game in the country as it allows teams to be spread fairly evenly across England while not relying on one sole party to bankrole it, thus decreasing the likelihood of teams going out of business. Hopefully this approach would also increase competitiveness of the league and give girls from all over the country a chance to access professional football and not just the ones lucky enough to live within a certain area. Below is the list of regional franchises I believe the FA should focus upon with examples of clubs which could invest:
· North-West (Everton, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United) · East Midlands (Leicester City, Mansfield Town, Nottingham Forest, Notts County) · West Midlands (Aston Villa, Birmingham City, West Brom, Wolves) · South-West (Bristol City, Bristol Rovers, Exeter City, Plymouth Albion, Yeovil Town) · North-East (Newcastle United, Middlesbrough, Sunderland) · London (Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur) · Oxfordshire & Thames Valley (Oxford City, Oxford United, Swindon Town) · East Anglia (Cambridge United, Ipswich Town, Norwich City, Peterborough United) · South-Yorkshire (Sheffield United, Sheffield Wednesday, Rotherham United) · West-Yorkshire (Bradford City, Huddersfield Town, Leeds United) After the sad news last Friday that Notts County Ladies were no more certain questions have been raised about the sustainability of the league. Of course, the news surrounding Notts County Ladies comes in the same off-season which saw Sunderland (another WSL 1 team) announce that they were going to part-time status after a couple of years being professional. Being professional is all well and good as you can attract better players which means more chance of winning trophies, however it soon becomes apparent that not every club can sustain that as certain clubs linked to wealthy men’s Premier League teams are able to throw money at it without a care in the world. The money element is partly linked into the gastronomical amounts of money they receive through the English Premier League deal, which of course you do not see a sniff off if the men’s team the women’s club is linked to does not play in the top flight. This then means that teams have to budget specifically for women’s teams and as seen with Notts County Ladies the figures simply don’t add up. The quoted figures suggest that in order for the team to play the following season it would have cost £500,000 with only £28,000 generated in revenue from sponsors. This outlines the major flaws in WSL and suggests that unless you are the likes of Manchester City or Arsenal where £1 million can be given away without noticing it in the yearly balance sheet, you will not be able to compete and ultimately struggle. The FAWSL competition started off with much potential especially after the world took note of Great Britain’s performance at the London Olympics in 2012. At the time the competition was new, fresh and had a USP of summer seasons as opposed to the regular winter seasons in an attempt to increase attendances which it achieved in my opinion. In the final season (2016) as a summer league a number of teams averaged over 1,000 supporters per match including Notts County, while Manchester City pulled in over 2,000 on some occasions (although this could be attributed to their constant success). Switching to a winter season like leagues in France and Germany is logical as it gets teams in sync for the Champions League competition and it is suggested that as a result they will do better, only time will tell on that front. Furthermore, the switch makes sense as the league has grown, but with games stretched out and possible more time between games will we see other teams go the same way as Notts County Ladies or possible follow Sunderland’s lead and go part time? This brings me on to other European League which have gone through similar struggles. For example, the Dutch women’s top flight league, or the Eredivisie Vrouwen to give its official name has gone through certain changes in order to make itself more sustainable since forming 10 years ago. the Eredivisie Vrouwen which is in its third reincarnation with its first spell ending in 2012 before a three-year spell as a joint league with Belgium to 2015 and its current spell as solely a Dutch league of 7, 8 and soon 9 teams. Originally the league started with six teams, with only half of them still existing today, the league is currently up to 8 teams with an introduction of a 9th being introduced for the 2017/18 season, thus showing a gradual expansion. On the face of it you may think, “isn’t this similar to what FAWSL are doing?” Well, yes in a way, but the Eredivisie seems to strategically approve teams on a regional basis as opposed to just adding teams with the most money. For example, when a Dutch club folds in the Eredivisie another club from the same region or close by replaces them. Arguably the most successful team in the 10-year period was AZ Alkmaar, but when they decided to discontinue their women’s section, Telstar formed theirs. Same happened when Utrecht stopped theirs with Ajax forming theirs, likewise when Willem II folded, PSV began theirs. By taking this approach teams stay in the same region, thus giving local girls specifically access to a team to support, watch and be inspired. Personally, when FAWSL was launched the FA and those in charge of the competition should’ve looked into having regional team franchises as opposed to be club affiliate sides. This would have made a lot more sense as teams would not be reliant on their male counterparts to provide the cash as well as creating a broader supporter base whereby fans of men’s teams were not put off by going to watch their female rivals. I’m not saying they should’ve scrapped the likes of Arsenal and Doncaster Belles, but just not have them at the top level where the elite players can join, instead using them as more of a feeder club. I’m also not saying that owners of men’s clubs shouldn’t have got involved with women’s football, but instead of pumping money into the women’s affiliated team, pump the money into a regional franchise instead. To me this was the main reason FAWSL was created, in order to provide girls an opportunity to join a club near them and be inspired by the current stars as well as giving the players a living. However, if the current model does not make drastic changes I fear that in 10 years’ time you will only be left with clubs based London and the North West thus cutting off the access to many girls who aspire to be footballers.
It’s been a while since I last wrote a women’s football blog so I thought I’ll do one now, albeit not in great circumstances. I did plan on writing one in the coming months on who Notts County Ladies should sign in the summer ready for the season switching to the winter calendar, sadly I’ll never get the chance to do that now. Today marks a sad day in the women’s game and for fans like myself who have been lifelong Notts County fans and have embraced the Ladies side ever since their controversial move from Lincoln three years ago. The club started off with huge optimism with a number of various signings of international quality. These included goalkeeper Carly Telford, which some would argue (including myself) is the best in the league and forwards Ellen White and Jess Clarke (who have both moved on recently), all of whom are England international. In addition to this over the recent seasons we have Laura Bassett, who proved a great leader on and off the pitch, Rachel Williams who’s a workaholic on the field of play, as well as recent additions Jade Moore and Jo Potter who would’ve helped the club push on. Then you had the likes of younger players like versatile defender Amy Turner who to no one’s surprise will become an established England international in the future. The list goes on as every single player who has put on the black and white jersey over the last 3 years has done by always giving 110% every time. Sadly, the journey for these players ends today as some will try to find a new club in pursuit of building up match practice ahead of Euro 2017 in the summer, while others may have to take a long hard think and wonder whether being a professional women’s footballer is a viable option anymore. My deepest sympathy goes to the many players and backroom staff who today have found themselves unemployed, where some will be much more affected than others. Also, condolences to fellow fans who unlike myself attend every game, home or away, whatever the weather to cheer on this great club and invested a lot money buying merchandise and built up great friendships with fellow players. The question remains now, what next for women’s football in Nottingham? The club folded with a debt of nearly £1 million with relatively new owner Alan Hardy stating that for the club to continue it would have been ‘financial suicide’ with the upcoming season costing £500,000 in wages for playing staff just for a measly income of £28,000 from sponsorship. You can see and understand his logic as a smart businessman, it is just a shame it has had to come to this. In my view, there is an appetite for women’s football as seen over recent seasons with attendance figures for the Lady Pies, achieving one of the highest averages in the league. Despite a slight decline last year, did still manage to average 1,100 fans which is great bearing in mind the team finished in the lower half of the table. Furthermore, Notts County Ladies were one of only a couple of clubs to play at the same ground as the men’s team which is something to be proud of. This is why I believe a new is a viable option and should be seriously looked into. My proposal would be to create solely a women’s club which is not dependent on the success of a men’s side and able to function by themselves. I would suggest a meeting between representatives of Notts County, Nottingham Forest, Nottingham University, Trent University and Nottingham city council to discuss a way forward to make this a viable option. It is also worth noting that Nottingham Forest Ladies does still exist so essentially, they could act as a feeder club for the new Nottingham FAWSL club, notwithstanding players from the University sides. By creating this link, it would help create a bridge from grassroots football to professional football and provide many girls an opportunity to play. Why do I believe this can be a success? Firstly, Nottingham is the city of football and would have a great USP if it were to form a club unlike most FAWSL 1 & 2 teams (Durham being the stand-alone exception) to have solely a women’s team. Some fans may be uncomfortable with the link between to rival men’s clubs but let me say this, the structure I am proposing works well in the Netherlands (where I’m currently living) with PSV and FC Eindhoven forming a partnership, as it’s for the greater good of women’s football. A similar model to follow would be that of Glasgow City in SWPL, whom have built a successful model over the last decade. Secondly, by joining forces with various parties it makes it more financial viable compared to a 4th tier men’s side trying to run 1st tier women’s team, thanks to various partners and sponsors the 2 Universities may have. In order to represent the city, I would propose a Green strip (represents the city's origins), thus being neutral to both Notts County and Nottingham Forest and call the team Nottingham City (although this should go to a fan vote). Concluding I am passionate about making this work and returning professional women’s football to the city of Nottingham for future generations to enjoy, so if you like my proposal and wish to discuss it further, please feel free to contact me.
Not done a women’s football article for a while so I thought there’s no better time to do one than the present given it’s the mid-season break and the summer transfer window is officially OPEN! YAY (only worth getting excited about of course if your team is going to do any business). So this blog will focus on who I think my beloved Notts County Ladies should target this window. I think it’s clear that from the games Notts have played so far there is a clear need for at least a striker who has a good goal scoring record and offers something different to what the Lady pies currently have up top. Additionally to this a creative winger would too be needed by Notts given the teams over reliant on Rachel Williams. I say this on the back of 3 disappointing results involving a draw at home to Reading and back-to-back losses to Birmingham where Notts failed to score. They did however put in an impressive performance against Liverpool a month back but to me there’s a clear need for strength up top as well as constancy. Below I’ll give my so-called shortlist for who Notts should target. Sofia Jakobsson The 26-year-old Swedish forward is yet to reach her prime but has an impressive goal scoring record for a number of teams she has played for in her career most notably her current club Montpellier where she has a total of 25 goals in 42 appearances over her two seasons with the Division 1 Feminine club. Although last season she did only manage 9 goals in 20 compared with 16 in 22 in her first season in France. Jakobsson does have experience of playing in England having appeared for Chelsea during the 2013 FAWSL season, playing 11 and netting 6 goals which equates to just over a goal every other game. In addition to her goals the Swedish striker has plenty of other attributes due to her ability to hold the ball up as well as using her pace to run onto through balls. The 5’8’’ Sweden international seems to be close to the full package and would sure be a great signing for the Lady Pies. Ana-Maria Crnorgorcevic A player who’s fast enhancing her reputation on the World stage thanks to the Swiss internationals performance at last year’s World Cup in Canada. The 25-year-old like Jakobsson (above player) is also a striker and she plays in the Frauen Bundesliga in Germany for 7 time league champions and 4 time Champions League winners FFC Frankfurt. Crnorgorcevic is a slightly different player to Sweden’s Jakobsson as her play is more suited to the wings with her main attribute being running at defenders. However she we tussle with defenders too and attempt to win knock-on’s to her strike partner. The Swiss international’s goal scoring record is not as impressive with only 14 goals scored in nearly 60 appearances, although this is partly down to her not being an out and out forward. I think if Notts were to make a move they would only need to look at her link up play on international duty with Bachmann and Dickenmann to realise what an asset she would be. Pernille Harder
The third option on my list is 23-year-old Dane Pernille Harder who currently plays her trade in Sweden for Linkoping. Harder is younger than the two previous options and has the advantage of being able to play in midfield and attack. It would be fair to say Harder’s main quality is her confidence on the ball and being able to take players on and bring her teammates into the game. Furthermore she’s an all-round finisher being able to score from close range, headers and from outside the box. Possibly comparing her to Crnorgorcevic and Jakobsson she’s maybe slightly short of that level, but has great potential and may be the most cost effective for Notts should they wish to pursue a striker. My opinion is that Harder is possibly similar in terms of play to Jess Clarke but the two would complement each other on either wing ready to assist and cut inside. Could potentially be a great asset to Notts over future years. It’s not only the WSL 1 that kicks off tonight, WSL 2 (the second tier) also begins tonight and it’s set to be the most competitive yet with a number of teams capable of promotion. This season sees two teams come into the league, Bristol City (formally Bristol Academy) who finished bottom of WSL 1 last year and were subsequently relegated, and Sheffield who are the first team to be promoted from the Premier League after promotion was introduced. Bristol and Sheffield replace Reading and Doncaster Belles who both achieved promotion to WSL 1 last season, and will join the other 8 teams in WSL 2 in fighting for promotion. There is no relegation from WSL 2 and two teams will be promoted to WSL 1 again this year. Aston Villa A lot of peoples outside bet for promotion and I can see why. The Villains over the past two seasons have been always competing near the top. In the inaugural season of WSL 2, Aston Villa finished 4th behind the three sides which now play their trade in WSL 1. Last season Villa finished one place lower in 5th but the club seem to be making progress all the time. They have also reached the FA Cup quarter-finals this season and are the only one of two sides not in the top tier to make it that far this year. The key player for Villa this year in my eyes is Katie Wilkinson who will need to be instrumental in banging in the goals if they are to challenge for promotion. Bristol City Rebranded and refreshed, Willie Kirk’s women will only have one thing in mind and that is to return to WSL 1 at the first time of asking. Having only managed to win 2 games last season and subsequently got relegated, Bristol took the decision to rebrand from Bristol Academy to join the men’s structure at Bristol City and only time will tell whether this was a correct decision. There has been a lot of rebuilding done here too with certain key members of the squad in the past couple of years opting to stay in the top flight like Angharad James who’s joined Notts County and Sophie Ingle who transferred to Liverpool. However Kirk has managed to rebuild his team with some loan captures from WSL 1 Chelsea as well as striker Olivia Ferguson from Aston Villa who will be charged with banging in the goals. Durham Women Durham in my view are the team that have surpassed expectations in both their seasons in WSL 2 having finished 6th the first year and 7th last year with some expecting them to take home the wooden spoon. Having watched Durham in their recent FA Cup game in which they lost but did tremendously well to reach the fifth round I can say they are a great little outfit with everyone pushing in the right direction. As well as getting players through their link with the University and College, they also get players from local sides Sunderland and Newcastle which help bring the right blend of youth and experience. Beth Hepple will be one to watch this season with her creativity from midfield as well as having an eye for goal too. Everton The Lady Toffees will be eyeing promotion this season after falling short of last season’s expectations missing out on promotion with a 3rd place finish, ultimately finishing 14 points off Reading and Doncaster. Everton did reach the 5th round of the FA Cup this season but couldn’t match last season’s semi-final appearance after losing to league rivals Aston Villa, nevertheless Andy Spence will want his team to bounce back from the recent disappointment and they have the players to do so. The advantage the Toffees have over others is that a core of the group has been with the club for a number of years like defender Gabby George, midfielder Michelle Hinnigan and striker Simone Magill, who will all be key for Everton’s promotion aspirations. London Bees After two disappointing years since re-launching as London Bees (formally Barnet), the London based club will be hoping it’s third time lucky as they look to get it right on the pitch this season. During their first year in WSL 2 they finished bottom on 8 points before improving slightly in 2015 to clinch an 8th place finish and recorded 13 points in the process. I see London Bees finishing in the lower half of the table again this season due to their young and inexperienced squad, however they will have gained experienced over the past couple of years. The Bees task will be made tougher this season having lost instrumental player Lucy Loomes who opted to join Millwall Lionesses, also in WSL 2. Although new manager and former Bristol manager Dave Edmonson will want greater things this year, but I feel it could be a consolidation season. Millwall Lionesses The Lionesses from London have a strong heritage in the women’s game having produced a number of top players throughout the years including Chelsea trio Katie Chapman, Claire Rafferty and Gilly Flaherty. Millwall have a good set-up so should be pushing towards the top of the league and possibly eyeing promotion, although they will be disappointed at last year’s showing having started off well before slipping down the table to an eventual 9th place finish. Having change appointed a new manager in January following last year’s campaign the Lionesses will be starting a fresh as they look to impress the new lady at the helm Rebecca Sawuik. Millwall have plenty of young players to watch out for including new signing Lucy Loomes who joins an attack including Ashlee Hincks and Rinsola Babajide, so expect goals. Oxford United The U’s are a team which I really rate with a number of England youth internationals in their team, thus given Oxford that experience from the international stage which will come in use. When Oxford originally came into WSL 2 two years back I had them down as one of the weaker sides, however they have gone on to prove me wrong and seem to be building something special. Despite finishing 9th out of 10 with 12 points in the first year of WSL 2, they went on to finish 6th last season and subsequently double their points total (24). This year I believe Oxford can go on and push for the top 2, however if they are they need to be more solid defensively having conceded 40 goals last year which is more than double both promoted sides. Sheffield Newly promoted Sheffield who represents the oldest side (Sheffield FC) in the men’s game will be looking to make a good first impression on the league as they look to prove critics wrong and stay competitive throughout the season. Sheffield enters the league having sealed promotion from the Northern Premier League after winning the play-off against Southern side Portsmouth. This season I’m sure the Ladies will just want to get used to life in the second tier and will have the time to do that with there being no relegation from the league this season. Experienced pro Jodie Michalska will be on hand to help the younger players as well as banging in the goals to add to her 3 in the cup this season. Sheffield have brought in WSL 1 experience in the shape of winger come striker Emily Roberts who will be key for them as will goalkeeper Juliana Draycott. Watford Having undergone a mega rebuilding process during the off-season, the Hornets will be looking to bounce back from last year’s dismal showing which saw the team finish rock bottom and only 5 points to show for their efforts. If Watford are to improve this season they will need to improve both defensively and offensively having conceded 55 goals in the league and only scoring 12. The Lady Hornets have recruited cleverly with a number of players arriving from QPR’s successful adding to some quality which the team already has, like striker Anneka Nuttall who will want to improve on her 2 league goals last term. If Watford can get off to a good start then a mid-table finish may be achieved, otherwise they may be scrapping it out at the bottom again. Yeovil Town The Glovers will be one of the fancied sides this season in achieving promotion to WSL 1 having gone close on the two previous occasions. Last season Yeovil finished 4th, level on points with relegated Everton only behind on goal difference, but still finishing 14v points off promotion. While in the inaugural season of WSL 2 Yeovil finished 5th, even further off promotion, so progress is being made. Yeovil will have to cope without instrumental defender Corrine Yorston who opted to re-join Bristol, but they still have Welsh international forward Sarah Wiltshire who in my view could be the league’s top goal scorer this season and for Yeovil sake they hope she will be. Final League prediction
With the season fast upon us it’s time to look forward to yet another season of top flight women’s football, however with a slight difference. This season sees an expansion to WSL 1 where the leagues gone from 8 to 9 with it going to 10 the following year. My personal view on this is that the league should have been expanded straight to 10 to avoid a team sitting out a matchday, especially when this could impact upon deciding who wins the league or who goes down. Nevertheless this season on paper looks set to be the most exciting yet, if not rival the past 2 years. The 2015 season saw Chelsea emerge victorious to win their first WSL 1 trophy, coupled with winning the FA Cup meaning a double celebration for the girls in Blue. Manchester City was the runners-up and pushed Chelsea all the way till the title was decided on the final day. Meanwhile Arsenal claimed the remaining trophy by beating Notts County, who also lost the FA Cup final, 3-0 in Rotherham to lift the Continental Cup (League Cup). The unfortunate team to be relegated was Bristol Academy who have since rebranded to Bristol City, while Reading won WSL 2, thus achieving promotion and are joined by runners-up Doncaster Rovers Belles who make a return to the top flight after a 2 year hiatus. Arsenal The Gunners will fancy their chances this season after clinching 3rd along with a trophy in Pedro Martinez Losa first season in charge and will be looking to build on this and return to former glories. Since taking over from Shelley Kerr at the start of last season Martinez has implemented a style of attacking play which has picked Arsenal up many points and got them on the brink of Champions League qualification. During the off-season Arsenal have lost some personnel including Jade Bailey to Chelsea, but have strengthened their squad with the additions of German international defender, Josephine Henning from PSG and England midfielder Fara Williams from Liverpool. Overall Arsenal are capable of putting up a title challenge, however consistency will be key and they will need to hit the ground running. I feel that a 3rd place finish would be more realistic given the strength of the squads which both Chelsea and Manchester City pose. League Prediction: 3rd Birmingham City Birmingham will be looking on improving on last season’s 6th place finish but will take heart from the improvement they showed in the latter part of the season which saw them climb away from the relegation place and finish above relegated Bristol as well as the previous champions Liverpool. David parker is one of the best young managers around and has constantly showed that through guiding Birmingham to respectable placed finishes given budget constraints at the club as well as the financial muscle of their competitors. The Blues seem to take the view of developing their own talent which has proved successful rather than going for marquee signings (which they cannot afford). Since the close of last season Birmingham have lost influential playmaker Karen Carney and goalkeeper Rebecca Spencer to champions Chelsea while only adding a couple of additions. They have however managed to keep a core of their team including England internationals midfield duo Jade Moore and Jo Potter as well as strike force Melissa Lawley and Kirsty Linnett. This season could turn out to be a struggle for Birmingham given their small squad which may be affected by injuries and will be fighting a relegation battle. However Birmingham know pundits and fans alike will be writing them off and will be out to defy all odds and achieve a respectable finish. League prediction: 9th Chelsea Last year’s league and cup double winners will want to build on the success and become the new dominant force of the women’s game. Most of the credit for the success should quite rightly go to manager Emma Hayes who has built a foundation and developed that during her tenure at the club. She has brought through some youth as well as making astute signings which are now paying dividends. Chelsea have only got stronger during the off-season by adding playmaker Karen Carney who is arguably one of the best players in the league along with Rebecca Spencer who will provide competition for Hedvig Lindahl in goal and midfielder Jade Bailey from Arsenal. Coupled with the new signings Chelsea have a really strong attack with Eni Aluko, Gemma Davison, Ji So-Yun and Fran Kirby who all bring an abundance of attacking flair to the side and will be key to further success. After last season’s success I can see Chelsea competing for the league title again as they look to retain their league title. In my view the race for the league is too close to call given the strength of Manchester City and the winner come the autumn will be whichever teams the more consistent. League prediction: 2nd Doncaster Rovers Belles After two years away from the top flight Donny return to WSL 1 after their previous spell ended in somewhat controversial circumstances. Doncaster finished runners-up last year behind Reading, missing out on the title on the final day. Manager Glen Harris who was appointed in December 2014 achieved promotion in his first season after the club narrowly missed out the previous year. Harris transformed the squad and got the Belles playing some attractive football which contributed hugely to them sealing promotion. Along with this they were not shy of goal racking up an impressive 57 goals, only 4 less than champions Reading, with Courtney Sweetman-Kirk taking a lot of plaudits for her 20 goals in 18 games. Sweetman-Kirk along with new signing Tash Dowie from Liverpool will undoubtedly make sure Donny Belles are not goal shy this year and will give their opponents plenty to think about. With Doncaster’s return to WSL 1 I have a feeling they could be a surprise package this season with a number of signings including a trio from Liverpool. Whilst I am sure they will not be competing with the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City for the title, I am confident at the same time they won’t be involved in a relegation battle, so mid-table’s where I expect them to finish. League prediction: 7th Liverpool Last season was one to forget for the Reds having finished second bottom after winning back to back WSL 1 titles in the two previous years. Since last season’s disappointment Liverpool have undergone major changes with manager Matt Beard leaving to take charge of NWSL side Boston Breakers Stateside with other key personnel leaving too, including England midfielder Fara Williams who has joined Arsenal, while Tash Dowie opted for newly promoted Doncaster Belles and goalkeeper Libby Stout joined Beard at the Boston Breakers. The Reds though have replenished their team with some top signings made by newly appointed manager Scott Rogers, with Natasha Harding joining from Manchester City, Alex Greenwood coming from Notts County as well as goalkeeper Siobhan Chamberlin who arrives from Arsenal. In the off-season when Liverpool started losing the core of their squad I did fear for them this time around, however they have had a rebuild and made some great acquisitions which should see them competing in the upper half. Although I am still undecided on them and they could potentially be this season’s flop? But should things go smoothly I think it will be a good year for the Reds. League prediction: 4th Manchester City Arguably Manchester City is the team who are taking women’s football to new depths having invested heavily both on and off the field to improve their standing in the game. In City’s first season in the top flight they clinched the Continental Cup, and then came agonisingly close to winning the league last year but they did manage to secure Champions League qualification for the first time. The Citizens seem to be going from strength to strength having invested again in the off-season in their team. The only marquee signing they have made however is Swedish international striker Kosovare Asllani from PSG which is a real cue for the league, along with Asllani, City signed goalkeeper Marie Hourihan from Chelsea who will provide cover for Karen Bardsley. In my view this season seems like it could be a successful one for the Citizens having kept virtually the same team along with adding a couple of additions which can only mean they’ll get stronger. I see City competing for the league this year and winning it, although it will come down to who has the best attack out of them and Chelsea. League prediction: 1st Notts County The Lady Pies came so close last year to achieving a cup double, but fell at both hurdles being somewhat unfortunate in one of their finals. Nevertheless Rick Passmoor will want Notts to put last season’s disappointment behind them and use it as a stepping stone for greater things this time around. Despite losing in both cup finals there were still plenty of positives which included being part of the first FA Womens Cup final to be played at Wembley along with a 5th place finish in the league. Since last season finished the Lady Pies have lost Alex Greenwood to Liverpool and Desiree Scott who’s opted to return to play for Kansas in the NWSL, both of whom were instrumental last season. However Notts have added some fresh faces including Welsh international Angharad James from Bristol, Chelsea Weston from Birmingham and a short-term loan signing in Rachel Yankey from Arsenal. Given the notable lack of transfer active at the club I did fear it may be a difficult season, however with a triple signing on deadline day, only a few days prior to writing this there is an increased optimism. The only concern is long-term injuries may affect league position as it has done in previous years. League prediction: 6th Reading The WSL 2 champions will be making an appearance in the top flight for the first time and it will be interesting to see how they cope. Reading were last season’s top scores in WSL 2 notching up 61 goals and only conceding 15, although a number of their goals were scored by Fran Kirby who joined Chelsea midway through the season. Nevertheless they continued their assault for promotion thanks to goals from Emma Follis (12), Hellen Ward (8) and Lauren Bruton (7). During the close season Reading signed striker Jade Boho from Bristol to add competition to the front line and who is also capable of producing the unexpected. Manager Kelly Chambers has a tightknit squad despite not really having any star name players and this closeness could see them surpass expectations. Being realistic I see Reading ending up in the bottom half of the table and being involved in a scrap at the bottom, although after watching them on one occasion last season I’m confident that they are up to competing and holding their own in the league. The real test will come when the face the sides who they expect to be competing with position wise and that will determine whereabouts the Royals end up. League prediction: 8th Sunderland
The Lady Black Cats were in my view the story of last season having competed for the title right up till the final few games before falling away and finishing a respectable 4th. They also ended the season with the league’s top scorer, Beth Mead who continued her form from WSL 2 and grabbed herself 12 goals which led to rumoured interest from Arsenal. However she has stayed put which has allowed manager Carlton Fairweather to keep the quality which also includes Keira Ramshaw and Stephanie Roche, while adding midfielder Lucy Staniforth to the side. Unlike last season I cannot see Sunderland having a title charge this season, as most of their opponents will know what to expect from them. Also if Beth Mead were to get injured this could put a dampener in their season. However I am sure that Sunderland will go quietly about their business again and should Sunderland not succumb to too many injuries I expect them to finish mid-table. League prediction: 5th As well as the previous ideas I've posted in the blog previous to this, I have come up with an idea for FAWSL to release an annual sticker album featuring teams from WSL 1 & WSL 2. The reason behind the idea is to broaden the appeal of the league an continue to grow the sport. Below I've put a template of what should be included in the album.
On the opening pages there are features on the leagues various competitions with stickers to collect of the trophies. Following on from this is a history makers section featuring five players who have been capped over 100 times by England (all the 5 players come with a shiny background. After the history makers section comes the WSL 1 teams with each of the 9 teams having a total of 20 stickers each in the collection, with a club badge, a team photo and 18 players making up the 20. As well as the stickers there will be information on the teams history. To break up the WSL 1 & 2 sections, there is a special tribute to the Lionesses fantastic World Cup journey from last year in Canada. It will include a double page spread with 5 stickers in total featuring the most iconic moments from their incredible journey. Each sticker will be accompanied by information detailing the moment from the World Cup. Next we have the WSL 2 section featuring all 10 teams, much like the WSL 1 section but smaller with each team having a total of 12 stickers each. Unlike WSL 1 teams there will be no club badge or team photo to collect, but will feature 12 players from each respective team. That concludes the album and I hoped you enjoyed reading my ideas. Like I said in my previous post I did send these ideas of to FAWSL a couple of months back but I've not heard anything since, hence why I've now taken the decision to post them on my blog. Feedback is appreciated as always. Executive summary Women’s football in England has developed hugely over recent years, none more so than with the introduction of the women’s super league in 2011 as well as the unprecedented success of team GB at the London Olympics in 2012. The London Olympics was vastly important in one’s opinion and a major turning point with over 70,000 attending the final group game against Brazil. Additionally the recent friendly for England against Germany last November has created a further appetite for women’s football in this country with over 45,000 attending this one off friendly. Furthermore looking at the league as a whole it is clear that the competiveness of it has improved too with a number of teams becoming professional as well as the title being decided on the last day this year and last. With various approaches to marketing and types of merchandise, I feel the sport can continue to grow and inspire youngsters to get behind their local ladies side. I hope you enjoy reading this and consider the ideas I have mentioned. This is a MUST for any fan of the women’s game, but also a fan of football in general. I feel by launching this your giving all the fans of the WSL a platform to make connections with each other over various social media platforms, like Twitter and Facebook. Furthermore by having FAWSL Fantasy Football it is a way to increase interest in the women’s side of the sport from followers of men’s football. The reason I say this is that we all know how popular fantasy football is with all the different versions across various websites, but given that part of the season takes place when there is no men’s football this would be an irresistible opportunity to turn down as there would be no competition against alternatives and that fans of all ages would be desperate to give it go. The way the FAWSL Fantasy Football would work would be each participant would have a given budget to create their team with a selection pool of players from WSL1 & WSL2 to pick from. Each player from the FAWSL would have a price tag based on WSL performances and form, such as clean sheets, assists and goals scored depending on their position. Every time a FAWSL match is played points will be awarded when goalkeepers and defenders keep clean sheets and when any player provide an assists or score a goal as well as bonus points for things such as player of the match or penalties. While points would be deducted for goalkeepers and defenders when they fail to keep a clean sheet, for any player when they concede a penalty, miss a penalty or receive a yellow card as well as a double point deduction should a player be sent off. Also one of the chosen selections will be made captained meaning for example if the participant chose Steph Houghton as captain, her points for that week would be doubled. Rules in brief
Action Points Player of the match 6 Goal scored 5 Goalkeeper clean sheet 5 Assist 3 Defender clean sheet 3 Appearance 2 Yellow card -1 Penalty conceded -1 2 goals conceded -2 Own goal -2 Red card -3 This sponsorship contains ideas of companies I believe the FAWSL can target to secure sponsorship rights to the league. The companies/organisation I have selected I feel can add value to the league and portray the positive message about the women’s game. Vitality PruHealth is the first suggestion as it portrays healthy living, which is what fits in with the FA’s strategy of getting children and young adults to partake in football and become more active as a result. A major factor to PruHealth becoming the title sponsor would be the various brand ambassadors they currently have like Jessica Ennis-Hill. So by signing a deal there may be scope for PruHealth recruiting a number of ‘big name’ FAWSL players to be brand ambassadors. Bannatyne Health Clubs could be another option. Similar to PruHealth it would help promote a healthy lifestyle as well as proving to be a key commercial partner in FAWSL. For example the league could have deals with Bannatyne’s which allow FAWSL season ticket holders to get a discount on using its gym along with many other deals. In return Bannatyne would be the leagues title sponsor and would be able to tap into the current rise of women’s football, partly due to the Lionesses success at the recent World Cup. An alternative sponsor would be a supermarket chain given that Tesco has been the sponsor of the Premier League since 2007. However there should be a lot more marketing of the FAWSL supermarket sponsorship, as opposed to the Premier League one. I suggest that a deal could consist of 3 star players on a poster all posing in the chosen supermarket branded kit in the clubs local store, as this would get the attention of young fans and adults alike as they do their daily shopping. Also the FAWSL logo should appear in the corner of the supermarket television adverts, in return the supermarket should receive 4 advertising hoardings in prime positions around the ground on matchday’s. Another improvement which I feel could be beneficiary lies within the marketing of the league. I feel the MLS in the men’s game can be looked at for inspiration with the way it markets itself. For example for the 2015 season the MLS developed 1 patch with a range of colours depending what the colours of that specific team are. So for example a Notts County Ladies patch would be black & white with black trim, whereas an Arsenal Ladies one would be red & white with red trim. Below are the MLS patch examples I have mentioned. So I feel the FAWSL can do something similar based on this idea as it has helped engage fans give clubs their own identity. Another suggestion which I would like to make which will further add to the FAWSL ‘own identity’ is the shirt printing. So instead of having printing from the means team (i.e. Arsenal Ladies wear Premier League numbering, whereas Notts County Ladies wear Football League numbering), introduce player jersey numbers with the FAWSL logo on. By doing this I feel it will enhance the league as a brand as well as getting the public and fans alike to take note. Additionally to this an innovative idea would be to include the FAWSL Twitter handle or hashtag on the numbering as this would be a very original way to gain followers, especially when matches are televised and the consumer sees this during the match. Above is the example of the lettering proposed for the clubs to include the FAWSL # or the twitter handle. This is an issue that has got a lot of fans of the women’s game including myself talking. Each year interest in the game keeps increasing and its pleasing to see that is being recognised with the coverage on television. However I feel more could be done as currently BBC’s the Women’s Football Show is only on once a month, while BT Sport show the WSL Review Show which is on after each round of games. What I am suggesting is that each show is expanded in coverage, so starting with the Women’s Football Show it would be beneficial by making it a weekly show and possibly expanding the running time from the current 30 minutes slot to between 45 minutes to 1 hour. However I appreciate this will be down to production costs and after speaking to various people on social media the preferred option would be to make the show weekly rather than keeping it monthly with an expanded running time. The other show which is of a game by game format is the WSL Review Show which despite only seeing a couple makes for excellent viewing. In my opinion it is quite difficult to improve this show as it offers a lot already by giving coverage of both FAWSL 1 & 2 as well as extended interviews which give viewers a further insight into the women’s game. As touched on in the second paragraph I and a lot feel it would help strengthen the women’s game further is if the Women’s Football Show was made weekly (or at least every matchday) for terrestrial TV. Failing this a women’s equivalent to Match of the Day could be introduced showcasing both FAWSL leagues, as WSL2 hardly receives any coverage. Again this will be a discussion between the league and the TV companies, but in my opinion would really help to build on the legacy that women’s football is creating. Leading on from the previous point is the suggesting of televising FA Cup coverage. I like many fans enjoy watching the women’s FA cup final, but I feel the enjoyment factor could be enhanced by showing games from previous rounds of the FA Cup. This would increase interest in the game as well as giving a range of teams much needed publicity. Furthermore as women’s cup football is not that widely watched the TV Company in charge of airing this may be able to show games for limited costs as the teams involved in televised matches would receive plenty of exposure from the game itself. By showing more games fans of all teams would experience the journey that their teams go on in order to put themselves in the history book. Also by airing various games it hopefully would get people following their local women’s team, or it may get spectators of the men’s game to follow the women’s part of the club (such as Arsenal & Arsenal Ladies or Portsmouth & Portsmouth Ladies). This is vitally important for growing the league as a competition and as a brand. Women’s football is known for its family friendly atmosphere, so by bringing out a range of FAWSL merchandise that appeals to kids (and adults alike) it would inspire them to take up the game as well increasing attendances further.
Summary of merchandise/products:
FAWSL card game collectionThis involves both leagues (1 & 2) and would be aimed at a similar target market like the above product. Each card would have a player from one of the teams on it and would include a number of ratings (e.g. defence & attack) which would form part of a game where young fans can collect, play and trade with other likewise fans. The cards would come in a pack of 5 and the price point I would suggest is 50p (£0.5) per pack. FAWSL car stickersThese would be a cheap item where fans can pledge their loyalty to the women’s game through these unique scar stickers which read “I am a proud supporter of the women’s game”. I would suggest that each car sticker has a retail price of 20p (£0.2). Soft toys with the WSL logo onThe soft toys could be the bear which is the mascot of the league. I feel this product would have a broad appeal to the fanbase and even attract new fans to the game. The retail price for this can range from £2.00-£5.00 and be sold in all FAWSL club shops. Drinks bottle with WSL logo onThe drinks bottle could come in a range of colours and on the FAWSL logo on. With manufacturing costs quite cheap for this product I think the price could be around £1.00-£2.00. Adult/Kids silicon wristbands with WSL logo on.These wristbands would come in a range of colours and appeal to fans of all ages. The wristbands could have a mini imprint of the logo on it along with the FAWSL twitter handle or hashtag. By having this on the bands I feel it would increase fan engagement and help grow the game further. The retail price for a single band should be £1.00 and there should be about 6 different colours to collect. FAWSL annual calendarThis would appeal to all fans of the league with the calendar having significant moments that have happened throughout the previous year. The moments to go into the calendar could be things like the FAWSL 1 & 2 winners, FA Cup winners, Continental Cup winners and important/landmark goals. I would suggest pricing the calendar at £9.99 due to it being of A3 size. Arsenal
In
Birmingham City In Out
Bristol Academy In
Chelsea In
Liverpool In
Manchester City In
Notts County In
Sunderland In
|
Archives
April 2021
Categories
All
|