Liverpool Women FC

[Exiled_red]

Where women's football is important, is in inspiring young girls to get into the game. I know that girls in my sons class all went to watch Scotland's women's team when they last played. It was great to hear that they had their own idols, Erin Cuthbert, and were excited about seeing her play.

I don't think that their market is in converting men who already watch football towards the game (though that may happen in time) it is in appealing to the young girls coming through with a massive passion for football and then showing them that if they are good, then their is a future in the game for them.

My sons school team has a girl in it, and she is probably the best player. It is not unusual in any way for the kids to play with girls, and one thing they will all know is that when the playing field was level physically, then girls could mix it with the best of them, and this is very different from when I was a kid.

So, it is important that their is investment in women's football, and it is totally ok to not feel obliged to watch it. I have no real interest either, nor time.

I think that you have to appreciate that it's a different game, or at least a game played in a different way. I read this article a few days ago

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56408522

And think the points raised in it are valid, the players in the men's game have been in the system since they were kids they have received top class coaching to aid their development, the women come into it later and there is much less investment, obviously the quality isn't going to be the same.

The point about the pitches is also a good one, and it is noticeable that the when you watch women's games those long diagonal balls or switches of play don't happen, the game also appears slower. I think it's interesting to see smaller pitches being suggested by professionals in the game, because when it has been suggested by others it tends to come in for criticism. There have also been debates about smaller goals. Maybe the game could benefit from these I guess deciding on changing these things depends on what type of game they want in comparison to the men's game.

As you say I don't think that the women's game is going to compete directly with the men's mostly because existing fans are heavily invested in the men's game. There are probably too many men's games already so investing time and effort in committing to watch the women's game probably isn't going to happen, you might convert a few people who become disillusioned with the costs or whatever of men's football, but I suspect those numbers will be small. You will probably get some people who support the men's team cheering on the women in big games such as cup finals but other than that you are probably needing to target a different audience and/or market the game in a different way.

[Roboklopp]

Sorry, I just thought it might be vaguely interesting.

Damn you Kenneth, stay strictly on topic. How many times must we tell you!?





Agree about ROI- Although caveat is it could potentially be that some of it is indirect in terms of getting engagement - ie bringing girls into supporting the men via women etc. Extension of what Buzzo is saying. Also being seen as inclusive has less tangible benefits got the “brand.”

[Charly]

I think the pitch size needs reducing. I am small myself, and when you are 2/3s the size of the average proffessional player, everything is more of an effort. You can beat 2 or 3 players in a fancy mazy run, but then have no energy to ping it to the back post or fire a shot off.

I can hold my own on a reduced size pitch, but on a full size I start to stuggle, when you have to cover a huge amount of space when play breaks down or when your team recover the ball. Also, I just cant kick the ball as far. Smaller muscles and less weight to put behind it.

The game should highlight peoples ability on the ball, and not how much of the pitch they can cover. There is a good argument for reducing the goal size too, for the same reason.

[Rich]

I think the pitch size needs reducing. I am small myself, and when you are 2/3s the size of the average proffessional player, everything is more of an effort. You can beat 2 or 3 players in a fancy mazy run, but then have no energy to ping it to the back post or fire a shot off.

I can hold my own on a reduced size pitch, but on a full size I start to stuggle, when you have to cover a huge amount of space when play breaks down or when your team recover the ball.

The game should highlight peoples ability on the ball, and not how much of the pitch they can cover. There is a good argument for reducing the goal size too, for the same reason.

I think it's probably wrong agreeing with you but I've long thought that the goals really need reducing in size for the women's game.

What's the average of a leading goalie these days? Must be 6' 4". That's probably a good 8" taller than average women goalie, with corresponding reduction in reach.

[Maxiedge]

I feel like the women's game is being force-fed to the public by the BBC and the coverage is very disproportionate to the viewing figures/interest.

[Kenneth]

That’s definitely true in the guardian. They don’t even distinguish between the men’s and women’s game in headlines. Unless you know who’s playing in the PL, then “Man City get late winner to sink Arsenal” could be either men’s or women’s. And I bet they use the number of clicks to justify to themselves the prominence given to the women’s game. I guess it’s viewed as a social justice cause, and there will be calls for pay equality anytime soon.

[SB]

I’m watching a bit of the women’s game here in Oz & yeah it’s nowhere near the level that we’re used to at LFC but I hope they do well & continue to grow the game. The quality has improved id say but our top players invariably head overseas for the $$$$$.

[labourRed]

I think the pitch size needs reducing. I am small myself, and when you are 2/3s the size of the average proffessional player, everything is more of an effort. You can beat 2 or 3 players in a fancy mazy run, but then have no energy to ping it to the back post or fire a shot off.

I can hold my own on a reduced size pitch, but on a full size I start to stuggle, when you have to cover a huge amount of space when play breaks down or when your team recover the ball. Also, I just cant kick the ball as far. Smaller muscles and less weight to put behind it.

The game should highlight peoples ability on the ball, and not how much of the pitch they can cover. There is a good argument for reducing the goal size too, for the same reason.

There's a lot of valid points in there.

Even on my best days I was a much better player on a fives court than a full pitch.

A female keeper at times looks like an exercise in futility in full size goals.

It's a completely different game on a smaller pitch.

[Scratch]

In WNBA (Women's b'ball) there is similar discussion regarding the lowering of the hoop, to allow the majority of players to play above the rim, rather than a select few. They already play with a smaller ball in the WNBA, but they point to the likes of tennis (fewer sets), volleyball (lower bets), golf (closer tees), why can't other allowances be made for the women's game. Same in football, condense the pitch slightly, make the goals smaller. Make it proportionate to the smaller female form...that's not sexist, just factual.

[Maxiedge]

That’s definitely true in the guardian. They don’t even distinguish between the men’s and women’s game in headlines. Unless you know who’s playing in the PL, then “Man City get late winner to sink Arsenal” could be either men’s or women’s. And I bet they use the number of clicks to justify to themselves the prominence given to the women’s game. I guess it’s viewed as a social justice cause, and there will be calls for pay equality anytime soon.

Like this?



That's not City and that's not Barca ffs

[Exiled_red]

I wonder how much of the issue of changing the size of the pitch / or goals is seen as a problem because of potential infrastructure issues and the effect that it could potentially have on the men's game. For example the you would need dedicated training pitches of appropriate size, different sized goals etc whereas presumably at clubs were the men and women share facilities they also share equipment and when one training pitch isn't being used by one side it can be used by the other without any need for changing goals or layout or whatever. Similarly on match days having a set of 'ghost lines' on the pitch probably wouldn't be popular with many (even though we have seen 'ghost rugby' lines in the past). I wonder if these are issues that make authorities reluctant to change the pitch or goal sizes?

[Rich]

That’s definitely true in the guardian. They don’t even distinguish between the men’s and women’s game in headlines. Unless you know who’s playing in the PL, then “Man City get late winner to sink Arsenal” could be either men’s or women’s. And I bet they use the number of clicks to justify to themselves the prominence given to the women’s game. I guess it’s viewed as a social justice cause, and there will be calls for pay equality anytime soon.

...and absolutely nothing to do with harvesting more clicks....

[Roboklopp]

When standard pitch sizes were set up, players were about 5’2”.

[Charly]

I guess interchangable infrastructure would be an issue. It clearly needs a lot of investment before you are likely to see a return. And football is a business.
Its interesting that City, Utd and Chelsea are top of thr womens league, who can all afford the best quality infrastructure.

I was once a consumer of all football back in the day, but as I have got older I really only have time to follow Liverpool, and dont have a huge amount of interest in what us going on elsewhere. If I was going to watch a game, I have the rest of the premier league, spanish, german Italian... long before I would make the time to watch womens football. I did try to watch the world cup, but I just didnt enjoy it.

Not sure about watching at a stadium either. Half the fun is cheering ironically at the oppositions mistakes. I do watch some womens netball, and that sort of behaviour is rather frowned upon. It is far less dramatic or pantomime in nature. Im not sure if that is a good or bad thing, or says something about how men behave, but it does feel a little sterile to me.

[Angryred]

Bumped up from Page 4...

I see LFC Women boss Matt Beard has been busy with recruits in the few days bringing in ladies he knows well to compliment an already talented squad.

https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/women/436883-liverpool-fc-women-sign-megan-campbell

Good luck to them!