A record crowd of 45,619 watched Germany women’s team beating their English counterparts 3-0, but the ramifications of this game stretch far beyond the result. In truth the result is almost immaterial writes MICHAEL McCANN.
Though Germany won, women’s sport was the real winner. The game was fantastic in promoting women’s football on a wider stage, introducing a new generation of supporters to the women’s game through some refreshingly reasonable ticket price at Wembley – just £10 for adults and £2 pounds for children.
It was disappointing that engineering works on London transport meant a cap of 55,000, as thousands more had expressed an interest in attending on the FA website. This made it even more of a shame that nearly 10,000 ticket holders did not eventually attend, possibly put off by transport problems and inclement weather. However, those that did thoroughly enjoyed the experience, revelling in their role in this landmark first women’s game at the new Wembley.
This Wembley crowd was for once overwhelmingly positive and supportive of its players and it was refreshing to see so many young children and families attending off, often enabled by the reasonable ticket prices. It was a pleasant and rare sight to see a crowd who applauded both anthems, and avoided the booing of opposition players that has become almost customary in football.
One should mention that England were competitive, with Karen Carney, winning her 100th cap, right to point out that “defensive naivety earlier on cost us.” However, nerves were understandable – experienced campaigner Steph Houghton admitted that even she was nervous. Meanwhile Carney rightly reflected on the game as a positive learning experience, allowing the squad to learn “to take more time on the ball, because we had more time than we thought.”
This was an England team where the players’ commitment and desire could not be questioned, as for them this was much, if not more, a dream come true as it was for the spectators. Mark Sampson is building a side that should be more than competitive at the 2015 World Cup in Canada, and this result should not mask a year of fantastic progress. The same can be said for the wider women’s game, with occasion importantly helping to cement women’s players as role models in the minds of young people.
Women’s sport is now starting to find role models from across disciplines – the women’s rugby team who are now full-time professionals won the World Cup in France in August. Meanwhile the cricketers won the Ashes in Australia in January, reached the world T20 final and the national team now have ECB contracts. The move into professionalism is a huge step to showing women that they can realistically have a career in sport. The next obvious step is to ensure age-group sport is available for young girls wherever possible – many current sportswoman have talked off battling sexism throughout their careers. As unfortunate as this is, one benefit is that their success now means they provide worthy role models to the younger generation in overcoming adversity.
The current England women’s footballers understand their role in this transition, most prominently seen by Steph Houghton and Eniola Aluko, who as experienced campaigners have witnessed the greatest change in the game. Houghton scored the winning goal as the GB women’s team famously beat Brazil 1-0 in front of 90,000 at Wembley in the 2012 Olympics, and Sunday helped to build on this legacy, both events have been crucial in giving the game national attention.
Similarly in the cricket stalwart Charlotte Edwards has come to embody their transition into professionalism, and has being a huge part of a successful England side for decades. However, cricket is not broadcast on free-to air channels currently, and football doing so gives it a greater platform. The BBC have just announced that all games in next year’s women’s World Cup will be covered across all its platforms.
The challenge now is to use this publicity to build the number of paying regular spectators to women’s super league matches. The introduction of the Women’s Super League at English domestic level has seen rising attendances, suggests that Women’s Football is finally starting to get the national attention that it deserves. However there is plenty still to be done, as ultimately building a sustained interest in women’s football with young girls and women is what will help the game to gain more regular prominence.
The women’s super league is certainly doing what it can to help, seen by the season being moved to shrewdly avoid clashes with the men’s game. This should encourage spectators, and thus aid the transition into professionalism that is very much underway.
Thus, despite the adverse weather and a heavy defeat to Germany, for once for English football fans, there is genuinely plenty to be positive about.
Follow Michael on twitter at: @MLMC_123
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(Images: FA via Getty)
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