Watching the WSL Continental Cup Final between Chelsea and Arsenal on TV. Katie McCabe made a rash challenge on the Chelsea Goalkeeper and stayed down, hoping for a penalty, but got a yellow card for "simulation" instead. The Arsenal medical staff were quickly in attendance to make sure her false eyelashes were still in place. (screen shot)
Not nice! I chuckled, but not nice. I never watch soccer voluntarily but have noticed the reporters are prone to commenting on the men's speed and accuracy and the women's looks. Also the difference in support from the national soccer administration. I'm not gonna start. I don't want to be angry this early in the morning.
Are you sure you weren't watching Mancheser United men? Like Droopy I rarely watch Soccer, but I have to say that the female version is a lot more pleasant to view than the men's and a lot more skilful and honest too.
…annnnd Palu, no hooligan violence or nasty behaviour. Much more pleasant too watch if one must watch voetbal.
I've watched all sorts of football for years. Interest in women's football has come on considerably since England won the European Cup. An attendance of nearly 90,000 at the final woke a few people up. The FA banned women's football between 1921 and 1970. However, some of the petulance common in the men's game has started creeping in. Players are more frequently booked for "simulation," a woke term for "diving." A frequent complaint is that female players don't get paid enough. Remuneration is increasing as has their value, transfer fees can reach £500,000. But it revolves around attendance figures. Some games in the Super League still only reach a few thousand. I think some think women football players earnings should be like those of female tennis players, which are the same as the men's. I think it should only be three-fifths, as they only play three sets. Female squash players play five sets, the same as the men, so why can't female tennis players? To be fair to them, some of the best female footballers are quite attractive and you can't blame them for using their looks off the field to further their appeal to sponsors. As an example, two I've noticed for their football Olga Carmona a Real Madrid player, who played for Spain against England in the European Cup quarter-final Guru Reiten who plays for Norway and Chelsea.
When I was teaching, I coached the same group of boys at Soccer and Rugby (League). In Soccer they fell over and and rolled in agony like the professionals. Same lads playing Rugby just got up and carried on with the game as the professionals did. And despite it not being actually allowed we had girls playing in teams in both sports. Our best goal keeper was female and the fastest winger we ever had in R.L. was a lass. (Hard as nails she was too!).
Palustris, perhaps women are not encouraged to play soccer and rugby because they are too fierce, and don't always play by the rules! Just joking, and I'm glad you gave the girls the chance to play.
Well done, @Palustris. I'm certain the girls appreciated to be allowed to play. I never blame anybody for looking their best, @Doghouse Riley. Some sports people look like supermodels imo only healthier. I never thought about it might be for sponsor reasons.
Most people want to look their best, but sponsors look for attractive women. A recent example is Emma Radacanu who won the US Open two years ago, reported to have been given a £23,000,000 sponsor contract and has won nothing since, as she's constantly been injured. The ex-footballer Alex Scott who now does a bit of women's football presentation, was at the European Cup Final appearing on TV in a designer dress, shoes and very bold "DG" earrings. She's "gets around," promoting various fashion houses. https://www.google.com/search?q=ale...kCCUQ_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1403&bih=571&dpr=0.95 Sponsorship, is everywhere. Half the price of popular trainers goes to individual sportspeople or clubs. Some multi-billion arenas world-wide are named after sports brands, telecom companies, or banks. For individuals, Anna Kournikova retired in 2001 she earned $3M on court, she is now reputed to be worth $50,000,000, 90% from "off-court" earnings, modelling etc., More recently, Maria Sharapova's on court earnings were around £38,000,000, but she's reported to now be worth £180,000,000, most from sponsorship. What annoys me is the number of sports teams sponsored by on-line gambling companies. I don't think it should be allowed. If they weren't, ridiculous amounts of money wouldn't be available for professional footballers.
This was a very interesting read. We've often talked about how much money there is in sports if you're good enough, but some of these figures are mind-blowing. I once asked a soccer-nut friend why some players were worth so much. He claimed their careers are so short they need to save up for retirement. I guess some do, I don't know. I do however remember the same was said about the supermodels' wages. It still seems like a ridiculous amount of money to me, but then I'm probably not understanding things. I second that gambling company sponsorship annyment!
Changing the subject slightly, but it touches on "simulation." I'm watching tennis from Indian Wells on my laptop through a free streaming connection. http://cnnlivestreams.com/tennis-1a/ Emma Radacanu lost the first two games against Danka Kovinic, then won the next six, to win the set. They'd only been on court for 30 minutes, but Kovinic then decided she needed a "bathroom break." Really? I remember Chris Evert last year, saying that she never needed or took one as a delaying tactic, when not playing well, a bathroom break in her whole career. Emma lost the first two games of the second set but then ran out winning the match 6-2 6-3. I'm now watching Andy Murray play T. Echeverry an Argentinian. I wish all matches were like this. You just see the game, the reception is excellent, you hear the spectators and the umpire give the score, it's also on the bottom of the screen. Between the games the camera just pans around the court, focusing on spectators and anything that might be considered interesting. For me, it's absolutely perfect, as there's no annoying commentators!
Thanks for giving us the play-by-play of the WSL Continental Cup Final! It's moments like Katie McCabe's incident that add layers of intrigue to the game. The balance between fair play and strategy always keeps us on our toes, doesn't it? And the detail about the Arsenal medical staff's attention to McCabe's false eyelashes adds a touch of humor to the intensity of the match. It's moments like these that make women's football so captivating. Speaking of football, have you been following Manchester United's recent performances? Their matches have been filled with excitement and anticipation, and it's been a rollercoaster of emotions for fans.
