God bless Kevin Keegan.
A genius with a ball at his feet and a provider of one the most iconic rants in football, he solved the whole staring-down-the-barrell-of-the-blank-page-shotgun this week. Hats off to you, Kev.
Not that there is ever likely to be an opportunity to thank him as we share a drink at the bar and shoot the breeze about the football any time soon. Apparently those conversations require certain anatomical bits.
According to The Times, Keegan was speaking to an audience last Friday night in Bristol when he essentially suggested that female players are not qualified to discuss the men’s game.
“I don’t like to listen to ladies talking about the England men’s team at the match because I don’t think it’s the same experience,” said Keegan. “I have a problem with that.
“The presenters we have now, some of the girls are so good, they are better than the guys. It’s a great time for the ladies.
“But if I see an England lady footballer saying about England against Scotland at Wembley and she’s saying, “If I would have been in that position I would have done this,” I don’t think it’s quite the same. I don’t think it crosses over that much.”
Lady footballers, huh?
Mud-slinging and social media abuse is nothing particularly new but accusations of being a ‘lady’ may be. Still, a decent gauge of whether an opinion passes the barometer of decency is very, very simple; substitute the word ‘lady’ for any other minority you wish and then decide how comfortable a conversation it is.
Equally, it is also wise to check the waters you swim in.
No sooner had Keegan offered his opinion to 250 paying customers inside the BAWA leisure club - difficult not to think Phoenix Nights here - and the misogynist backlash was in full flow.
The cute little opener “I’ve got to be honest and it may not be a view shared…” is textbook “I’m not sexist/ but…”
GB news lapped it up, of course, as they took aim at the “woke” brigade - whoever they may be - and suggested critics of Keegan should be “shown the red card.” See what they did there? Clever. Peter Shilton and Joey Barton were among Keegan’s defenders, Barton insisting that Keegan was “bang on”.
But woe betide anyone on social media who took issue with the comments. Lianne Sanderson, the former England internationalist turned broadcaster, tweeted: "I won’t be doing any interviews about Kevin Keegan’s comments … But I would absolutely ‘Love it’ if he would shut up!”
Even the briefest look at the messages below her tweet might offer an insight into the toxic pile-on that lasted for the next 48 hours.
Two years ago the former England international Karen Carney was forced to delete her Twitter account after bilious abuse over remarks she made on TV about Leeds United side.
On Thursday, Women In Football offered their observation on Keegan’s remarks: “There is more than one reason why Keegan is seen as an icon of the 1970s.”
It would be hard to disagree.
We have surely long surpassed the need for women to justify their inclusion in football, whatever area that may be, just as we have surely long, long surpassed their need to justify their inclusion in any walk of life.
Keegan, like anyone else, is entirely entitled to his opinion. But when it kicks off a tsunami of toxicity towards women who are working within the game surely it is worth a moment of self-awareness.
As a footballer, Kevin Keegan brought joy to millions with a ball at his feet. Twice a Ballon D’or winner, he is worthy of the respect his name commands. But his comments this week smacked of a man who knows the world has moved on without him.
And just as depressing is the fact his sentiments gave license for the quiet misogyny that lurks beneath the surface to find its ugly voice.
AND ANOTHER THING Last Friday, a plaque and two murals were unveiled to finally celebrate the monumental achievements of Manchester Corinthians, with 20 women who played for the club between 1949 and 1983 - including a 92-year-old who joined the original 1949 squad - in attendance at the event.
This is the group who laid the foundations for the development of the modern women’s game. In the worst of conditions - a local duck pond offered their washing facilities - and in the face of official disapproval, they took the first steps to reversing attitudes to women playing football.
The club had originally been formed by Bolton scout and referee Percy Ashley, so that his daughter, Doris, had a team to play in. Profoundly deaf she loved to play football but had no means to do so. They worked around the FA ban by taking part in European tours with more than 50 trophies banked along the way.
An estimated 50,000 watched them play at Benfica in Portugal in 1959 and in 1960 they toured South America. Due to their popularity, a six week tour became a three month stay.
These stories are ones of resilience and triumph and need to be celebrated.
AND FINALLY Glasgow City are in action this week as they look to make it into the group stages of the UEFA Women’s Champions League.
They host Brann at Petershill Park on Wednesday night with tickets still available for the first-leg clash.
The new format of the women’s tournament has ensured that it is more lucrative to clubs than it has ever been, albeit that it has a substantial way to go before there is anything remotely resembling the riches of the male equivalent.
