For those of us working within the game, what happened with Spain’s players allows us to be empowered, to confront issues at our own clubs. Seeing them speaking out was so inspiring. Behind the scenes, clubs are surely going to try to be more stringent with safeguarding.
The power structures the actions of Luis Rubiales and others embody exist in whatever industry you work in. They have to be confronted. This is women’s football’s chance to be self-reflective, to see whether enough opportunities are offered to speak out. The game can lead by example.
I’m really excited for the possibilities and thrilled the opening weekend of the Women’s Super League is upon us. Many players will be coming almost straight from the World Cup wanting to maintain momentum; others may feel they didn’t do themselves justice there.
That represents tough physical and mental challenges. Nobody has had much time off but ambitious objectives have to be set.
For Arsenal, for example, having dropped out of the Champions League, winning the WSL title becomes their top priority. For manager Jonas Eidevall there are so many moving parts to deal with, along with that pressure. Arsenal sustained the most high-profile injuries last season but having top players back in Beth Mead, Leah Williamson and Vivianne Miedema may also put even more pressure on them.
New talent further deepens the competition’s quality and there are plenty of high-end players coming in. Ashley Lawrence, the Canada defender, has joined Chelsea and the former Spain international Vicky Losada is back as Brighton captain. Laia Codina, another Spaniard, will play in defence for Arsenal alongside Sweden’s Amanda Ilestedt.
There is also promoted Bristol City, who I know well. They’ll be playing at a big stadium in Ashton Gate, the second-largest permanent home for a WSL team after Leicester. More games being played at the Emirates, Stamford Bridge, Tottenham and Anfield will increase the buzz and access to other teams. Hopefully, that signals greater investment because for the game’s growth to continue these things need to happen.
The main concern I have is injuries. The managers have talked plenty about fixture congestion, because many players have gone from the World Cup to the Nations League to WSL, a few even playing in Champions League qualifiers between all that.
It’s never easy to see an injury happen close to you but footballers want to play every game and can’t go out fearing they won’t finish a match. A lot of learning has to be done, because we still don’t have decisive information on why injuries are occurring.
There are many variables, including the fine margins between being at peak fitness and becoming vulnerable to injury. Part of the lack of understanding is the women’s game being young in the professional sense of training and sport science. There are still wide gaps between clubs in terms of resources.
Training facilities are improving but recovery and medical resources are not on a level playing field. The staff running women’s sections are on smaller budgets. The men’s game will have clubs with multiple physios and masseurs, but a women’s team may have one physio and a part-time doctor. The proper infrastructure is not in place.
Look at Spain, the World Cup winners. After all that happened, they played Sweden last week and their players said they had to fly at ridiculous o’clock to get there.
To drive the game forward, you have to think bigger. Sometimes you may not have the attendances you hoped for, but playing at places like Ashton Gate can push the envelope. It’s important players feel they are part of one club, that commitment is being shown towards achieving the potential of the women’s game. Young players need to know what it’s like to perform at the bigger venues.
Chelsea’s Kingsmeadow has been fantastic for its facilities and the close atmosphere you get. I loved playing there but there’s an argument that Emma Hayes and Chelsea have outgrown it. Is there another level for them to reach? The club’s prestige and profile suggest so.
The projected implementation of VAR must be seen as a mark of equality and progress, even if I don’t love it. There’s far more of an argument for goalline technology and if not every WSL stadium is going to have VAR then that’s another sign we’re not quite there yet. It’s inconsistent and makes things too complex. Players have even started adapting their game to VAR, in how they appeal or celebrate goals.
As for the contenders at the top, it’s likely to be a big year for Lauren James at Chelsea. She will have learned so much at the World Cup. Alessia Russo joining Arsenal asks questions of Manchester United and whether a strong squad like Aston Villa’s can take advantage of her departure. Manchester City finished strongly last season with Bunny Shaw stepping in so well for Ellen White. She will be playing with Jill Roord, too.
With Arsenal, that completes the big five, though I fancy Tottenham to have a better season. We saw how effective Bethany England was for them in a limited amount of games last season. Bring it all on.
