...to be really pissed off with the sneering mysogyny around women's football?

[NiniLegsInTheAir]

Not so much from the commentators in these Olympics, but from people (particularly men), that I talk to.

I enjoy women's footy (used to play) and think the standards in this country are coming on in leaps and bounds - bearing in mind most teams in the UK are unpaid part-timers and still working back from the FA ban on women's competitive games for 50 years.

I've got tickets for the Olympic final and really looking forward to it. If I had a penny for every time someone's sneered at me something along the lines of "Why waste your money", "they can't defend/kick/score/dribble/perform anything like men", "it's like watching the men's lower leagues" (I also support a lower league men's club and would never compare the two, completely different). It's not like the men's national team has won anything lately either yet they're treated like gods!

You don't get this with other sports involving women (mostly), so why is this still acceptable to some people? It makes me very .

It's annoying isn't it?

I can't believe the number of people who've replied to our tickets (women's football, paralympic athletics and wheelchair basketball) with "Oh, we only applied for things we REALLY wanted to see."

So did WE.

We're seeing the third place match, and are really excited.

I haven't heard any in this Olympics.

Yes, the standard of skills aren't quite as high as the mens premier league in general, but it is still good to watch. The men's game has taken 150 years to get to this point and women haven't been playing as long. Also many of them are not full professionals. And the premier league represents about 1% of all football played even by men in the country. And many players and games are vastly overrated. Much as I like football (men's too) they are only kicking a ball in the net, let's face it.

What IS really pleasing about the women's game though is that there are almost none of the worst aspects of the men's game in it. No cheating, bad sportsman(person)ship, no egos, no Rupert Murdoch, no shagging your team mate's partner, no racism or thuggery.

I just hope if/when the women's game gets more money put into it, it doesn't go the same way as negative aspects of the men's professional game.

Grrr it makes me furious. I was in a room with both men and women watching the women's football. They would not shut up about how shit they think the players are and how all of them must be lesbians . I was explaining to them how stupid and offensive their views are but they don't get it.
Direct quote from a woman 'female footballers! That's nearly as shit female comedians' it makes me rage and incredibly depressed.

For some people, women have to do things twice as well as men to be considered half as good. They have never seen a shit 0-0 draw in the Premier league on a wet Wednesday evening, clearly...

A lot of womens sport doesnt get the coverage that mens sport does. Why? Because the public aren't interested in it.

Thinking about it, its not even national coverage, it's international coverage that is lacking.

Sporty household, as I may have mentioned , we watch some peculiar things at times - but we always watch womens curling, because its better than mens sorry lads, outclassed

And when I say peculiar things, sky offers an immense range of obscure channels and even I did my cork one afternoon at the Sri Lankan School Boys Cricket Finals.

But it comes back to popularity and coverage.

And I'll be slated but mainstream perceptions of femininity do not include football, rugby - and above all boxing. But that is an whole other thread

YANBU but I just saw the women's semis at Wembley, surrounded by lager swilling tattooed men who were all saying how good the game was and the atmosphere was excellent.

Oh come on. The women's game is slower. My tuppence is, make the pitch about 15% smaller and the game will speed up as passes would be shorter. A bit like golf and ladies' tees.

Why does it matter of its slightly slower though? What difference does that make?

I was at the game in Wembly last week against Brazil and I was very proud to be part of the largest audience for womens football ever in this country.

I was sat behind some larger-swilling wide-boys with their sons who were commenting on how good it was and being v enthusiastic. The atmosphere was electric. And the only banter was about how they didn't put on the injuries as much as the men. The (female) ref was full on scary!

I think it is personal taste tbh. I know people who thought they couldn't stand football until they saw women's football and far prefered it as it was far more technical. Genrally rugby fans.

I find it more interesting to watch myself, and none of the grown men crying over some silly rich boys bullshit. Ace!

Krumbum, it makes it less interesting to watch.

But, as I said, make the pitch a bit smaller and the pace would increase. Is this a bad idea?

I don't think it makes it less interesting, just different.

@lashing that's a bit like suggesting footballers can touch and run holding the ball to make it faster tbh.

People who like women's football like it for different reasons. I think iti s more skillful. YOu don't get anywhere near the number of missed goals etc in women's matches ime.

lashing a lot of the men's leagues in Europe play at a much slower pace than the English league - people don't suggest making pitches smaller for them.

Plus I don't think its that much slower. Male footballers aren't all master sprinters.

DH and DS went to the women's final on friday. DH said the standard of football was far superior than that played by the England men's team.

I think it would naturally speed up if the players were paid enough to train full-time.

But I think it's great as it is.

Like Rugby League, women's football should never have been invented - bloody tedious and pointless............ you can add cricket (men and womens) to that list too

" It makes me very "

Typical bird, always over-reacting

Crap, isn't it?

Even one of my friends who considers herself a feminist said something to me yesterday about "some shit like women's football" and went on and on about Andy Murray's pushy mum.

I don't know much about team sports, but I can't see how men's football can be so much more interesting that women's.

My 10 year old son went to the Wembley game today, with my husbands cousin. I said "I can only get tickets to the womens' game, do you still want to go?"

He said "Of course! They are playing really well, why not?!" He had a fab time.

Yanbu at all. If the mem are so good how come they disappoint us year after year, and they have not brought it home since 1966 which they keep on about. They are revered like gods shame they do not perform like gods

The irony is that England women (not nec Olympic stuff) consistently perform really well.

DH and DS went to the women's final on friday. DH said the standard of football was far superior than that played by the England men's team.

That would be a bit of a backhanded compliment in our house! The England blokes are shit! (well, shit together. Fine ranging to supreme for their clubs.)

Personally I don't find the women's game as good as the men's to watch, I don't think the standard is as high. Same for tennis, men's over women's any day of the week. Gymnastics I think the women's is much better to watch. Depends on the sport really.

And if anyone else is watching Canada v USA now - try and tell me the standard isn't as good. Incredible match so far!