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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

I didn’t enjoy the women’s football

122 replies

Busbygirl · 23/08/2023 18:35

My friend came round yesterday and we got into the topic of the women’s football.
She asked me if I’d watched the match, which I did, however when asked I said I didn’t enjoy it.
She seemed to take massive offence to this comment saying How could I not support women? We need to stand together. I wasn’t much of a feminist. It was a much better game than the men’s football (which I don’t agree with).
Lots of other similar comments basically implying I was out of touch and not supporting the sisterhood.
The atmosphere became icy after this and she left shortly afterwards.
I mean are we not allowed to not enjoy something without it turning into a battle of the sexes? I feel life is becoming exhausting.
I prefer men’s tennis too but wouldn’t dare admit it to her.
AIBU to admit I prefer men’s football without having to justify myself?

OP posts:
PumpkinsAndCoconuts · 23/08/2023 19:28

I sort of accidentally watched Japan play… somebody (Norway, I think).

I was in the gym, doing my cardio routine etc. The TV programs usually do not interest me at all (I rather wish there were no TVs…). But I suddenly found myself rather transfixed. It was actually a really good game! And I’m saying that as somebody who does not like football and grew up being told that women’s football was slower, less sharp, interesting etc. And probably subconsciously believed it => I assumed women’s football to be worse than men’s!

and I now realise that I was definite wrong about that. Still won’t regularly watch it, but I football isn’t as bad as I had assumed, I suppose…

felisha54 · 23/08/2023 19:30

I think if you enjoy and respect the sport of football (like any other sport) then it would be weird not to watch and enjoy the women's if you usually enjoy watching the men's. Tbh I forgot they were women as I was just focused on the skill. It was a great game.

Wavescrashingonthebeach · 23/08/2023 19:30

girlfriend44 · 23/08/2023 19:22

How can two teams battling it out, trying to outplay each other be boring.
Sport is unscripted, you don't know what's going to happen, twists and turns that's the excitement.

I often think that people who say Sport is boring are actually boring themselves.

Show quote history

It can be boring when i literally don't have a competitive bone in my body. Yeah OK I can get into the odd sporting event but on the whole I find most of it boring. I'd rather go for a walk, read a book, go swimming, cook a nice meal, do a workout, or feed the birds. If that makes me boring so be it. People come in all kinds you know. Half the time it's just a ball flying around a field, who cares.

Original poster
Busbygirl · 23/08/2023 19:31

I prefer men’s football because I find it faster paced, more exciting and more skilled. There’s a massive difference in the games.
I watched most of the tournament not just the final.

OP posts:
amispeakingintongues · 23/08/2023 19:32

She's being ridiculous. Ironically supporting any gendered sport for the sake of the gender alone is stupid.

If men only supported male sport purely because other men played then these same women like your friend would be outraged. Two wrongs don't make a right.

And the woman's game was boring, compared to the men's world cup. Just not a like for like situation. Perhaps they will be much better in years to come.

Toddlerteaplease · 23/08/2023 19:32

They did well, but I couldn't care less about football.

Dramatic · 23/08/2023 19:33

TypicalCoach · 23/08/2023 19:12

Amazed that people can say they prefer the womens game when its such a lower standard compared to the mens and all the condescending articles about the women being so "brave and fearless" which they dont waste time writing about the men's game.

Good luck to anyone who likes women's football but the standard is so much lower than the mens, some of the goalkeeepers on display at the world cup could barely muster the basics and the pace of the game is so slow that making the pitches smaller has to be an option to speed the game up and be taken seriously.

The Spanish team did show shrewd tactics and gamesmanship to win final whereas the English team looked completely at sea at times both tactically and through lack of gamesmanship.

I disagree, I'd say the women's world cup was probably around the same standard as the Championship mens teams.

Just watching motd the other night showed me plenty of terrible goalkeeping etc. It happens in the premier League too.

WibblyWobblyTimeyWimeyStuff · 23/08/2023 19:33

I quite enjoy the womens football - especially as they seem to play better than the men (overall!) 😬

But I can't stand the sound of women commentating. I can't stand female commentators on any sport actually. I find the sound of them so irritating.

Runs from the thread and hides......... 🏃‍♀️

CheshireCat1 · 23/08/2023 19:36

Much prefer to watch the men’s football, maybe because I’m invested in my team and supported them for years. Watched some of the World Cup, wasn’t overawed by it.

Elsiebear90 · 23/08/2023 19:37

I prefer women’s football to men’s, I generally don’t watch England men play because I feel like they play to a poor standard compared to what you see at club level, with the women I feel like they put their all into it and it’s nice to actually see England do well in a tournament.

Tbh I don’t really understand the argument of “men are better so I’m not interested in watching the women” because you could use that almost any sport, men are always going to be better at most sports because of biology, just seems like a way of knocking women down to say it’s not even worth watching them because men will always be better.

Riapia · 23/08/2023 19:37

It’s a bit like a child playing a violin.
You applaud, not because they play well, but because they can play the damned thing at all.

GreekDogRescue · 23/08/2023 19:38

Football is boring whether played by men or women.
hate the way women’s football is foisted upon us.
They couldn’t even be bothered to meet their fans.
Overrated.

Lampzade · 23/08/2023 19:38

I watched it and didn’t enjoy it. Many did and that is great.

Wavescrashingonthebeach · 23/08/2023 19:41

Riapia · 23/08/2023 19:37

It’s a bit like a child playing a violin.
You applaud, not because they play well, but because they can play the damned thing at all.

Brutal... I love it 😂😂😂

Hufflepods · 23/08/2023 19:41

YABU.
You are the one turning it into a sexist battle by suggesting men’s football, and most sport it seems, is better, more interesting and more skilled. Utter nonsense.

Is if unreasonable to say you didn’t enjoy a particular match? Of course not but it’s unreasonable to claim there is a valid reason for preferring to watch men doing the same thing as women but being better because of their dangly bits.

ErmWhatever · 23/08/2023 19:43

MrsTWH · 23/08/2023 19:23

So what exactly is the difference? Same rules, same game. What is so much better about the men?!

Why do you think no one goes to see middle aged men with beer guts play 5 a side on a Sunday?

Its blindingly obvious why people prefer the mens game. You're making yourself sound stupid.

AndIKnewYouMeantIt · 23/08/2023 19:43

GreekDogRescue · 23/08/2023 19:38

Football is boring whether played by men or women.
hate the way women’s football is foisted upon us.
They couldn’t even be bothered to meet their fans.
Overrated.

They aren't allowed to wander through arrivals at Heathrow for security reasons. Men or women. It's FA rules.

OneTwoThreeShake · 23/08/2023 19:46

I'm just sick of being told what I must watch or enjoy! It's great that England Women got to the final, but I still find the sport boring.

Bitsadtoday1 · 23/08/2023 19:49

No I didn’t enjoy it either. I tried, I really did. I support my local men’s team and enjoy men’s football. Agree there are some boring men’s games just like the women’s final.
I don’t enjoy European football either, even though it is arguably a high standard. I’m just not invested, just like I’m not yet invested in the women. It’s going to take time to really care and support them passionately. Obviously I wanted them to win as I support any English team playing any sport 😊
It’s fine to prefer women’s or men’s football I guess, but I do think there’s a bit of pressure on women who enjoy football to automatically prefer women’s football just because we’re women.

girlfriend44 · 23/08/2023 20:14

GreekDogRescue · 23/08/2023 19:38

Football is boring whether played by men or women.
hate the way women’s football is foisted upon us.
They couldn’t even be bothered to meet their fans.
Overrated.

There were reasons given they couldn't meet them, it wasn't because they couldn't be bothered.

Ambertonix · 23/08/2023 20:15

I just find it all completely embarrassing to be honest. From the 'highlights' ive seen all the women's teams are completely rubbish, on a par with a kid's sunday league team i would say. When the female pundits are introduced as being more successful as some of our mens teams it just makes me cringe. I dont know how the likes of Roy Keane, Jamie Redknap, Gary Neville etc keep a straight face when subjected to this nonsense. Im so relieved they didnt win on Sunday, that would have been unbearable and we would never have heard the end of it. Yes im a woman and yes i enjoy mens football, also prefer mens tennis too but not adverse to watching the odd womens game but women's football just NO!

GuinnessBird · 23/08/2023 20:19

A men's pub team would give the woman's England team a scare.

They are bloody awful, they have no idea what to do and the lack of skill is embarrassing.

SmallGreatThings1 · 23/08/2023 20:26

The USA women’s national team played Wrexham (EFL league 2) and got beaten 12 nil. 7 goals in the first 20 minutes. The standards aren’t comparable. I don’t dislike the women’s game but the skill level is way different.

girlfriend44 · 23/08/2023 20:30

GuinnessBird · 23/08/2023 20:19

A men's pub team would give the woman's England team a scare.

They are bloody awful, they have no idea what to do and the lack of skill is embarrassing.

The standard of women's football is very good.
Speaks volumes too, that they are doing better than the men in competitions

dollybird · 23/08/2023 20:31

Elsiebear90 · 23/08/2023 19:37

I prefer women’s football to men’s, I generally don’t watch England men play because I feel like they play to a poor standard compared to what you see at club level, with the women I feel like they put their all into it and it’s nice to actually see England do well in a tournament.

Tbh I don’t really understand the argument of “men are better so I’m not interested in watching the women” because you could use that almost any sport, men are always going to be better at most sports because of biology, just seems like a way of knocking women down to say it’s not even worth watching them because men will always be better.

I totally agree. All these people (usually men) saying women are shit at football are comparing apples and oranges. It's why there's so much noise about men in women's sport. Pretty much all women at elite level in any sport are not as good as the men at elite level, it doesn't make them shit.

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