Rolling Women's Football Thread season 2022/23 - WSL, Championship and more

[DuncinToffee]

Football has come home!

To build on the success of the Lionesses and the increasing interest in women's football, we are starting a brand new thread to continue celebrating the beautiful game

Enjoy!

Yes, so sad.

NEW - Women's World Cup will see players earn individual fees for the first time through FIFA - exceeding their club salaries in most cases:
•Group stage: $30k
•Round of 16: $60k
•Quarter Final: $90k
•4th place: $165k
•3rd place: $180k
•2nd place: $195k
•Winners: $270k

I saw that, too! That's excellent news. The average salary for a female footballer is £11,300 ish, it says in the article. So those payments will be a big incentive, might even be life-changing for some.

I actually came to post this:
https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2023/jun/08/womens-world-cup-broadcast-rights-fifa-bbc-sky-itv?CMP=share_btn_tw

Standoff about the price of broadcast rights which could derail the whole World Cup. Some broadcasters don't care about women's football anyway (taking their lead from Fifa!) and will walk away. So either there will be an embarrassing last-minute climb-down or blackouts in some broadcast areas. So depressing. And Fifa are making it worse by being greedy - they could reduce the amounts demanded for the men's tournaments, at least this time around. Broadcasters have budgets, they can't magic money out of nowhere. I think the 5-10% of the figure bid for the men's game (which the British broadcasters are offering) would be about right, depending on which region is bidding.

Exactly. Fifa are idiots, but we know that any way. They need to back down.

Or they should offer some sort of rebate on the men's tournaments.

Just to be clear, the British broadcasting bid of 8% of the amount paid for the men's tournament rights is the highest on offer - Italy are offering £300,000! Which is just plain insulting to the women's competition. So there could be some movement from the broadcasters, too. Fifa are suddenly demanding money for rights they thought so worthless, they used to throw them in for free with the men's rights.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/jun/09/sarina-wiegman-england-women-win-world-cup-tussle-clubs-player-release-date

I have to say I'm with the club's on this one. The players need a minimum of 4 consecutive weeks rest in between seasons. The June 23rd date had been agreed by all the European clubs (for example, Georgia Stanway will not be released by Bayern Munich Frauen until then).

This is irresponsible and shortsighted from the FA. And their tactics were underhanded and manipulative. The clubs develop and pay the players and next season will be affected.

I'm a club over country fan anyway, so I am particularly aggrieved. If it wasn't for Lotte Wubben-Moy's involvement in the squad, I wouldn't support England.

*clubs

Still fuming.

This article by Suzy Wrack sets out how the FA have messed this up and it will come back to bite them. Fundamental problem also of the dates of the World Cup - which is on Fifa, obviously.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/jun/10/england-women-player-release-row-world-cup-fa-wsl-clubs?CMP=share_btn_tw

Sometimes it is a good thing not to have players in the England squad.

I really hope that the decision doesn't come back to bite with injuries.

Yes, both Mead and Williamson were over-played last year.

Good news

BBC and ITV will provide live TV coverage of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand

In total all 64 matches from the tournament will be broadcast in the UK on either BBC or ITV except for the Final, which will be shown across both BBC One and ITV1

Deals been agreed with ARD/ZDF (Germany), BBC/ITV (UK), France Télévisions, RAI (Italy) and RTVE (Spain)

That is great news. Can't wait.

Oh, thank goodness!

Great news @DuncinToffee I’ve been hunting around the web for news of wtaf is happening.

Wow, Russo might be coming to Arsenal!

And on a free, Man U has messed up big time here.

Yes, which is great for us. I was just reading that they left it to the last week of the WSL to offer her a reasonable contract.

I feel sorry for Mark Skinner. He has done so well and the people above him just don't care about the women's team.

I am not counting my chickens, however, it is comforting to know that Chelsea and City don't need strikers.

So many tantalising rumours around possible transfers to AWFC... I used to love not having this stress about the women's side of my club! But I suppose it's part and parcel of the growth of the game. <sigh>

Ona Batlle leaving Man U for Barcelona. Similar story to Russo - Man U left it too late to offer new contract.

Women's World Cup TV selection has been announced for ITV and BBC.

England v Haiti - ITV
England v Denmark - BBC
China v England - ITV

Australia v Republic of Ireland - ITV
Canada v ROI - ITV
ROI v Nigeria - BBC

If England qualify for the last 16, that match will be on BBC.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65962749

Ooh, it's all hotting up! I can't wait. Although I feel quite angry on behalf of teams like Canada and Jamaica, whose football federations are treating them with contempt.

Also, have you seen this?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65289779
About the new governing body for the WSL starting next year.

That sounds very promising but stay away from the closed league idea.

I have read about the Jamaican team but wasn't aware the Canadians had similar issues

I agree about the closed league being a bad idea - it takes away jeopardy - and concentrates money at elite level.

Yes, it's not as bad for the Canadians but their federation is refusing to put a remuneration deal in place (the men are having similar problems). The women are threatening not to get on the plane to Australia if it isn't sorted by the time they are supposed to leave. Their previous agreement ran out in 2021. They've had temporary arrangements since then. I cannot understand the thinking of the federation. They're going to have to do a deal at some stage, aren't they?

This is shocking

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65985681