“This isn’t a woman’s game, get up off the floor you p****”
So where does this criticism come from? You would think that a team who sit top of the Women’s National League would receive all the plaudits from respected journalists and peers, but you would have to think again. Let me paint the picture for you. Wexford Youths Women were facing an unbeaten start to the campaign until they travelled to Bishopstown where they suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat to an exciting young Cork side. Still top of the league mind you, yet the local press went on to hammer them in that week’s paper. With players confidence ultimately damaged from reading this, the girls went on to suffer back to back defeats in cup football to U.C.D Waves (2-1) and Shelbourne Ladies (1-0) respectively.
For anybody reading (if anybody is reading!) who doesn’t follow women’s football, U.C.D Waves and Shelbourne Ladies are without doubt two of the top teams in the country. However, a certain reporter seemed to have a vendetta against the women from Wexford as they were yet again victimised in the local paper. Players were mentioned, staff were questioned and the overall running of the team was diminished by this reporter. But why?
At this current time, I have the honour of working with Wexford F.C. Now as most know we haven’t had the best of seasons by any stretch of the imagination. With so many players leaving and a lot of new talent it’s understandable that this season would be a struggle. Not once was any player questioned about their commitment or member of staff interrogated by the press as they knew what had gone on in previous seasons. It was a period of transition for everyone involved. Why is this different to the situation that the girls face?
New manager, new staff, new players along with several players trying to overcome serious injuries? The only logical explanation that I can begin to entertain is that these people were completely ignorant to the game and any of the on goings in this wonderful club. With the 2017 Women’s National League ending in the next couple of months, it would be the best thing since sliced bread if Wexford Youths Women’s were to lift that trophy and to show up the people who questioned them so early on. I recently spoke to current player Jess Gleeson about her opinion of the criticism put upon her and her team-mates.
“Honestly I think that they were ridiculous and so off the point! I mean in half of the articles the reporter doesn’t even talk about soccer or the game in hand what so ever they just go off on a tangent about something silly like the TV shows and the like, which is absolutely nothing had got to do with the game of soccer at all. For them to single out players and speak about members of the coaching staff how they did was totally wrong and should never have been allowed to be published if you ask me. The job of a local reporter is to report on the game they see and not focus on what’s going on elsewhere. Also for them to report on a team they know little about and make comments about how we play and questioning every small thing without knowing the reasoning behind decisions etc. was totally ludicrous. All good reporters speak to the manager to get the lay of the land as such so they know what’s going on with some players etc. before they go and report on their games but this reporter didn’t approach or try speaking to anyone involved with the team and decided to report and target individuals personally in his write-ups. Each week the reports got progressively worse with no reasoning because we were winning games and had a nice position in the table and still do currently sitting top and he still has nothing positive to say. We played a cup game recently and we won 11-0 and they still pick all the negatives and didn’t have anything positive or encouraging to say”.
— Mark McCadden (@markmccadden) September 24, 2017
“As someone who is and has been actively involved in the women’s game for over 10 years now I think there has been massive strides taken in a positive manor towards women’s football in Ireland. Up until about 10 years ago not many people at all took an interest in women’s soccer other than those directly involved in the game but nowadays more people are showing an interest in the game, now it might not be as many people as other countries around the world but it is improving slowly! In 2013 Stephanie Roche brought the women’s game to new levels in Ireland with her wonder goal that became worldwide sensation and in turn came second in the overall UEFA PUSKAS Awards. This goal I think changed people’s opinions on the women’s game because it showed that women do have the skill to play the game and can do exactly like the men (if not better at times). This year also has shown huge recognition for the women’s senior international team who fought for their right to equal treatment. Even though they had go public to get the answers they duly deserve they eventually got what they were asking for, which in the larger picture wasn’t much at all. Gear that they could keep so as they didn’t have to give it back after every trip and get changed in the bathrooms of hotels and airports after trips, and compensation for loss of earnings while away with the international team and had to take time from work some of the main topics. This really brought the women’s game into the public eye maybe for the wrong reasons but people got behind them and agreed they deserve the basics asked for at least for representing their country. I guess it’s going to take years to come for more improvements to happen but it is getting there. Well you think it is and then something ridiculous happens like no officials are assigned for a National League game and this is expected to be just brushed under the carpet without any explanation or reason for it happening, you would never see that happen in the men’s game, ever! It probably small things that are frustrating in the women’s game for outsiders but for someone involved and part of it is hard because sometimes you ask yourself what is different from what they do(men) to what we do(women). In my opinion nothing!”
Author - Mark Hayes
4th Year Recreation and Sport Management Student