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Tag: Women’s Football

  • Levelling the playing field: Women’s football calls for a reshuffle

    Levelling the playing field: Women’s football calls for a reshuffle

    Aoife Robinson playing for the Bohemians. Image courtesy of Mick O’Shea (@mickoshea100)

    Playing for Bohemians has always been a dream for striker Aoife Robinson.

    When she was younger, there was no women’s team set-up – so she would have to settle for playing for the men’s team, Robinson tells me with a wry smile.

    “We are looking to just be considered equal”

    Aoife Robinson

    While the set-up of the Bohemians women’s team in 2018 has been seen as a progressive move, there still remains potholes and inconsistencies facing women’s football’s road to equality.

    Today, women still face discrimination on and off the pitch – overtly and covertly – from the top down. 

    Robinson may have achieved her dream of playing for the Bohemians, but she has encountered gender-related obstacles along the way.

    “It always seems like the boys get first pick on anything,” Robinson says. “We are looking to just be considered equal. Like on match days – if we both have a game, the men’s team will be given the earlier time. And the women’s game is always later when everyone has gone home for their dinner and no one is sticking around to watch,” she says.

    Robinson continues: “Or even football gear. For one of my old clubs one time we did a sponsorship campaign and raised loads of money for gear. And the boys took the money and they got the gear. The boys would always be given new tracksuits and we’d just be given nothing.”

    Another bone of contention that raised a lot of eyebrows was the relocation of the FAI Women’s Cup Final between Peamount United and Cork City last December – it was set to be played in the Aviva Stadium but was changed to Tallaght Stadium. 

    “If the men’s matches are on the tele, why can’t the women’s matches be?”

    Robinson

    The FAI made the decision in order to secure more match day revenue. However, as the country was still under level-5 restrictions, the match was already scheduled to go ahead behind closed doors. 

    “That annoyed me and it shouldn’t have happened,” Robinson laments. “But with the no-fans situation, it could very well have been in the Aviva – because at that time, there were no fans at Tallaght anyway.”

    Games will remain behind closed doors for the foreseeable future for both men’s and women’s teams. But, strides have been made to secure that more streaming coverage is made available for fans.

    On Thursday 25 February 2021, the FAI announced that all SSE Airtricity and Women’s National League matches will be made available to stream on LOITV for season ticket holder. The Women’s National League (WNL) matches will be made available free to view without a paywall.

    While a welcomed decision, Robinson still feels this could have been done much sooner.

    “If the men’s matches are on the tele , why can’t the women’s matches be on the tele?” Asks Robinson. Especially now that women’s matches are being played in the stadiums. So you can’t be saying that we don’t have the facilities for cameras and stuff. It’s there.”

    Robinson continues: “Streaming it on Facebook and YouTube is good, that’s brilliant. But you’re only gonna watch it if you’re told about it. But if a match is showed on RTE, you know it’s there, you’ll leave it on. You literally have to be dedicated to go looking for it, and women’s sport shouldn’t be at that point anymore.”

    “If the men’s matches are on the telly, why can’t the women’s matches be on the telly?” asks Robinson. She welcomes this decision but says it could have been done sooner.

    “Especially now that women’s matches are being played in the stadiums – so you can’t be saying that we don’t have the facilities for cameras and stuff. It’s there.”

    Robinson adds: “Streaming it on Facebook and YouTube is good, that’s brilliant. But you’re only gonna watch it if you’re told about it. But if a match is shown on RTÉ, you know it’s there, you’ll leave it on. You literally have to be dedicated to go looking for it, and women’s sport shouldn’t be at that point anymore.”

    The state of women’s football remains an overlooked entity of Ireland’s sporting landscape. The skill and desire is clearly there, but the reluctance to recognise its potential leaves many feeling like the pitch is slanted against them more than ever. With Vera Pauw signing a contract extension until 2023 and the new FAI CEO calling for more promotion of the women’s game – time will tell if change is on the horizon.

    • The SSE Airtricity League WNL 2021 season will kick-off on 27 March – with Bohemians facing Treaty United at the Oscar Traynor Centre in the first of two 2:00pm kick-offs. Galway Women’s FC play Cork City in Eamonn Deacy Park in the other early kick-off. 
  • Stephanie Roche hopeful of securing top-three spot in 2014 FIFA Puskás Award

    Stephanie Roche hopeful of securing top-three spot in 2014 FIFA Puskás Award

    Republic of Ireland international Stephanie Roche is aiming to take her place among football’s elite when the three-person shortlist for the chance to win the 2014 FIFA Puskás Award in announced on December 1, 2014. 

    Stephanie Roche discusses her chances of landing the prestigious award Photo: James Hopper
    Stephanie Roche discusses her chances of landing the prestigious award. Photo: James Hopper

    The 25 year-old from Shankill in Dublin would be the first woman to ever win the award should she ultimately secure a majority vote at the FIFA Ballon d’Or ceremony on January 12, 2015.

    Established in 2009, the Puskás Award is given to the player – male or female – that has scored the best goal of the year in world football as voted for by the general public. Ferenc Puskás, the Hungarian legend who the award is named after, is one of the top scorers from the 20th century with 512 goals in 528 matches.

    Roche’s strike for Peamount United against Wexford Youths on October 20, 2013 is the only goal scored by a female player on the list of ten candidates.

    With a viral campaign on her side and the whole of the Republic of Ireland adding their support, Roche is certainly in with a chance of creating history. And with family and friends betting in her favour, Roche is trying not to get too excited.

    “A few of them have placed bets yes, I haven’t done it myself so I don’t want to jinx it! A lot of people have been sending me Paddy Power screen shots and stuff like that,” said Roche.

    “The support has been unbelievable to be honest with you. I would just like to say thanks to all of the Irish people, I’ve been trying to say it all week. I’ve obviously been away, but my family have been telling me there’s so much in the paper and on Twitter, so the support has been phenomenal.”

    Back at the 2010 FIFA ceremony, Matty Burrows of Glentoran claimed third place in the Puskás Award after seeing off the likes of Lionel Messi, Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Neymar. With competition proving just as fierce this year, Roche is hopeful that a lesser celebrated league can gain recognition once again.

    “Yeah definitely, I think someone mentioned that to me the other day,” said Roche.  “It’s great to see that he got so far and hopefully I’ll be able to do that as well.”

    Stars of last summer’s World Cup such as James Rodríguez, Tim Cahill and Robin van Persie will likely provide Roche’s sternest opposition. However, should the striker lose out to one of the leading names in world football, she has no doubt as to who deserves to win the award.

    “I follow Manchester United, so I would probably say Robin van Persie. I like him as a player and I remember watching it at the time, thinking it was a great goal, so I’d probably say that.”

    After signing for French Division 1 side ASPTT Albi in July from Peamount United, Roche is still settling in to life in the south of France. And after an encouraging start which has seen the striker score two goals in her first eight games, Roche is looking to take her form into the second half of the season.

    “It’s been really good to be honest, the football has been great. Obviously, it’s a different culture and a different lifestyle, that’s the only difference,” said Roche.

    “Football-wise I’ve loved it; I just want to play as much as I can. I played on Saturday and had a really good game so I just want to build on that and give them everything I can for the year.”

    Voting is open on www.fifa.com until December 1 to reduce the list of candidates from ten to three, with the eventual winner being announced at the FIFA Ballon d’Or gala in Zurich, Switzerland on January 12, 2015.