Netherlands piloting women to play men's football

[Disgruntledgoat]

If she can hold her own then good for her

Let's just hope she can, otherwise this will be a disaster

She's been holding her own in the same team, it's not like she decided to play football yesterday.

 

[Disgruntledgoat]

Women mature physically quicker than lads therefore up until age 20 the difference in body size and intensity is completely different. People who claim womens football is "boring" only say so because of the lack of intensity and pace of the game - its nothing to do with actual ability of the players themselves however its that phsyical intensity and pace added with the phsyical differences in the two genders that makes it dangerous to be mixing the two.

They shouldn't have the choice its that simple- certainly not at professional level.

Same way people cant just decide to fight outside of weight classes or blue belts competing against brown belts in BJJ etc.

Save it for a kick about in the park with your mates.

It's sexist to allow women the choice as to whether they play with men or not... gotcha.

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

She's been holding her own in the same team, it's not like she decided to play football yesterday.

Good

Let's hope it stays that way

Will be a PR disaster for the sport if she's shown up or gets seriously injured

I wish her all the best and hope she does really well

I'm not sure whether I'd want all football at all levels to be mixed-gender, but if a player here or there can manage it then I'm fine with it. Exceptions happen in all walks of life

 

[Bruce Wayne]

The Dutch 4th Tier IS amateur football, they only have 2 professional leagues.

How has the player in question managed to survive playing with and against men up to the age of 20 without destroying her fragile little body? How are all the women playing mixed football in the "B" grade not routinely snapping themselves in to tiny pieces (football in the Netherlands has a massive participation rate, by the way, at all ages)?

Finally, you are aware that the women have to want to be on the pitch, yes? Nobody is sacrificing these poor maidens on the altar of political correctness, they are there by choice.

Why don't we let them decide what they'd rather do? There is at least one who wants to continue playing in the team she is currently in and I'm happy that the KNVB are supportive of her.

Again, this is happening in all age group football in the Netherlands and in senior football outside of the pyramid. Why is it such a huge issue for you who VV Foarut want to put in their side?

This whole thread is hilariously absurd. As you say, a woman who has played in mixed teams throughout her life and wishes to continue doing so is suddenly conflated with women playing for Everton and clubs being forced to play them. People haven't bothered to actually read what the story is about at all, and are just using this thread to prattle on about their biases. Bonkers.

 

[ForeverBlue92]

It's sexist to allow women the choice as to whether they play with men or not... gotcha.

So should men be allowed to choose to play in the womens league?

Again its completely sexist to suggest women can choose to play at a certain "level" of mens football and only if "they" are "good enough / ready".

It demeans womens football.

 

[Papa Shango]

Will be a PR disaster for the sport if she's shown up or gets seriously injured

That can happen to any footballer though. I'm sure she knows the risks involved.

You are right though there would be an uproar when there really shouldn't be. If she gets injured she gets injured.

I once get crunched by a 12 year old girl playing football. I'm over 6 foot and weighed about 17 stone at the time. You never know whats going to happen.

I really wanted to elbow her in the face off the ball to get revenge but noooo, that's not "acceptable".

 

[zzr45]

This whole thread is hilariously absurd. As you say, a woman who has played in mixed teams throughout her life and wishes to continue doing so is suddenly conflated with women playing for Everton and clubs being forced to play them. People haven't bothered to actually read what the story is about at all, and are just using this thread to prattle on about their biases. Bonkers.

I just get amused when people go into head patting overdrive and decide that a woman will be the next Messi.

 

[ForeverBlue92]

That can happen to any footballer though. I'm sure she knows the risks involved.

You are right though there would be an uproar when there really shouldn't be. If she gets injured she gets injured.

I once get crunched by a 12 year old girl playing football. I'm over 6 foot and weighed about 17 stone at the time. You never know whats going to happen.

I really wanted to elbow her in the face off the ball to get revenge but noooo, that's not "acceptable".

It would be a farce in professional football.

Women attempting to tackle male players but then male players being crucified by the media for going in hard or cynical on a female player especially if it resulted in an injury etc.

These people haven't a clue what they are advocating- it would be utter chaos and a much bigger sideshow than it would be a success.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Good

Let's hope it stays that way

Will be a PR disaster for the sport if she's shown up or gets seriously injured

I wish her all the best and hope she does really well

I'm not sure whether I'd want all football at all levels to be mixed-gender, but if a player here or there can manage it then I'm fine with it. Exceptions happen in all walks of life

If women choose to play a sport then it's fair to say they know the risks. In cycling Annamiek van Vleuten won Strada Bianchi last weekend. She did this in the Rio Olympics



Reckon they can handle it tbh.

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

That can happen to any footballer though. I'm sure she knows the risks involved.

You are right though there would be an uproar when there really shouldn't be. If she gets injured she gets injured.

I once get crunched by a 12 year old girl playing football. I'm over 6 foot and weighed about 17 stone at the time. You never know whats going to happen.

I really wanted to elbow her in the face off the ball to get revenge but noooo, that's not "acceptable".

Perceptions are what they are

A woman getting seriously injured by a bigger man is going to be a PR whirlwind, whether it's right or not

I'm sure she's not arsed and sees it as something that comes with the territory, otherwise she wouldn't want to play in the first place. The fact stands though that the furore it would generate would be a negative for the league and the sport itself

Just one of those things. Maybe perceptions will change one day, who knows?

At the end of the day though I hope she does really well and I've no issue with it personaly

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

If women choose to play a sport then it's fair to say they know the risks. In cycling Annamiek van Vleuten won Strada Bianchi last weekend. She did this in the Rio Olympics



Reckon they can handle it tbh.

I think people are mistaking my comment for something else

I know she knows the risks and probably isn't bothered about them either

I'm talking about the ramifications of a woman getting seriously injured by a man in a sport like football, which I think we can all agree would cause a bit of a PR storm amongst the usual suspects

I am NOT saying I personally agree with that sentiment, but merely noting that it exists

 

[Disgruntledgoat]

So should men be allowed to choose to play in the womens league?

Again its completely sexist to suggest women can choose to play at a certain "level" of mens football and only if "they" are "good enough / ready".

It demeans womens football.

All Dutch age group football is mixed. All Dutch football outside the main pyramid is mixed. There's no quotas, nobody is forcing anybody to do anything.

One player at the end of her under 19 career wanted to continue to play with her team mates in the senior team. She may not even get picked. There's no age restriction, it's the A or first team level. The club agreed she was capable, the asked the league and they made a dispensation on that basis.

Is the entire Dutch youth and amateur setup sexist because women are allowed to compete on merit? I thought equal opportunity was what we were all looking towards.

 

[Disgruntledgoat]

Women attempting to tackle male players but then male players being crucified by the media for going in hard or cynical on a female player especially if it resulted in an injury etc.

The attitude displayed here is the issue. Women aren't made of porcelain and they're not being herded onto the pitch at gunpoint. They choose to play football and everything that comes along with it. Do you think that anybody wants somebody going easy on them in thought or deed when they're competing?

 

[ForeverBlue92]

All Dutch age group football is mixed. All Dutch football outside the main pyramid is mixed. There's no quotas, nobody is forcing anybody to do anything.

One player at the end of her under 19 career wanted to continue to play with her team mates in the senior team. She may not even get picked. There's no age restriction, it's the A or first team level. The club agreed she was capable, the asked the league and they made a dispensation on that basis.

Is the entire Dutch youth and amateur setup sexist because women are allowed to compete on merit? I thought equal opportunity was what we were all looking towards.

I havent a real issue with that - I have an issue with the long term hopes of these people to make mixed gender continue into professional level sports which is both unfair and unsafe.

 

[ForeverBlue92]

The attitude displayed here is the issue. Women aren't made of porcelain and they're not being herded onto the pitch at gunpoint. They choose to play football and everything that comes along with it. Do you think that anybody wants somebody going easy on them in thought or deed when they're competing?

Simply put in an age where we are trying to teach the young males of today that its wrong to physically assault a woman I think young lads watching female fighters being knocked cold by male ones & male footie players bouncing females off the pitch in 50/50's as a normal thing does little to reinforce the message.

As ive said go down to your local MMA gym and watch a mixed gender sparring session and you'll quickly see how stupid and dangerous the idea at professional level it is.

Even tough fighters like Ronda Rousey would get seriously hurt up against a trained male MMA fighter.

Women are not made of porcelain but they can get seriously hurt alot easier than an athletically built fully grown male.