Netherlands piloting women to play men's football

[Kenshin]

Imagine an average female CB trying to defend against Andy Carroll from a set piece.

Or a female wide player trying to keep up over 90 minutes with someone like Adama Traore or some speed demon.

Then thats not taking into account the uproar in the media if a Roy Keane type player two footed a female opponent.

There is a reason competitive sports are seperated by gender and thats because men are more often than not stronger, faster, bigger.

Its just PC rubbish.

I get your point sure.

But it wouldn't be a case of all women playing men's football eventually, it would only be the ones who are good enough to play at that level surely?

I don't mean to sound sexist but taking your point, could you see a league two team having a female centre half when everyone is kicking each other at that level or would they want a big brick wall type defender down there?

There are obvious limitations to allowing women to play that would limit their chances.

I just think that in theory , a woman can be as good as Messi, modric , Ronaldo type players in all honesty. Especially when you factor in someone like Messi style talent. I'm talking theoretical but chances are, if a Roy Keane style midfielder can two foot a female , that female chances are will be tough enough to return the favour as well lol

 

[Papa Shango]

Something I think about quite often..well somewhat often, once or twice anyway...

What happens if aliens make contact with Earth and they kindly decide not to annihilate us and instead decide to mix with us an integrate like in V (before they go bad of course..)

Everything is going nicely until they ask if they can play in our sports. What if these aliens look exactly like us but they also can fly? Or they can run at 100mph, do we still let them play? Can we refuse to let them play as surely that is discrimination.

We need to plan for these things so these things don't get messy in Earth Year 2023, erm I mean in a few years time.

 

[Huyton Layne]

Good. Hopefully a step to disbanding the women's leagues so they can't earn a wage for being relatively poor at sport but female.

 

[The binman chronicles]

Would never agree with a quota but there may be a once in a lifetime talent that comes along that cant play at the highest standard her skill deserves just because of gender.

If she is a once in a lifetime talent then that talent will shine through within the women's game. Winning their equivalent of the ballon d'or, trophy wins, bigger sponsorship for being that standout player etc. Unfortunately hand on heart I believe that player will look fairly average within the men's game.

Once you open it up the pressure to have more than just that one star player will snowball. It's like gravity.

 

[PhilM]

As long as the standard and rules are maintained rather than reduced, I have no issue with it in the slightest. If you’re good enough, you’re good enough!

Yet, look at Braasch vs. the two Williams sisters as an example of the difficulties: they were the best in their sport and he thrashed them after a few shandies.

 

[Tin-Tin]

Utterly stupid idea for both practical and biological reasons but hey so long as it makes us feel so awoke

I don't think it will ever happen at the very top due to the biological advantages men have, however if a woman was good enough to play in the Championship or Premier League, there really should be no reason why she shouldn't be allowed.

If a team was willing to employ, pay and insure her then it's their responsibility.

 

[ClausThomsen]

Why does everything have to be politically correct these days?

You watch a game of womens football then watch a PL game and compare the physical intensity of the two.

Put the best womens football team in the world against the Best mens and they'll get smoked.

Thats not sexist thats reality.

Same way the best female boxer would get pummelled over 12 rounds by Anthony Joshua hence why they dont mix gender.

Its a complete physical mismatch its nothing to do with "skill".

BJJ is probably the one phsyical competition where the gender gap isnt "that" bigger and thats because BJJ was designed for physically smaller people to defend themselves against bigger opponents.

But nobody is saying make it mandatory for women to play in the top flight. Most teams in the lower leagues would probably get smoked by the best teams on the planet. Most professional boxers would get pummelled by a world champion.

That doesn't mean they shouldn't be able to compete at a lower level if they're good enough.

 

[The binman chronicles]

Mixed gender teams up to a certain age seem to work quite well, many of the top womens players played for boys teams for as long as they could and you can usually tell the ones who did.

This is a good example of gender inclusion, up to a certain point girls tend to be bigger than boys and with heading rules it makes sense as it helps both sexes grow. After boys go through puberty though and heading starts to become a part of the game it to me does not make sense. They would need to give red cards for almost all contact as I would hate to see the mess of a full blooded 50/50 tackle/ aerial duel.

 

[jaycee]

Doesn't bother me either way,doubt I will see a female playing at the highest level in my life time,but if they are good enough good luck to them

 

[Papa Shango]

This is a good example of gender inclusion, up to a certain point girls tend to be bigger than boys and with heading rules it makes sense as it helps both sexes grow. After boys go through puberty though and heading starts to become a part of the game it to me does not make sense. They would need to give red cards for almost all contact as I would hate to see the mess of a full blooded 50/50 tackle/ aerial duel.

The girls could take the rough and tumble of the game I reckon. There are an awful lot of cloggers in the women's game and some of the more skilled ones take a right battering at times.

That said all it would take is one thing going wrong and everyone would be up in arms as that's just how people generally are.

 

[Mr. White]

Lets just call a spade a spade...

Womens football is poor to watch and the ability levels are way below mens football.

A half decent boys team / above average mens Sunday league team would annihilate the Englands women's football team.

The only way any female footballer is getting anywhere near senior mens professional or semi professional football will be by way of diversity quotas. And, sad to say, that seems quite possible in the not to distant future.

 

[carlos21]

Utterly stupid idea for both practical and biological reasons but hey so long as it makes us feel so awoke

Some rep please big man if you want too.

 

[Tin-Tin]

But nobody is saying make it mandatory for women to play in the top flight. Most teams in the lower leagues would probably get smoked by the best teams on the planet. Most professional boxers would get pummelled by a world champion.

That doesn't mean they shouldn't be able to compete at a lower level if they're good enough.

Exactly, you think it was some law that said all clubs have to have women players, regardless of how crap they were.

The point is, if any mens amateur, semi professional or professional team thinks a female player can make them a better team or has qualities they need/want then they should be allowed to sign them.

If none of them are deemed good enough then they won't play in the men's league, simple as.

 

[Lelouch]

If they are okay with getting tackled and should barged and all the Sunday league stuff, Why not.

 

[Papa Shango]

Lets just call a spade a spade...

Womens football is poor to watch and the ability levels are way below mens football.

Women's football is "poor to watch" because you have no vested interest in it. It's like any sport, they work better when you care about the result or the players involved, the backstory etc. It's why some people are fans of say Gainsborough Trinity and not everyone supports Manchester City.

I think that gets overlooked in sports often. I have followed women's football for years so I enjoy it as I care about what happens and I know what I am watching. I find La Liga incredibly boring as I have no interest in it or any of the clubs involved.

Sport enjoyment is not always linked to ability. Loads of people hate NFL and find it boring, again because they don't know what is going on so have no reference point to what is good or bad. Same with me and cricket, absolutely hate the sport as I have zero interest in it. It means nothing to me so I can't enjoy it.

Ability level is a very vague term. I could list a bunch of women who have as much "ability" as anyone in the men's game. Gifted, fantastic two footed footballers with tremendous vision, works rates, leadership qualities etc. But they are never going to be as strong or as fast as men, that's not ability though as such, I mean it kind of is in a way, it's tough to decide, but to just dismiss all women footballers as not having ability (maybe talent is a better word) is lazy.