Karren Brady: If anyone still says women’s football is a second rate version of men’s they should think again – and hard
ENGLAND’S appearance in the Women’s World Cup final places it among our great international sporting triumphs.Win it against Spain on Sunday and the MBEs are practically guaranteed — and perhaps more.
England’s women’s team is set for the World Cup Final against SpainCredit: Rex
Boss Sarina Wiegman has worked wonders with the LionessesCredit: Alamy
The fact we haven’t had such a triumph since Sir Alf Ramsey roamed the planet makes it a certainty that Lionesses coach Sarina Wiegman will become the Netherlands’ most famous expat since Vincent van Gogh.
And anyone who asks who VVG played for should bite their own ear off.
Wiegman earns £400,000 a year which is less than a few elite male footballers receive for a week.
England’ men’s manager Gareth Southgate is on £5million annually.
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Tosh to the cash.
Already European champions, our women players have proved themselves major athletes, enjoying their football and their success.
Every woman in the England party has earned her fame.
The Women’s Super League has already improved and professionalised the game here beyond the wildest dreams of 13 years ago, when it was founded.
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No one should underestimate women’s football, insists Karren BradyCredit: Getty
Average attendance last season had doubled from 2021-2022, reaching well over 5,000 a match — about 500 fewer than League Two and nearly 2,000 more than the National League.
But women’s football is becoming so hot that numbers should increase greatly this season and a few WSL clubs might even get close to breaking even.
That should bring smiles of relief to accountants because financing before the expected boom is costly, in the case of West Ham more than £1m of losses a year for our WSL team.
Players are bound to be paid more, too.
At present, Chelsea’s Sam Kerr, scorer of Australia’s only goal against England last Wednesday showed why, in a touch and 25-yard strike, at about £470,000-a-year is the highest paid player in the woman’s game. She may shortly be overtaken.
Manchester City’s 5ft 4in Lauren Hemp, renowned for her impish humour, is paid about half the Kerr sum but in Australia she displayed touches at pace that are going to be worth a good deal more. Other English stars will also be boosting their bank accounts.
No doubt the commercial world is prepared for a selling bonanza in boots and strips and, just as obviously in scarves, hats, tracksuits, trainers, and maybe even tattoos.Karren Brady on the Lionesses’ success
While Saudi Arabia is hardly likely to start a women’s professional league, there are any number of countries with excellent leagues, the US, Canada, France and Germany among them, soon to be joined by Australia.
Lucy Bronze, Georgia Stanway, Kiera Walsh and Rachel Daly are among the England contingent playing overseas where the rewards are at least as high as at home. And their value is soaring, too.
No doubt the commercial world is prepared for a selling bonanza in boots and strips and, just as obviously in scarves, hats, tracksuits, trainers, and maybe even tattoos.
There will also be plenty of payments for endorsements, TV and public appearances. And in a reverse wash from all of this positivity, agents will thrive.
This rebooted game is an attractive prospect for any talented female player, so much so that should any newcomer think women’s football is a second rate version of the men’s game they should think again. And think hard.
It’s football, plain and simple.
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It’s also noteworthy that woman footballers don’t hide their sexual orientation as the men so guardedly do, setting a far better example that it’s OK to be who you are, and love who you want and feel safe and confident in being who they are.
Yes, Viva the Lionesses and viva the woman’s game. More
