Interesting re France medals at the next Olympics. They must be so thankful for the emergence of Leon Marchand in the pool. A genuine superstar who could get 3/4 golds in the first week
The women's football review raises some big questions, in particular should women's football go hell-for-leather for growth, including "pump-priming investment for growth" as you suggest? A potential danger with this may be that women's football becomes dominated by the same big six/seven clubs that currently dominate men's football in England - as they're the ones that can (and indeed are) putting big money in now. This could squeeze out from genuine competitiveness the smaller community based clubs that have done so much to develop women's football in recent years.
Or should women's football go for a more careful and considered approach to growth based around real financial sustainability, and avoid falling into some of the traps being experienced in the men's game (as covered in the LCP report you mention, of which I was a co-author)?
The response to the review issued this week by Lewes FC, the "world's first gender equal football club" is well worth reading, covering these issues in some detail.
Thanks Bart! I hadn't seen the Lewes reply to the Carney report. A great read. Dominance by a handful of teams looks most likely. It will be interesting to see what practical interventions could be created to slow it. Also, whether Lewes and others can attract significant external investment to help level the playing field
Interesting re France medals at the next Olympics. They must be so thankful for the emergence of Leon Marchand in the pool. A genuine superstar who could get 3/4 golds in the first week
The women's football review raises some big questions, in particular should women's football go hell-for-leather for growth, including "pump-priming investment for growth" as you suggest? A potential danger with this may be that women's football becomes dominated by the same big six/seven clubs that currently dominate men's football in England - as they're the ones that can (and indeed are) putting big money in now. This could squeeze out from genuine competitiveness the smaller community based clubs that have done so much to develop women's football in recent years.
Or should women's football go for a more careful and considered approach to growth based around real financial sustainability, and avoid falling into some of the traps being experienced in the men's game (as covered in the LCP report you mention, of which I was a co-author)?
The response to the review issued this week by Lewes FC, the "world's first gender equal football club" is well worth reading, covering these issues in some detail.
https://lewesfc.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2023-Lewes-FC-Response-to-the-Womens-Football-Review.pdf
Thanks Bart! I hadn't seen the Lewes reply to the Carney report. A great read. Dominance by a handful of teams looks most likely. It will be interesting to see what practical interventions could be created to slow it. Also, whether Lewes and others can attract significant external investment to help level the playing field