In what is possibly the biggest boost the women’s game of football has received to date, the FA Board yesterday approved three significant initiatives in principle.
Firstly a new FA Women’s Super League will launch in 2010 to run during the summer months. This is however subject to the adjustment of current FA regulations, and a sub-committee comprised of four FA Board members will examine in finer details the operational aspects of its first year.
England Women’s coach Hope Powell said: “This is another massive step forward for women’s football and the England teams. The new Super League will provide a concentrated, high-quality competition, and during the summer months give the game an exposure when there is no other top-flight football being played. I also hope that it will prevent our best players from joining the Women’s Professional Soccer organisation in the USA.”
Secondly, the Board also gave the green light to the appointment of a Women’s Performance Manager to lead a new Women’s Performance Unit. This role will focus on national teams and talent development.
And thirdly, national player central contracts have also been approved. In much the same way as cricket contracts operate this will allow certain players to concentrate solely on football instead of having to juggle full time employment with training. This alone is a massive step forward for the women’s game.
FA Chairman Lord Triesman said: “It is very good news that the biggest female participation sport in England will achieve perhaps the biggest boost in its history.”
Over 1.3 million girls and women now play some form of football, and The FA has 52 licensed FA Centres of Excellence in operation across England, providing weekly quality coaching and a localised fixture programme for talented girls from the age of 8-16.
That progress has also been reflected on the international stage. England most recently reached the quarter-finals of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in China last year and this weekend resume their Euro 2009 qualifying campaign, with just two draws away to Czech Republic and Spain being enough to reach next summer’s finals in Finland. This Autumn, England’s U20 and U17 Women’s teams will also compete in their respective age group World Cup Finals, in Chile and New Zealand.
Louise Hudson, Sportsister
The Women’s Sports Magazine
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