Article written by Jacob Omolaso for ladiesprofessionalsports.com
The England football manager Hope Powell has had relatively a job for life. Therefore, what has prevented England women’s football team from being successful?
In my previous article on football titled “Is the new Women Super League (WSL) a game of CATCH 22?” which can be read on my website ladiesprofessionalsports.com. I wrote about the new league which may possibly improve standards in the long term; however this does not protract from the performance of The FA and Hope Powell’s one trophy cabinet.
Hope Powell is certainly qualified according to the football badges accredited to her, but the same can be said of previous Men’s team managers. The Men’s team have had managers and coaches with similar FA & FIFA badges and sometimes even more qualification than Hope Powell; but were unsuccessful in securing a title and therefore relieved of their duties by The FA. Since being appointed by The FA in 1998, Hope Powell has secured one International trophy in the annually played tournament hosted in conjunction with The FA; the Cyprus Cup. The Cyprus Cup was won in 2009, and the team were unable to mount a defence a year later in 2010, finishing 5th position out of 8 teams.
The last major tournament, Euro 2009 hosted in Finland brought a humiliating and embarrassing defeat in the final by Germany. Although England qualified from the tournament group stage as the best third placed team; the team nonetheless evaded my prediction of facing Germany at an earlier stage. This unfortunately glossed over the England performance and prevented reform.
Again I ask myself why the lack of success by England, The FA and Hope Powell?
I suggest there’s a possibility The FA does not want a successful women’s team, thereby outshining and outperforming the men’s team. But isn’t that partisan and blatantly sexist? That’s very debatable, or has Hope Powell surrounded herself with individuals who are more in agreement with her strategy rather than those who will challenge the status quo? I obviously do not have inside knowledge of what’s happening within The FA and Hope Powell’s management structure, but the ONE trophy cabinet in twelve years is proof that can not be glossed over or disputed.
The US national team have had a man as a head coach and currently a Swedish woman, Pia Mariane Sundhage, as a head coach. Therefore besides the financial package there is no limitation to source a head coach for England. Hope Powell has had a good run and has done a reasonable job. Pulling the England team to 8th position in the FIFA World ranking is a good achievement, but the next phase and push for success should be provided by another management structure that’s willing to give The FA the hard truths.
The disarray within England’s football structure has seen Lord Triesman quit his post and previously the FA Chief Executive, Ian Watmore, resigning within nine months of holding his post. The women’s game needs to break away from the dysfunctional operation of the football association and possibly model the women’s English game on the American Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS). This is mainly because the current men’s league system is flawed and it’s on borrowed time; and there’s no plausible reason for the Women’s game to follow the same path.
The England Women’s team recently played against Austria whom is 40th according to FIFA ranking. The game was modestly decent as I watched online, and therefore I prompted myself to go to Millwall’s stadium the Den and watch England play against 20th ranked Spain.
The game at the Den wasn’t too pleasant to watch as the embattled and injured Kelly Smith tried her utmost to be creative. After Kelly Smith was substituted at 59th minute, and as I unbearably watched the game descend to awful; I couldn’t help thing about those watching women’s football for the first time.
There’s a lot of criticism about how women play football, the game against Spain emphasises these criticism.
The women’s game can not afford to loose support, and therefore the best players should be chosen. There are exceptionally better players in the current women’s premier league who are not in the England squad.
Football is the nation’s leading game and therefore the England women’s team should be more competitive in the major tournaments. The lack of success is possibly a combination of neglect by The FA to push for productivity and Hope Powell’s team selection and decision making. I would err on the side of caution, should the FA move Hope Powell to another superficial post to oversee the restructure, as this would seem as a continuation of the status quo.
I sincerely urge the FA to be as relatively judgemental of the women’s game just as the men’s game.
Is this a fair reflection?
Constructive view points and comments are welcome.
Article written by Jacob Omolaso on behalf of ladiesprofessionalsports.com
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