Karren Brady: Once the delirium of England’s Euros win fades the women’s game has serious work to do to reap the rewards
HAVING grown tired of men promising us “it’s coming home” for the last 56 years, women just went out and brought it home themselves.
And they did it only four years into existence as a fully-professional sport.
They threw themselves into celebrations in ways I have never seen from men.
In total abandonment, they danced, jigged, sang, laughed and hugged in a feast of excitement at becoming European winners.
Oh, what a night!
I know only too well male players would be dancing if they won a Euros or World Cup final.
READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS
I’d join in with them 100 per cent. But many men are almost frightened of letting themselves go in the uninhibited way Sarina Wiegman’s players did.
Can you imagine England men’s squad interrupting their manager’s press conference with a chorus line skipping in behind him?
Now the delirium is over, the smiles or satisfaction remain — but there is serious work to be done.
The FA fitfully began to release the power inherent in girls in footie boots with formation of the all-professional Women’s Super League four years ago.
Most read in Football
FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS - BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
It was a masterstroke or even a mistress-stroke!
The question for the WSL clubs is, should the FA remain in control of the benefits of huge success, or is it time for a new direction?
I don’t know of a single WSL club who does not agree it is time for a new direction.
The FA sold the TV rights to the WSL games for £7.3million but decided to only give a third of the money to WSL clubs.
Having sold the sponsorship rights to the WSL to Barclays for £30m, again they decided only £500,000 of the money raised should actually go to the WSL clubs.
So is it any wonder we lose more than £1m a season running our women’s side. Some clubs in the WSL lose £4m a season — and none break even.
I am convinced if the Premier League were in charge, we would be reasonably self-sufficient and sustainable much sooner, as well as better run and better promoted.
Women can do it. Some 30 years ago when I became a novice MD of Birmingham City, the appointment was laughed at.
I don’t know of a single WSL club who does not agree it is time for a new direction.
Karren Brady
I was insulted and sworn at but at least there was no such thing as social media then. No doubt, I would have been trolled to death.
Yet women have survived demeaning treatment since time began and, here in football, there was a progressive cause to be fought.
The WSL established itself by working with the FA along the lines of the Premier League. Attendances have been generally small — but growing — and the clubs survived on annual sums dwarfed by the monthly earnings of a single male star.
Still, they learned televised games, publicity and sponsorship are key, and the contract to show every match of the European Championship was pivotal.
That the BBC were brilliant helped.
And what a royal reward they were handed — 17.4m viewers watched the final with Germany, the biggest audience of the year, overjoyed to witness a true football nut make the presentations.
It has been clear for years Prince William is that nut — and one who would never confuse West Ham with Aston Villa. Pity he fell for the wrong club!
Among the Wembley capacity crowd kids jumped and jiggled, women whooped, possibly women whose sole link once was to grumble at the money her husband spent on a season ticket.
Yes, football unearthed a new audience. It will take time for this to be fully translated into crowds at big stadiums and more girls playing our game at school. But it will, I believe, happen quite soon
Women have an advantage with the public.
They love glamour, chat and publicity and I doubt they will ever be zombified by control-freak managers and greedy agents.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Read More on The Sun
We have much more to give the game, too.
Beth Mead’s volley on the turn and Alessia Russo’s backheel provide a strange talking point over the groceries — but revolution, once rolling, takes some stopping.