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Fifa fights for more women in football but Hope Powell issues warning Fifa fights for more women in football but Hope Powell issues warning
(about 1 hour later)
Fifa has approved groundbreaking quotas for female coaches at the Under-17 Women’s World Cup next year, as the former England manager Hope Powell warned that female coaches were being “squeezed out” of the game. Fifa has approved groundbreaking quotas for female coaches at theUnder-17 Women’s World Cup next year, as the former England manager Hope Powell warned that female coaches were being “squeezed out” of the game.
Fifa’s executive committee agreed to the proposal that all teams competing at the tournament in Jordan next year must include at least one female coach and one female medic among their staff, after it was revealed only eight of the 24 countries competing at the senior World Cup in Canada this summer will be led by women.Fifa’s executive committee agreed to the proposal that all teams competing at the tournament in Jordan next year must include at least one female coach and one female medic among their staff, after it was revealed only eight of the 24 countries competing at the senior World Cup in Canada this summer will be led by women.
It means that all-male delegations will be a thing of the past, sending a strong signal to member associations that Fifa will be proactive in promoting women’s involvement in the game.It means that all-male delegations will be a thing of the past, sending a strong signal to member associations that Fifa will be proactive in promoting women’s involvement in the game.
“Given the continuing low numbers of women coaches in Fifa’s international competitions, it’s time to look harder for the best candidates, starting with this challenge to find at least one woman to serve as one of the coaches at the most junior of Fifa’s women’s tournaments,” the Fifa ExCo member Moya Dodd told the Guardian. Only seven per cent of registered football coaches globally are female but, as Dodd notes, women’s achievements are over-represented in the trophy cabinet – with the past three Olympic gold medals and two out of three of the most recent World Cups won by teams led by a female coach.“Given the continuing low numbers of women coaches in Fifa’s international competitions, it’s time to look harder for the best candidates, starting with this challenge to find at least one woman to serve as one of the coaches at the most junior of Fifa’s women’s tournaments,” the Fifa ExCo member Moya Dodd told the Guardian. Only seven per cent of registered football coaches globally are female but, as Dodd notes, women’s achievements are over-represented in the trophy cabinet – with the past three Olympic gold medals and two out of three of the most recent World Cups won by teams led by a female coach.
Dodd, the vice-president of the Asian Football Confederation, where a local directive to promote female coaches has been implemented with measurable success, expressed concern at the “unconscious bias” impacting on women who challenge the social norms, invoking the phrase “men take charge and women take care”.Dodd, the vice-president of the Asian Football Confederation, where a local directive to promote female coaches has been implemented with measurable success, expressed concern at the “unconscious bias” impacting on women who challenge the social norms, invoking the phrase “men take charge and women take care”.
“There are many high-quality women candidates to choose from,” Dodd said. “We continue to invest in training women coaches, and they are disproportionately successful when given top jobs, but most of the job market is virtually foreclosed to them because they aren’t considered to coach men’s teams. So, when we see such low numbers appearing as coaches even of junior women’s teams, then it’s clearly time to do more.”“There are many high-quality women candidates to choose from,” Dodd said. “We continue to invest in training women coaches, and they are disproportionately successful when given top jobs, but most of the job market is virtually foreclosed to them because they aren’t considered to coach men’s teams. So, when we see such low numbers appearing as coaches even of junior women’s teams, then it’s clearly time to do more.”
Meanwhile in the top tier of English football there is only one female manager, Chelsea’s Emma Hayes, who last week called for a Rooney Rule to give female coaches a fair chance in the men’s and women’s game.Meanwhile in the top tier of English football there is only one female manager, Chelsea’s Emma Hayes, who last week called for a Rooney Rule to give female coaches a fair chance in the men’s and women’s game.
Powell, in a powerful keynote speech at Fifa’s inaugural women’s football and leadership conference this month, expressed grave concern over increased interest in the sport from male coaches now that there are greater opportunities to earn a living and increased media profile – resulting in “devastating” consequences for female coaches. Although Powell welcomed men’s involvement in the game, she argued that there was a worrying trend of highly-qualified and experienced female coaches being replaced by less-qualified men. “I can tell you of a number of female coaches who have been coaching at the highest level and are now no longer in the game,” said the 48-year-old, including herself as an example after she was replaced as England’s head coach in 2013 by the then 31-year-old Mark Sampson, who had no international experience. Sampson has since led the team successfully.Powell, in a powerful keynote speech at Fifa’s inaugural women’s football and leadership conference this month, expressed grave concern over increased interest in the sport from male coaches now that there are greater opportunities to earn a living and increased media profile – resulting in “devastating” consequences for female coaches. Although Powell welcomed men’s involvement in the game, she argued that there was a worrying trend of highly-qualified and experienced female coaches being replaced by less-qualified men. “I can tell you of a number of female coaches who have been coaching at the highest level and are now no longer in the game,” said the 48-year-old, including herself as an example after she was replaced as England’s head coach in 2013 by the then 31-year-old Mark Sampson, who had no international experience. Sampson has since led the team successfully.
Powell referenced several women who lost senior international jobs to men, including Carolina Morace with Canada, Hesterine de Reus with Australia, Elisabeth Loisel with China and Vera Pauw – since appointed by South Africa – with Russia. She also noted that Lois Fidler had been replaced as England’s Under-17 coach by a man. Powell referenced several women who lost senior international jobs to men, including Carolina Morace with Canada, Hesterine de Reus with Australia, Élisabeth Loisel with China and Vera Pauw – since appointed by South Africa – with Russia. She also noted that Lois Fidler had been replaced as England’s Under-17 coach by a man.
Powell, who acts as an adviser to Fifa on these issues, also condemned the lack of reference to women’s football across all formal coaching qualifications and says she encountered endemic prejudice from her male peers while taking her coaching badges.Powell, who acts as an adviser to Fifa on these issues, also condemned the lack of reference to women’s football across all formal coaching qualifications and says she encountered endemic prejudice from her male peers while taking her coaching badges.
“When we talk about getting ex players – the Faye Whites and Casey Stoneys – qualified and involved, if you haven’t got the opportunity to give them [as coaches] they’re going to leave the game. I know one, a good friend of mine, who has just decided that football, the game she’s developed the last 20 years, she’s had to step back and that’s expertise and knowledge you can never ever replace. A challenge in leadership on and off the pitch [throughout my career] has been my norm. But my norm should not be the norm for the next generation, it’s wrong, and we need to address it.” “When we talk about getting ex-players – the Faye Whites and Casey Stoneys – qualified and involved, if you haven’t got the opportunity to give them [as coaches] they’re going to leave the game. I know one, a good friend of mine, who has just decided that football, the game she’s developed the last 20 years, she’s had to step back and that’s expertise and knowledge you can never ever replace. A challenge in leadership on and off the pitch [throughout my career] has been my norm. But my norm should not be the norm for the next generation. It’s wrong, and we need to address it.”
England have a female assistant coach in Marieanne Spacey and the head coaches of the country’s Under-19s and Under-15s are Mo Marley Kay Cossington respectively. But the Football Association told the Guardian: “There is a still a shortage of female coaches, as there is across all sports, and we are working hard to address this.” England have a female assistant coach in Marieanne Spacey and the head coaches of the country’s Under-19s and Under-15s are Mo Marley and Kay Cossington respectively. But the Football Association told the Guardian: “There is a still a shortage of female coaches, as there is across all sports, and we are working hard to address this.”
The spokesperson pointed to schemes such as the new elite development unit led by Brent Hills and Spacey, bespoke all-female coaching courses for women and a collaboration with the Premier League on the elite coach apprenticeship scheme, which will place three female coaches at a club every 12 months for the next 10 years.The spokesperson pointed to schemes such as the new elite development unit led by Brent Hills and Spacey, bespoke all-female coaching courses for women and a collaboration with the Premier League on the elite coach apprenticeship scheme, which will place three female coaches at a club every 12 months for the next 10 years.