FFA apathy

[chelsea]

This is my first post on this site. I like it a lot , there seems to be a number of very interested and active South Australians out there. Here is my gripe.

The FFA doesn't take women's soccer seriously.

I have written to the FFA to no avail. I think we need to all start sending it emails individually demanding decent up to date information and genuine signs of support for women's football such as:

• Insisting it gets TV coverage. (What the heck happened to the promised SBS live telecast of last Sunday's game It just fell off the map and was replaced by some meaningless 20 year old footage)
• Giving serious consideration to a National League
• Providing genuine attempts at gaining sponsorship for both the men and the women (even the Qantas Futsalroos are sponsored. What a joke!)
• Providing accurate up to date information as to the Women’s game and players. Sloppiness is an insult

Look at the Matildas profiles on their site

http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/Mat ... r_profiles

It went off line for a while and then got 'updated' by reverting back to 2006 profiles.

Clare Polkinghorne for example was a Matilda but now she is off the profiles. This must make her feel a bit strange considering she is off to the World Cup. Where is Danielle Small on the profiles? They used to be there now they are gone!

The current profiles have players who haven't played for over a year (Ledbrook) and omit players who are currently in the squad (eg: Carroll).

The only place that is remotely up to date is the AIS scholarship web site.
http://www.ais.org.au/soccer/womens/athletes.asp

I am sorry about the rave but sometimes I think Women's Football just sits back and cops it too tamely. Discussion boards won't help. We need to lobby. Send emails to the FFA at least and express your views.

[SAD GAL]

Chelsea. AMEN!

The apathy is across every bureaucracy. FFA FFSA (and all other State affiliates) are arms of government (funded in one way or another) and as such, everyone is comfortable in their quasi-public-sector status. No accountability. Otehrwise what you have brought up would not be occuring.

Look at the state of the men's comp and the ongoing issues it has.

A good friend of mine said many years ago: "The women's game WILL NOT get fixed until the men's comp is sorted out!!!"

What is the Annual performance agreements each of the coaches have with their organisations? And how diligent are they in ensuring that the programs are active, successful and have a proven track record???

I think your synopsis IS indicative and answers my questions.

[admin]

• Insisting it gets TV coverage. (What the heck happened to the promised SBS live telecast of last Sunday's game It just fell off the map and was replaced by some meaningless 20 year old footage)

I think you need to have realistic expectations. Television coverage is not a right. It is a commercial activity and if the numbers dont stack up then it is just not going to happen - even on SBS. There is not a great deal the FFA can do if the numbers just dont stack up.

• Giving serious consideration to a National League

A positive long term goal. However the FFA has its hands full keeping the A-League afloat at the moment. Maybe in a few more years once the A-League is well established they can look for a Womens National League. It is unlikely it will be able to stand on its own two feet without heavy support from the FFA and the A-League. National Leagues are very expensive to run.

• Providing genuine attempts at gaining sponsorship for both the men and the women (even the Qantas Futsalroos are sponsored. What a joke!)

Valid point. They were known as the Qantas Matildas until recently. Maybe that means the FFA is now actively marketing the Matildas as a seperate sponsorship package.

• Providing accurate up to date information as to the Women’s game and players. Sloppiness is an insult

I will email the media person at the FFA and point out the website profiles are out of date.

[chelsea]

The Matildas played a game in China last night.
A side note on the FFA site says we won 3-1 (no prizes for finding this information but it is a bit hidden)

We can see that a video game is going to be released including Hyundai A League (highly newsworthy). Is the FFA going to tell us what happened in China with the Australian National Team,

[mattieg1200]

no offence chelsea... but i agree with some of ur terms and disagree with afew.. im a supporter of womens football and think that some games are better than mens..

BUT

it is not all about womens football.. you cant expecft these things to happen at the drop of the hat( except for the updates to the website)... people need to get attendance rates up at prems games and reserves games also..the games that ive been to and reffed .. there have been about 20-30 people at ressies and maybe 50 at prems.. this needs to be lifted.. if you want recognition from somewhere u have to show that what you are doing is popular and successful and you cant say that at the moment that womens football is successful.

[chelsea]

A bit of the old chicken and the egg.

It is 'the' growth sport in Australia. Grass roots is working hard.

For the National (male dominated) body it is business as usual (or less, as a matter of fact, since National League and sponsorship were there and are now gone)


Leadership and inspriation should come from above not below. That's what they are paid to do. The funds are male and female funds.

[chelsea]

It is there but hidden
http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/Ins ... m&id=18872


The Matildas have shocked World Cup hosts China for the second time in three days comfortably winning 3-1 overnight before 52,000 spectators at Tianjin’s Olympic Center Stadium.

Hey mattieg1200

people need to get attendance rates up at prems games and reserves games also..the games that ive been to and reffed .. there have been about 20-30 people at ressies and maybe 50 at prems.. this needs to be lifted.. if you want recognition from somewhere u have to show that what you are doing is popular and successful and you cant say that at the moment that womens football is successful

52,00 for a practice match. Who says it is not popular?

[mattieg1200]

It is there but hidden
http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/Ins ... m&id=18872


The Matildas have shocked World Cup hosts China for the second time in three days comfortably winning 3-1 overnight before 52,000 spectators at Tianjin’s Olympic Center Stadium.

Hey mattieg1200

people need to get attendance rates up at prems games and reserves games also..the games that ive been to and reffed .. there have been about 20-30 people at ressies and maybe 50 at prems.. this needs to be lifted.. if you want recognition from somewhere u have to show that what you are doing is popular and successful and you cant say that at the moment that womens football is successful

52,00 for a practice match. Who says it is not popular?

1. was talkin bout local football not at international level

2. and if you are talkin at international level, the game was in China, not Australia. Its supported over there, womens soccer, here in Australia its not..

if you want womens football to grow you have to first get the grass roots going..