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WWC 2023: Kerr calls for more funding for women’s game in Aussie

Published

1 year ago

August 17, 2023

In the wake of Australia’s elimination from the Women’s World Cup, Matildas star Sam Kerr has called for more investment in Australian women’s football.

At the moment that the entire country connected with the Women’s World Cup and Australians rallied behind the Matildas, the team’s joyride at these finals came to an end with a 3-1 semi-final defeat to European champions England, but a sense of pride prevails and amid all the disappointment of not making a maiden World Cup final, Kerr demanded increased funding for the women’s game.

“I can only speak for the Matildas but, we need funding in our development, we need funding in our grassroots. We need funding everywhere,” said Kerr.

“You know, comparison to other sports isn’t really good enough. Hopefully, this tournament kind of changes that because that’s the legacy you leave, not what you do on the pitch. The legacy is what you do off the pitch. I think the way the country has got behind us and the television ratings, all of that, this isn’t a once-in-a-lifetime.”

In the 63rd minute, Kerr levelled the score in the first match of the tournament that she started. The striker’s fitness became the focal point of attention for weeks in Australia. As a talisman, her image fronted ads, buildings and other public places.

As her fitness gradually improved, she played an hour against France in the quarter-finals before delivering a sumptuous goal against the Lionesses that allowed Australians to dream of playing the tournament’s showpiece match against Spain. Ultimately, they were left to rue what could have been. In 2021, the Matildas reached the final of the Olympic Games, but lost against Canada.

Australia manager Tony Gustavsson said that his team and Australian football had “maximized” what they could do with the resources at their disposal. “It’s bigger than 90 minutes of football,” said Gustavsson. “We’re very disappointed that we lost, but hopefully we won something else. We won the heart and the passion for this team in this country.

“But I agree with the players. This is not the end of something, this needs to be the start of something. And with that comes money as well.”

England and Australia come from very different football backgrounds, but the success of the Matildas, Gustavsson and Kerr believe should prompt investment, be it from the government, corporate sponsors and broadcasters. Before the Women’s World Cup, Football Australia rolled out a legacy program that will entail $357 million to foster a better football environment across the board.

“We are right now maximizing the resources we have, whether it’s registered players or whether it’s the work we’re doing at clubs locally, whether it’s the grassroots football, whether it’s the return on investment. But let’s invest more and be genuine contenders for medals and tournaments moving forward as well. This is now the second semifinal, two tournaments in a row, the Olympic Games and this one. But right now we’re not happy about being in the semifinal. We’re disappointed not to be in the final.”

The legacy of the tournament will come into greater focus after the final whistle, but first, the Matildas will bow out of the finals in the third-place playoff against Sweden.

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Ambrose Ijeh

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Super Eagles Managerial Candidate Eric Chelle Signs Bumper Deal With Algerian League Side

Published

4 days ago

October 9, 2024

Ambrose Ijeh

Algeria Ligue 1 side, MC Oran, has appointed former Mali coach and Super Eagles coaching candidate Eric Chelle as their new head coach on a multi year contract.

The 46-year-old, a candidate for the Super Eagles coaching job, brings a wealth of experience after leading Mali at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire.

Chelle’s appointment at MC Oran marks the beginning of a new chapter in his career, and expectations are high as he takes charge of the club for the 2024/2025 season.

As the Super Eagles managerial position continues to linger, Chelle will now switch attentions to his new role.

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Ambrose Ijeh

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Mbappe Among Stars Missing From Nations League

Published

4 days ago

October 9, 2024

Ambrose Ijeh

In a congested soccer season where elite players have aired the idea of going on strike, the Nations League returns this week looking less than a top priority.

France captain Kylian Mbappé opted to stay away, his probable deputy Antoine Griezmann retired from the national team, and Romelu Lukaku asked to work on his fitness at new club Napoli rather than join the Belgium camp.

Belgium coach Domenico Tedesco called up four potential debutants to experiment in games in what is the third-tier competition for European teams.

“We will not do it during the important World Cup qualification,” said Tedesco, looking ahead to that important next stage in 2025.

The 2026 World Cup in North America is, however, already now in play for teams targeting that tournament and each has two Nations League games from Thursday through Tuesday.

Results in the next week, and two more games in November, are the last chance to gain a better seeding in the Dec. 13 draw in Zurich for European qualifying groups for the World Cup.

Two teams pushing to raise their FIFA ranking and go into the draw pot of second-seeded teams are Norway and Slovenia.

Europe’s most feared striker and one of its emerging stars are due to meet again on Thursday in Oslo.

Erling Haaland and Benjamin Šeško, once club mates at Salzburg, are the main attractions when Norway hosts Slovenia in their second-tier League B group.

Haaland has 11 goals in 10 games for Manchester City this season plus a winning goal in the Nations League, sealing a 2-1 victory over Austria last month.

Šeško has six in nine games for Leipzig — including three in the Champions League — plus four in two Nations League games. The tall striker got a hat trick in a 3-0 win over Kazakhstan.

Thursday’s game will not be decisive in the group but it will decide who leads at the midway point and is set for promotion to the top tier. The return game in Ljubljana is Nov. 14.

The last time France played a game with neither Mbappé nor Griezmann on the field? November 2016, in a 0-0 draw with Ivory Coast in a friendly.

It will happen again Thursday when France faces Israel in Budapest. The Hungarian capital is the neutral venue chosen since Israel’s conflict with Hamas started one year ago.

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Ambrose Ijeh

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Steinhaus-Webb Head Women’s Refereeing at FIFA

Published

4 days ago

October 9, 2024

Ambrose Ijeh

FIFA has appointed Bibiana Steinhaus-Webb as its new head of women’s refereeing.

Steinhaus-Webb, a German native, takes up the job after holding the same role in the English game.

A former FIFA referee, she enjoyed an influential career that saw her become the first woman to take charge of a final at the Women’s World Cup and the women’s Olympic football tournament, as well as matches in the men’s Bundesliga. Altogether she officiated in nine FIFA competitions between 2008 and 2021.

In her new role, Steinhaus-Webb, who is married to English men’s referee boss Howard Webb, will oversee and drive further development of women’s refereeing at all levels, including across FIFA women’s competitions, in cooperation with FIFA’s member associations and the confederations.

“I’m thrilled to join FIFA and look forward to making a contribution to the steady growth of women’s refereeing,” Steinhaus-Webb said in a statement.

“FIFA has shown a consistent commitment to taking refereeing to the next level as an integral part of the game, and it’s an honour for me to apply my experience and to support female referees across the world.”

FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafström commented: “FIFA remains committed to promoting the growth of the women’s game, and maximizing on the huge developmental opportunity it holds. Refereeing is of course a key part of that opportunity and bringing figures of the stature and experience of Bibiana Steinhaus-Webb will contribute significantly to this objective. I very much look forward to working with her in the years ahead.”

Pierluigi Collina, chairman of the FIFA referees committee, added: “Bibiana’s outstanding experience as a trailblazer of the game, coupled with her thorough understanding of the current challenges facing female referees, will help us massively to develop the next generation of elite female match officials.”