Topic: Re: Liverpool Women FC (away vs Bristol - 20/04 - 12:30 ko) (*)

[kellan]

I can understand all the reservations about the women's game and all that but what I still can't get my head around is when plans were drawn up to incorporate evrey LFC age group and the Men's team in one big training complex the women's team weren't even considered as an after thought.

This is purely speculation on my part, based entirely on the timeline and little else.

When the plans were drawn up, I believe we will have been playing at Widnes. Due to playing at Widnes, a decision was made that we would also train there for the sake of being able to practice on the artificial pitch we played our games on (and because the academy couldn't accommodate the women's team during the day and evening training wasn't liked). If it remained the preference to train at Widnes for the pitch during the design phase, then I imagine it was quite easy to leave them there - as the only way to give them reason to begin training on grass at the new facility instead, would have been to switch the home ground too.

The home ground has of course now changed - there is now no need to train on the Widnes pitch, there is now more room at the academy (if they made it). But I couldn't tell you if the club thought to amend the design of the new facility, or if it was feasible at this later stage to amend it.

[Welshred]

So far there isn't an answer that has worked. ( not just in England but even in the USA)

It would help if the FA didn't keep changing it's mind all the time on the direction it wants it to go in or how to get young girls playing football and develop them too

[CraigDS]

The home ground has of course now changed - there is now no need to train on the Widnes pitch, there is now more room at the academy (if they made it). But I couldn't tell you if the club thought to amend the design of the new facility, or if it was feasible at this later stage to amend it.

I mean what would be needed - female changing facilities? Surely wouldn't be too hard to add them in, if they aren't there already, at a later date.

I assume the pitch space is there to be able to have all the academy sides and first team there?

[RK7]

I mean what would be needed - female changing facilities? Surely wouldn't be too hard to add them in, if they aren't there already, at a later date.

I assume the pitch space is there to be able to have all the academy sides and first team there?

I imagine it's pitches mainly but womens teams essentially need everything the mens team need too. Gym, pool, offices, canteens so on.

[CraigDS]

I imagine it's pitches mainly but womens teams essentially need everything the mens team need too. Gym, pool, offices, canteens so on.

I'm fairly sure they are allowed to share those with the men these days though? 

Was more meaning what would they specifically need for themselves which aren't (maybe) currently in the plans.

[RK7]

I'm fairly sure they are allowed to share those with the men these days though? 

Was more meaning what would they specifically need for themselves which aren't (maybe) currently in the plans.

I should have been clearer, there wouldn't be room to share those facilities.

[Welshred]

I should have been clearer, there wouldn't be room to share those facilities.

Why wouldn't there?

[CraigDS]

I should have been clearer, there wouldn't be room to share those facilities.

I imagine it would need to be scheduled, but then given we've 2 of most stuff given we have both the current academy building and the new huge first team building you'd imagine there is some room there.

[RK7]

Why wouldn't there?

Due to the number of teams and players.

[Welshred]

Due to the number of teams and players.

As far as I'm aware the new facility being built is for the first team only, the academy will still be using their facilities. There'd be plenty of room.

[RK7]

I imagine it would need to be scheduled, but then given we've 2 of most stuff given we have both the current academy building and the new huge first team building you'd imagine there is some room there.

The scheduling is likely the biggest problem, the Mens team would always come first followed by the acedemy players then the womens, that's before you include the girls academy players.

[Samie]

You a architect, HR nut? 

[CraigDS]

The scheduling is likely the biggest problem, the Mens team would always come first followed by the acedemy players then the womens, that's before you include the girls academy players.

We've two big buildings on the site though between the current academy building and the huge new first team building. I'd be amazed if you couldn't fit the women's team in too.

[kellan]

Last time I looked at the building plans for the new building on the site, it only had rooms designated to the men's first team and the U23s. If the women's team were to move in to the new building also, it looks to my untrained eye that a fairly substantial redesign would be required just to give them their own boot room nevermind anything else. It looks exactly like you would expect a building to look if you told the designer the purpose was to house two teams only. There's probably not even a cupboard going spare for anything which wasn't in the brief.

I don't know what is planned for the existing building. I presume it's had a facelift to some extent. Would it also be fair to presume that, whatever space the U23s occupied in that existing building, is now freed up by them having relocated to the new one? And even if the U18s move into that space, would them doing so then leave empty what the U18s used? I have no idea what the set up was at the old building.

The women's team probably can be accommodated on the site. But it would probably need further adjustments on top of this ongoing major adjustment. And it probably wouldn't turn out being as optimal as it could have if everything were done at once so things could be taken into account together.

[Mighty_Red]

I know Melwood has already been sold off, but I bet it would be able to house the entire women's 1st team and academy.

I'm guessing the site would be too expensive to maintain but it would've been a good solution. It will be sad to see such a fantastic facility torn down (and that's putting aside the history of the place).

I have a feeling the women's game is going to be one of those sports like cricket where the domestic game is fairly insignificant compared to the international game (ignoring things like IPL, BBL).

Even with the backing of the big clubs and a ready-made fanbase, only fractions have held any interest in attending matches apart from the odd game at the men's stadium where the tickets have been pennies if not free.

[kellan]

https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/women/398768-leighanne-robe-signs-new-contract-with-liverpool-fc-women

That makes it four announcements of departing players being followed by four announcements of new contracts. Maybe that's it for departures?

[Paul-LFC]

https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/women/398768-leighanne-robe-signs-new-contract-with-liverpool-fc-women

That makes it four announcements of departing players being followed by four announcements of new contracts. Maybe that's it for departures?

Sadly not

https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/women/399067-niamh-charles-departs-liverpool-fc-women

Even losing one of our academy produced, Liverpool supporting players. I think that tells us all we need to know about the situation with the women's team, as I'm sure if the team was even remotely competitive then a homegrown Liverpool supporter wouldn't be wanting to leave for new challenges.

If that's not a kick up the arse for the ownership in addition to relegation, then I don't know what will be.

[gazzalfc]

She is the type of player you start to build a squad around.

Big blow

[kellan]

https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/women/399070-kirsty-linnett-signs-new-contract-with-liverpool-fc-women

Another one staying. Two announcements today, guess we're trying to bury the Charles news.

[24/7]

Damning indictment of Jepson this. We really are shite (that's "shit" with a feminine agreement ending, for those whoe didnte knowe )

[Welshred]

Name Charles went to Chelsea so we probably wouldn't have kept her whether we stayed up or not.

[afc tukrish]

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/24/sports/soccer/liverpool-women-soccer.html

Rory Smith in the NYT...

[kellan]

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/24/sports/soccer/liverpool-women-soccer.html

Rory Smith in the NYT...

Quite happy to finally see an article acknowledge the role of FSG's blueprint in all of this. I've long thought the issues with the women's team stem from them running it with the same approach as is used to run the men's team - which is fine in principle, but it completely fails to recognise the differences between both sides of the game and how that means the blueprint simply does not transfer at this point.

[afc tukrish]

Quite happy to finally see an article acknowledge the role of FSG's blueprint in all of this. I've long thought the issues with the women's team stem from them running it with the same approach as is used to run the men's team - which is fine in principle, but it completely fails to recognise the differences between both sides of the game and how that means the blueprint simply does not transfer at this point.

Think the article does a good job at presenting a balanced criticism...

[kellan]

Think the article does a good job at presenting a balanced criticism...

It does a much better job of balance than many articles I've read. Some haven't even bothered to try to tell a rounded story, or even an accurate one - they have just gone for the clickbaity drama angle. Even though the rounded story makes for a much more compelling read and allows for better discussion on the back of it. I really don't mind negative articles, but it is incredibly frustrating how so many end up failing to ask the right questions because they haven't concentrated on telling the right story - and that gives the club an easier out.

[Dull Tools]

Listened to a lot of podcasts about Liverpool over the last week or so and one of them was talking about the negatives at LFC at the moment (think it was the Guardian one).

The obvious issue they brought up was the Women's team.

I haven't ever followed the Women's team before as I have also felt I watch too much football anyway and need to cut back if anything, not add more to my life.

However, it is very jarring at the moment that the men's team is doing so well but then the women's team is getting relegated. Looking at some of the teams in the second division, it is embarrassing that a team of our size is playing in that league.

The talk on the podcast was how do we make this a wake up call for the club as a whole and how do we use the fanbase to force through change.

They mentioned on the podcast that we have been so successful in changing the owner's minds with the ticket price rises and the furlough issue. I think if the fans and SOS got behind the issue we could really get some change. The amount of money required to change it is a drop of the ocean in terms of our overall budget for the club.

I think it is shocking that we can't incorporate them at Kirby.

Also with all the Liverpool fans in the city who can't get to games regularly and the amount of women interested in football in the City, it would be great if we could be the best supported club in the country. There is no reason for us not to be apart from the fact we can't even find a ground in the city.

What can be done, other than just going to the games, to get a campaign going on this issue?

[kellan]

Listened to a lot of podcasts about Liverpool over the last week or so and one of them was talking about the negatives at LFC at the moment (think it was the Guardian one).

The obvious issue they brought up was the Women's team.

I haven't ever followed the Women's team before as I have also felt I watch too much football anyway and need to cut back if anything, not add more to my life.

However, it is very jarring at the moment that the men's team is doing so well but then the women's team is getting relegated. Looking at some of the teams in the second division, it is embarrassing that a team of our size is playing in that league.

The talk on the podcast was how do we make this a wake up call for the club as a whole and how do we use the fanbase to force through change.

They mentioned on the podcast that we have been so successful in changing the owner's minds with the ticket price rises and the furlough issue. I think if the fans and SOS got behind the issue we could really get some change. The amount of money required to change it is a drop of the ocean in terms of our overall budget for the club.

I think it is shocking that we can't incorporate them at Kirby.

Also with all the Liverpool fans in the city who can't get to games regularly and the amount of women interested in football in the City, it would be great if we could be the best supported club in the country. There is no reason for us not to be apart from the fact we can't even find a ground in the city.

What can be done, other than just going to the games, to get a campaign going on this issue?

I know the likes of SOS will already have their own lines of communication with the club which they could just go right ahead and use as they would for any other matter they wished to see addressed - but it's vital that any action taken over the women's team involves the fans of the women's team who have been around for years, and seen their own attempts to make the club change tack repeatedly fall on deaf ears.

The likes of SOS need to use their platform to amplify the voices of those fans and get their aims over the line - rather than have an entirely new effort start, led by someone else; who to some extent, is only doing it because they feel they should as opposed to acting out of a deep-rooted, personal passion for the cause.

Those fans will better understand the landscape of the sport. Will also know our backstory far better than anyone else and will be able to provide all kinds of insight, a lot of which the club probably doesn't even realise they have been privy to, such is the grapevine nature of the women's game. And they are known to the club too (or the women's side of it, at least), so it would be a double-pronged attack if they are involved. More than anything else, after seven years of being fobbed off, they will spot further bullshit a mile off.

It's a shame covid derailed as much as it did, because had that not been the case - once the men's team had wrapped up the league, there would have been little to no reason not to acknowledge the plight of the women's team during at least one remaining Anfield match. They could have been spared five minutes and a banner, just to kick things off.

[Dull Tools]

I know the likes of SOS will already have their own lines of communication with the club which they could just go right ahead and use as they would for any other matter they wished to see addressed - but it's vital that any action taken over the women's team involves the fans of the women's team who have been around for years, and seen their own attempts to make the club change tack repeatedly fall on deaf ears.

The likes of SOS need to use their platform to amplify the voices of those fans and get their aims over the line - rather than have an entirely new effort start, led by someone else; who to some extent, is only doing it because they feel they should as opposed to acting out of a deep-rooted, personal passion for the cause.

Those fans will better understand the landscape of the sport. Will also know our backstory far better than anyone else and will be able to provide all kinds of insight, a lot of which the club probably doesn't even realise they have been privy to, such is the grapevine nature of the women's game. And they are known to the club too (or the women's side of it, at least), so it would be a double-pronged attack if they are involved. More than anything else, after seven years of being fobbed off, they will spot further bullshit a mile off.

It's a shame covid derailed as much as it did, because had that not been the case - once the men's team had wrapped up the league, there would have been little to no reason not to acknowledge the plight of the women's team during at least one remaining Anfield match. They could have been spared five minutes and a banner, just to kick things off.

I completely agree with that. It's just how to get the ball rolling.

It is a shame about the timing as the owners have an easy out with the financial situation at the moment. However, any spend on a women's team is insignificant to our budget really.

I am sure there are people who have been working hard on this issue for years but I felt it was worth a bump so it doesn't get lost in all the title winning stuff.

I know TAW always do a good job on promoting the women's team but, as you say, SOS and the broader fan base really need to get behind them now. Banners and chants at a game when we come back would be great but we all know that an online campaign works just as well.

[kellan]

I completely agree with that. It's just how to get the ball rolling.

It is a shame about the timing as the owners have an easy out with the financial situation at the moment. However, any spend on a women's team is insignificant to our budget really.

I am sure there are people who have been working hard on this issue for years but I felt it was worth a bump so it doesn't get lost in all the title winning stuff.

I know TAW always do a good job on promoting the women's team but, as you say, SOS and the broader fan base really need to get behind them now. Banners and chants at a game when we come back would be great but we all know that an online campaign works just as well.

It's hard to know which approach would work best because it's not as if the club hasn't previously engaged on the subject of the women's team. They did once establish a fan forum specifically for the purpose of allowing select fans to meet with those running the women's team. So at one point the club at least recognised the need to hear and to alleviate concerns. Or at least recognised the need to appear as though they wanted to. I can't say it ever led to anything, however. Those at the fan forum will have been considered by the women's side of the club to have every bit the same relative clout as the likes of SOS, but to the club on the whole they had no clout whatsoever. And it is clearly the club on the whole which needs the rocket putting up it.

The relegation is also a shame in the sense that it will now make it very difficult to gauge whether the past year had any affect on the club at all; whether the early negativity had actually sparked a bit of enthusiasm and there had in fact been a plan drawn up to improve from next season onward. It's important to know if the club had decided to step up their game already - because if the answer is yes, that's going to affect whether they engage or how they handle any engagement if they do. To go in to any meeting demanding improvement - when the club had already decided they needed to improve; and it just happens to be that an early termination on the season has now relegated us before they had chance to implement whatever they were planning to - is going to make for a very short and not likely not particularly productive meeting. If the club hadn't learnt anything during the past year, and hadn't decided even potential relegation was cause to pull their finger out, then it would say so much about what any attempt to make the club change its attitudes is actually up against.

[24/7]

Meanwhile in Madrid..........

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/53246806

Real Madrid: Spanish giants' launch of women's team 'a huge positive'.

[kellan]

https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/women/400474-jemma-purfield-departs-lfc-women

https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/women/400473-amy-rodgers-extends-her-contract-with-liverpool-fc-women

Back in training from Monday (season expected to start first weekend of September)

[kellan]

Swiss Ramble have done a deep dive on the finances of the WSL and the clubs within it. I won't post it direct because it's many tweets and many graphs. It's still a pretty enlightening read despite not all clubs disclosing full financial details in their account https://twitter.com/SwissRamble/status/1280030371464314880

[kellan]

Liverpool FC Women have completed the signing of goalkeeper Rachael Laws.



The 29-year-old joins the Reds after two years in the Women’s Super League with Reading.

It’s a case of welcome back to Laws, who was a title winner with LFC Women in 2013 when on loan from her first club Sunderland.

Laws played nine games as the Reds secured their first Women’s Super League and the North East-born stopper said she was delighted to be returning to the club.

“It’s a little bit surreal at the minute,” she told Liverpoolfc.com. “Liverpool is where my WSL journey started.

“I’m excited to be back, excited to start my new journey with Liverpool and looking forward to getting back and hopefully getting the club back to where they belong in the WSL.”

Laws has fond memories of her first stint at the club but is looking forward to making some new history.

She continued: “Hopefully I can make new memories now and hold them with me throughout my career. Back then was a really special time to play for Liverpool Football Club, it was a big thing.

“I needed a new challenge and I spoke to Vicky and Jen, the goalkeeping coach, and everything they said was what I wanted to hear and hopefully I can make an impact like I did seven years ago.”

Reds manager Vicky Jepson was an up-and-coming Foundation coach when Laws was last at the club and the goalkeeper is looking forward to renewing their acquaintance.

Laws said: “It’s great that she’s been at the club for many years, she understands what the badge represents and hopefully she can put together a team this season which really complements her and can thrive on the pitch.”

An immediate return to the WSL from the Championship will undoubtedly be at the top of the wish list for LFC Women and Laws is fully aware of the task ahead.

“It gives us something to aim for, something to chase,” she said. “It’s not going to be an easy season, it’s a difficult league to get out of.

“But I think we’ve got a good group who will work hard through the good and the bad, and it’s about picking points up along the way and sticking together.”

Reds boss Jepson expressed her delight at her first signing of the summer window.

Jepson commented: “This signing is great news, Rachael is an experienced WSL goalkeeper, who actually had her WSL debut with our club back in 2013, so it’s great to welcome Lawsy back.

“She’s got the characteristics we expect from a goalkeeper, to demand and drive our outfield players to retain and build attacks and hopefully keep many clean sheets in the future.

“I’m sure many LFC fans will be delighted to welcome her back and I’ll look forward to watching her contribution to our team over pre-season.”

Laws enjoyed her first training session with her new teammates on Monday as the squad returned to training following the break.

Goalkeeping coach Jen Herst said: “We had a great first session with Lawsy. Her positive attitude, work-rate and experience shone through. I’m really looking forward to working with her over the coming season.” https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/women/401099-liverpool-fc-women-complete-rachael-laws-signing

[stevo7]

Sophie Bradley-Auckland: Why my Liverpool career is on hold

 Sophie Bradley-Auckland has confirmed that she will not be returning to duty with Liverpool FC Women for now, while sharing an insight into her life away from the pitch as a key worker during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Reds captain works in her family-run care home in Nottingham, with the last few months proving particularly challenging.

In an exclusive chat with Liverpoolfc.com, Bradley-Auckland discussed what being a frontline worker has entailed and explained why she has had to put her football career on hold.

"Unfortunately with the current situation it’s made me have to make a decision, one that’s been awful and I’ve actually lost sleep about it. The fact is that I can’t return to Liverpool until a risk isn’t posed on the care home," she explained.

Read on for the full interview...

https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/women/401469-sophie-bradley-auckland-why-my-liverpool-career-is-on-hold

[gazzalfc]

The cynic in me is judging the club playing off one of their players being brave front line worker rather than her being a fully paid professional footballer.

[kellan]

Many of the older players in the league straddle the semi-pro and pro eras and chose not to give up the non-football careers they had during the former when the game entered the latter. Even when she was earning an additional £16k a year through her England contract, she still worked in the care home.

[CraigDS]

Many of the older players in the league straddle the semi-pro and pro eras and chose not to give up the non-football careers they had during the former when the game entered the latter. Even when she was earning an additional £16k a year through her England contract, she still worked in the care home.

Plus it's not like it's just a normal job, it's her family business so she may feel it's something she needs to do for family commitments as much as anything else.

[Kopout]

Seems every other club busy signing players except lfc. we can't attract anyone decent with jepson in charge. i know its 2nd division but still you should expect half decent players wanting to play for lfc women

[24/7]

Seems every other club busy signing players except lfc. we can't attract anyone decent with jepson in charge. i know its 2nd division but still you should expect half decent players wanting to play for lfc women

Okay - I'll bite - and at the same time call you out - whom would you have us manage the team and whom on the team do you consider to be already "half decent", if anyone? Please come up with suggested solutions, otherwise it's just bitching and moaning and the same rules apply in THIS thread as in ANY OTHER thread when it comes to respecting the players and the manager. That's partly what (*) in threads indicates. Thank you for taking this into consideration in future posts.

[Kopout]

Ok we have lost half the first teamers in last few weeks and our captain not coming back. we don't have any goal scorer.

you see training pics with just 5/6 players. what this manager working on?