WOMEN FOOTBALL CAN DO BETTER IF……..

 First published in the Sporting Times Newspaper.

Football is the most celebrated sport in the world. That is incontestable. The sport has become more open toward women in recent decades.

Ghana established their women national team in 1989. However women football has not enjoyed the same level of enthusiasm as men football in Ghana.

Though the women’s game does not enjoy the same popularity like the men’s competitions, women football in Ghana has not attracted enough support from the Football Association (FA). This is because there is virtually no organized women’s football in the high school or semi-professional club level.

It was recently reported that the GFA were yet to approve the budget for the second edition of the Women National Soccer League after the maiden edition failed due to some organizational challenges.

It is sad that women do not play regularly in competitions before they are called up for national assignment. They also do not play enough international friendly matches or embark on training tours as the men do before they enter into any major competition outside the country.

The Black Queens were the first to qualify to a World Cup tournament in 1999, which was hosted by the United States. Even though that was their first ever appearance, they managed to excite the world with their brand of entertaining football.

I believe that the Women football team could have done better if it had had enough financial backing from the FA. As compared to the men football which attracted hordes of sponsorship package in their first-ever World Cup appearance in 2006, nothing has come for our women folk.

The women always do well through their own efforts whenever they go for national or world competition without much attention from the FA. They do not get the motivations they need to perform well, while issues of late payment of winning bonuses and other monies are always a case of concern. The Under-20 team, the Black Princesses, recently managed to post a historic 2-1 victory over the Super Falcons of Nigeria to qualify for the 2011 Maputo All Africa Games qualifier. The Princesses’ preparation for this success had the FA rallying full support behind them.

According to the president of the GFA, Kwesi Nyantakyi, the football fever that has gripped the nation has to be sustained.

“The Black Stars enjoyed tremendous support which ensured that that Ghana kept the African flag high in South Africa.

“But we have another opportunity to show the world the development of Ghana Football, this time with the Black Princesses.

With the support the Black Princesses received from the FA which resulted in their qualification to the All Africa Games, one is of the view that when this is transferred to the other women teams they can also do better.