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Episode 87: transfer news, Steven Bartlett talking about ACL injuries, Saudi Arabia's success
7 Plays14 hours ago
Alka and Catherine run through the transfer rumour mill (or lack thereof!), discuss Steven Bartlett talking about the women's game, and discuss the findings from the World Football Summit's report on Saudi Arabian successes in professionalising women's football.
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Transcript
Anticipation for the WSL Season
00:00:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome to Beyond the Pitch, a daily women's football podcast brought to you by the Global Sports Podcast Network. I'm Catherine and today I'm joined by Alka. Welcome.
00:00:18
Alka
Hello, how are you?
00:00:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm not too bad. How are you?
00:00:22
Alka
I'm good, thanks, yeah. Looking like an interesting, a little interesting discussion today today, I'm excited.
00:00:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I'm really missing women's football. I will say that.
00:00:31
Alka
Definitely, I feel like the Christmas has gone way, on way too long.
00:00:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
I know. I watched PSG play Fleury last night, and which was fun, but I really want the WSL back.
00:00:44
Alka
ah it's coming so slowly evidently but um no i think it's gonna be really exciting to the season it's like i don't want to say it's predictable because we've had predictable seasons obviously not the last one but for the last however many seasons but then again it's still so exciting
00:00:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
i know
00:01:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, definitely.
Training Camps: Warm vs Snowy Conditions
00:01:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's quite interesting. I look at all the social media from all the different clubs and they're all, well, many of them are on warm weather training camps. Manchester United are still in the snow at Carrington, of course.
00:01:18
Alka
But they always find a way to just have the fun. Usually though, they are they are a little they are a Dubai team, they are.
00:01:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
and
00:01:25
Alka
But I think that's more of a summer, which I don't really get. But I actually understand why, because isn't it Christmas? Wait, I might actually just be making something up. No, I am making something up.
00:01:36
Alka
Why would they go Dubai in summer? Because it's just so hot. Whereas I think as a team that gets sponsored to go out there, I'd go to Christmas.
00:01:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
Ella Toon's Manchester United Journey
00:01:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, especially like people, players like Ella Toon hate the heat.
00:01:50
Alka
She's great. She does send her back to Australia, mate.
00:01:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah Yeah.
00:01:54
Alka
I love her. Get her in the wildlife, get her in the zoos.
00:01:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh my God, I cannot imagine Ella Toon in, have have you, I'm a celebrity, have you seen, there's a billion, sorry, this is just going off on a tangent now. But have you seen, there's a bullying content creator on TikTok.
00:02:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
um I need to get her name, but she's done like um impersonations of different WSL players in the jungle, like what they would be like in the jungle.
00:02:20
Alka
oh
00:02:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
And ah Leah Williamson's just there with a guitar, like singing a song.
00:02:27
Alka
Is that Emma perhaps?
00:02:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes.
00:02:30
Alka
Emma Oldfield, yeah I love her.
00:02:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, amazing.
00:02:32
Alka
of
00:02:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
I love that so much. And she even got, obviously, Jonah Seidoval was still there then.
00:02:38
Alka
Oh my god, she, yeah, absolutely class.
00:02:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
She got him in the jungle.
00:02:40
Alka
And then I love the ones she does as well. This is just an Emma fan page, I'll tell you for a fact. The ones where she's at the matches, and then she records the players, and then she puts a little voice over that.
00:02:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes.
00:02:50
Alka
She's absolutely the most randomest thing ever, but they are the best ones.
00:02:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I love those.
00:02:54
Alka
ah
00:02:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Anyway, should we talk?
00:02:57
Alka
Anyways, Ella too is definitely not gonna get into that jungle. she'll She'll say no, thank you.
00:03:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
No.
00:03:01
Alka
But going back to these chapters,
00:03:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
and Yes, I don't think Elatun's going anywhere.
00:03:08
Alka
I don't think she is, I saw a video and she's like, oh, seven years um is enough to know whether you your friendship's make or break. She's obviously having a joke with Millie Turner, because she's been at United for what, seven years now, and that is incredible, I feel like.
00:03:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:03:22
Alka
What I said last season, like this time last year, is exactly what I'm going to stick with. Manchester United have literally tied a rope around Ella Thun and Mayor Leticia, especially by giving them this captaincy and bias captaincy.
00:03:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay.
00:03:37
Alka
And I don't know if it's a little bit of a manipulative way because it's like, right, well, I'm finally getting somewhere further with this club, ah you know, I've now played these matches obviously they get inconsistent time i've now given this sort of authority if i leave i've lost it i'm not gonna get there anywhere else and so now they're kind of a bit scared to move whereas i would love to see him elsewhere as in obviously they're doing great at united i feel like that's where they their home team all of that sometimes you just gotta make that move
00:03:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:04:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
As a United fan, I really hope they don't leave.
00:04:09
Alka
yeah
00:04:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
yes um And as well, also for England, I really love, love that there are like many lionesses in teams playing together regularly because I think that'll help England.
00:04:22
Alka
Yes.
00:04:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
um So yeah, I really hope they don't move. Manchester United, just whilst we're talking about them, have loaned out Jess Simpson and Emma Watson.
Jonas Eidevall's Influence and Transfers at Arsenal
00:04:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I think Emma Watson's gone to Everton, or is that Jess Simpson?
00:04:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah One of them's gone to Everton, which I think, yes, which is great because Everton have such a good track record with young players.
00:04:40
Alka
I think I said more.
00:04:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Um, that's really good. Uh, Jonah side about talking about Arsenal and, uh, he's not in the jungle, but he is in the US, which.
00:04:56
Alka
He's gone.
00:04:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:04:59
Alka
Okay, I think I'm still in my my sour patch with Jonas.
00:05:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:05:05
Alka
I rated him so highly for everything he'd done for us, like he'd literally built them, like I'm not um giving the man this flowers.
00:05:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:05:13
Alka
However, how much power that one man can have to just disrupt everything he has made. He literally just hit a bomb and it just went off.
00:05:25
Alka
And we all know the past of San Diego Wave. We've obviously seen their managers come in and out and either thought this is, you know, Jonas' new project and he's going to smash it and then send you San Diego Wave are going to, you know, be the unbeaten team that they used to be, or they'll just crumble. And I just, I actually, sitting on the fence, I don't know which way this one's going to go.
00:05:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
some of his comments have been quite interesting that he's been talking about. He said that um he gave his reasoning for Viv, Miedema, going to Man City, and then said that he was quite surprised, actually, at the volume of the response from Vance.
00:06:05
Alka
What? You mean their number one star player leaving?
00:06:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
I know. I you know. I mean, his reasoning kind of made sense. He said they had the opportunity to sign Mariana Caldente. They couldn't afford to keep both Viv and Mariana. And so he felt like he had to make the decision for the good of the team, which I kind of get the reasoning, but then to say that he was surprised at the volume of the response.
00:06:32
Alka
I mean there's definitely other ways you could have gone around that. I mean you know, loan out three players who just like to summon a bench. You know what, we obviously they don't get to use summon a bench, but three players that could have been given a better opportunity to go play for a different club that are maybe, you know, not top five.
00:06:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
and
00:06:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
here
00:06:48
Alka
that money would then accumulate with the money you've already got on the bank for Mariana. However, obviously I don't, I think he's just trying to find a little, a little way to smooth it out, give him an excuse, not really the real excuse, but he's trying to leave England on good soil and then he, so he can always come back.
00:07:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean there's also like he's also been talking about the fact that he didn't have a director of football so it was all on him and I think
00:07:11
Alka
Hmm, I can see that, I can see it, but at the same time,
00:07:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:07:16
Alka
You're also making the decision at the same time. You work together, you don't work individually.
Arsenal's Financial Challenges
00:07:21
Alka
um And ultimately, I feel like even with the director of football, it would have heavily come down to your decision as well, obviously.
00:07:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:07:29
Alka
um Speaking of Arsenal, the move that was, you know, wisped in all the channels, but this most certainly not going to happen.
00:07:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Here,
00:07:36
Alka
And I'm so glad.
00:07:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
well.
00:07:38
Alka
Yep, my carer was. Ugh. Imagine, but if they didn't have the ar- if they didn't have the money, I was gonna say if they didn't have the arsenal. If they didn't have the money to sign Mariana with Viv, they're not gonna have the money to sign carer with Mariana, are they?
00:07:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, unless the only thing that I was thinking was that Kira might follow a kind of Lucy Bronze ideal, which is Lucy Bronze spoke about how she wanted to come back to England because she feels like the longevity for her career will be better because they have better facilities and better like set up to take care of players long term over here.
00:08:07
Alka
ah understandable.
00:08:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's the only thing I'm thinking is maybe she'd want that. But she's she's not as old.
00:08:16
Alka
Yeah.
00:08:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, sorry, Lucy. She's not as old as you see.
00:08:21
Alka
very she I get what you mean. she I think her longevity is a bit better than race's at this point in time.
00:08:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
yes Yeah.
00:08:28
Alka
um but the transfers the transfer window has been awfully quiet. We've not had as many rumors as like literally last season, summer last season to January last season.
00:08:41
Alka
Those were like the boom and sales. And I feel like everyone's kind of comfortable in their teams. They're seeing where they are. They're making progress within what they have.
00:08:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hm.
00:08:51
Alka
um I can't quite remember who, but Chelsea have called back one of their players from Paris FC.
00:08:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes.
00:09:00
Alka
um And so I'm quite excited to see how she fits into Sonia's idea, because obviously if you get them recalled and it's not injury, you're going to be wanted, aren't you?
00:09:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. And Chelsea Stodd is stacked as it is.
00:09:10
Alka
i
00:09:13
Alka
Oh my God, and Sam Kerr comes back. And um like, there's two, Lauren James will come back.
00:09:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Where? Warren James coming back.
00:09:20
Alka
Oh my God, her name's just being out of my head. Khadija Buchanan's coming back. Who?
00:09:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:09:25
Alka
Yeah. um But yeah, so we're we're in for a treat for this 2024
Beth Mead's Future with Arsenal
00:09:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, absolutely. I mean, the other thing that I'm thinking about is Chloe Kelly. I mean, for England, she needs to go somewhere where she's going to get minutes. I mean, even Serena's even said that it is a concern already that she's not getting many minutes.
00:09:33
Alka
-25 season.
00:09:49
Alka
Ah, yeah.
00:09:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I'm trying to think of where she could go.
00:09:53
Alka
Tender to brighten.
00:09:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Fryden would be good for her, to be fair, with she could link up with Nikita Parris and Frank Herbie. ah The other one I wanted to ah put out there is Beth Meade.
00:10:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
I worry if sometimes, you know, players reach a point with a club where you can see they've kind of plateaued.
00:10:13
Alka
Yeah.
00:10:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
and I worry about that with Beth Meade. I think she's kind of reached a point where with Arsenal, the way the team set up, yeah, I don't see her growing much lately.
00:10:25
Alka
Yes. The way I want to, I feel like ah with Beth made it, if Viv moved abroad, Beth would have moved abroad.
00:10:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm. Yeah.
00:10:38
Alka
And I feel like abroad is what Beth needs right now. um But because Viv's still in the UK and obviously they're partners and they've got their dog, she's gonna feel the yeah she'll feel the obligation to...
00:10:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
my
00:10:53
Alka
stay in the WSL which is something I don't I want to Beth Meaden you know maybe even the NWSL I feel like that's it calling in her name a bit more than stay in here however then again you can always argue lionesses NWSL there's never that much of a coronation so it's such a tricky topic subject and topic but it would definitely be exciting to see what happens yes you'd have to stay
00:11:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, and also she is also doing the UA for coaching, ah a and I believe she's doing that in England with the FA, so maybe she'd need to stay. ah Beth, we'd love to see you at Manchester United. That's my plea.
00:11:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
um
00:11:28
Alka
Coaching or playing?
00:11:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Both.
00:11:31
Alka
I mean both.
00:11:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Both. Both. um
00:11:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
The Global Sports Podcast Network is changing the face of football podcasts with dedicated daily content for every Premier League team, women's football, fantasy football and a daily Premier League wrap-up broadcast in five different languages. This is your one-stop shop for your daily football fix.
Global Sports Podcast Network Promotion
00:11:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Find GSPM wherever you find your usual podcasts.
00:11:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay. So for our second topic, um, Stephen Bartlett's podcast the diary of a CEO, I haven't listened to it, but I've heard a lot about it. And I've heard that he's been talking about women's football.
00:12:07
Alka
Yes. Right, let's just not even cover in the topic that he's talking about but just cover in the fact that it's Stephen Bartlett, it's diary of his CEO. So many people listen to him because he covers so many topics, he speaks to so many different people that This is the light that more people need to start giving attention of not even just women's football. Obviously he's spoken about ACL injuries, that's major, that is something that people need to open their eyes to. It is fantastic. like If you had more people going, right, like this is actually an interesting topic, let me educate people about it.
00:12:43
Alka
it would I genuinely feel like there would be
Spotlight on Women's Football and ACL Injuries
00:12:46
Alka
progress. um So obviously he discusses the points being like, um so obviously he acknowledges the rise in popularity of women's football which is evident.
00:12:57
Alka
um And then he obviously moves into the fact that ACL injury states that they're 300%, like, 300 times more likely to sustain an ACL injury than a player in the men's game. And that is so true. Like, obviously we see it ourselves as, like, females in female football because we're so, like, that is our warning sign. But I remember growing up when female football weren't, like, big at all.
00:13:24
Alka
And then like, I had no clue what that injury was. I had no clue. I was like, I had no, because obviously if it's a long-term injury, you're going to hear about it. When star players have these long-term injuries or a player in a team, it will be news because it's like, oh no, a player's out for, you know, a year. That's major. I had no, no injury that I'd ever come across watching the men's game sustained more than maybe six months at a max.
00:13:52
Alka
And then all of a sudden I'm into female football and it's like, this is the risk. And then not only am I hearing it in female football, now I'm more aware of it in men's football, but they're now making it more apparent in men's football, like it's an issue for men's football.
00:14:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm hmm.
00:14:08
Alka
Well, the men's players, I'm saying men's football, men and female players.
00:14:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, yeah.
00:14:12
Alka
And it's like, well, obviously it's an issue for both sides. That's undoubtable. It's like an awful injury. But why are you still then giving a like, like to it in only one sense and not the other? And that's exactly what I think is podcast is ah helping push the narrative a bit more towards like actually look at where it is, you know, a hundred times more the issue.
00:14:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah well it's quite interesting because I was just thinking about what the cause could be because obviously it is more prevalent in the women's game but what the cause is of that could be whether it's ah that our physiology is slightly different or whether it's something to do with facilities, the quality of the pictures, making it more likely that you sustain an injury like that.
00:14:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
um But it's been interesting because I think who is the player in the the men's player in the Premier League who's currently got an ACL and he's going to be out for ages and there's been loads of talk about it.
00:15:07
Alka
Uh, rotary.
00:15:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes. Yes, Rodri, Man City. And suddenly there's been loads of noise about it. But yeah, I just wonder it if it's something to do with our physiology, or if it's kind of the facilities, the setup, quality of the pictures, making women more likely to sustain an ACL.
00:15:30
Alka
Definitely. like That's even what he mentioned himself. He was like, right, there the causes are most likely going to be, obviously, physiology by mechanical differences. Obviously, our hormones are completely different. The game has always been created around men. So, obviously, I understand you're not going to change it because I'm an advocate for not changing the game for men and female. The game is the game and they play the game.
00:15:55
Alka
um But then also the fact that there is just less focus on women's sport and like health as well. So anything to do with any technology, anything to do with boots, um obviously like even shim pads, even the clothing you wear, so like your sports bras, the GPS trackers, everything will all make like sit differently on a female's body, which will then ultimately change the way you're going to move.
00:16:24
Alka
ah then obviously that leads to the more risk and I feel like obviously we can go around and round in circles by going right we need to do more research we need more medical like investment but when are we actually going to see this change?
00:16:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah ah I think it's one thing saying we need to do more research and kind of promoting awareness of it but who's actually doing
00:16:50
Alka
Exactly. but I wouldn't even know where to start. Who does that even go to? Because obviously if it's rules and regulations you're going to go to the FAA.
00:16:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:17:00
Alka
Where do you go for things like player welfare and need? like I'm sure there is something there but just it's so like hidden that no one actually knows how to make enough noise in that specific area to help anyone out.
00:17:14
Alka
And obviously, the minute they start researching it into the women's game, it's gonna simultaneously help the men's game, which is obviously what everyone's goal is in the world. So why don't we just do it?
00:17:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah well, especially with Man City's form since Rodri has had his ACLs.
00:17:31
Alka
Oh my goodness, I didn't, obviously he's a wicked player, I'm not gonna, that's undoubtedly, obviously Manchester City have also had a tough run of other injuries as well.
00:17:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
yo
00:17:41
Alka
um
00:17:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
But we beat them, that's all that I'm happy about.
00:17:46
Alka
But like, because honestly, I had not that this is probably me also being slightly naive, but before, like, Roger, Neymar and Tyrone Mings, like, those are the three in my head that I can only remember the news being like, oh, ACL, you know, whereas That's free people, you know?
00:18:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, yeah.
00:18:09
Alka
I can use all my fingers and toes and all of yours and probably everyone on the Global Sports Podcast Network's fingers and toes to count for the female game.
00:18:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
The women.
00:18:17
Alka
Yet, you know, we get what two news articles or three news articles and they're not even like major.
00:18:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, and I was thinking about it, like the number of players as well in the WSL, which is the top league in England, it's like, why isn't there more noise about it? Because I saw the stat, how many players are there out with ACLs at the moment? And it was, it was a long list.
00:18:44
Alka
yeah and like obviously you could you talk you could see it in the world cup where you're like you can literally make a whole squad of players who should have been there that aren't there because of ACL solely and that's like that's incredible it's actually just disgusting really but going on a more positive note Stephen Bartlett obviously brought this light to us this is what people need to be doing whether it's you know
00:18:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
no
00:18:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:08
Alka
educating people like us so like content creators or even players themselves and then also like educating just the world in general so i like the way the news views it or like the way people like that have good social power such as Stephen Bartlett or people with influential platforms I feel like that is definitely a way to raise awareness and then eventually like the women's game has grown if we then focus on this topic oh I can see the women's game keep growing now obviously it's gonna have less like less like boom about it as it had the last two years which is unfortunate but I do still think it will continue to grow now that it's present.
00:19:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Less income in the euros again.
England's Football Performance
00:19:50
Alka
Have you seen our group Catherine? I'm a bit scared.
00:19:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
well I actually wrote, um I've written a piece for a website called an Impetus Football about the lionesses in 2024 because I feel like a lot of people are kind of thinking that we have had a really bad year and everyone else has had a good year and we're really going to struggle And I feel like that's kind of a narrative that's out there and I don't know why because like we lost less games than France, the Netherlands, Spain in 2024.
00:20:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
We scored the, we had the second best goals per game rate behind Spain. We're not that bad. And I actually feel like the Netherlands are very up and down.
00:20:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Um, like I watched the recent friendlies.
00:20:41
Alka
But they're very difficult, they're gonna have their good players back, Viv's gonna be back, he kills back.
00:20:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
They, they are. They are, which does make them scary. And I really rate their head coach, Andries Yonker, I really rate him.
00:20:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I do feel like we can still beat them. ah Because we'll have all our players back, remember.
00:20:56
Alka
I hope so.
00:20:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
We'll have new Charles back in starting 11.
00:20:58
Alka
I hope so.
00:21:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
We'll have Lauren James back, Lauren Hempt back. um Possibly, I think she'll be OK for the Euros.
00:21:03
Alka
Alex, like green words, I don't know.
00:21:08
Alka
I'm hoping so, but I'm also hoping that they don't push her into anything that she shouldn't be into because her play is more important than...
00:21:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, definitely.
00:21:16
Alka
we sit We saw it, right? We saw it in the World Cup. We all thought, oh no, we're going to do the World Cup because we've not got Learwood, we've Millie Bright.
00:21:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:21:24
Alka
We smashed it. And like I feel like we are quite good at... It is such a British thing. like We are good at the underdog category of everything.
00:21:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:21:31
Alka
um
00:21:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
I feel like sometimes we try too hard to push ourselves down.
00:21:35
Alka
and push it yeah yeah um we'll just wait in the back of the line um but i think it is going to be an exciting thing um
00:21:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, yes definitely.
00:21:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm so excited, by the way, because it's like, this is what we've been wanting
00:21:48
Alka
yeah
00:21:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's like, I mean, compare it even to the men's heroes. This is so much more exciting because from the very first day, you've got massive games.
00:22:00
Alka
the challenge yes it's like nothing's ever going to be you're not certain about anything and that that is the way football should be it should keep you on your toes
00:22:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
at Yeah, exactly.
00:22:12
Alka
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00:22:17
Alka
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00:22:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
OK, for our final topic today, I wanted to jump across to Saudi Arabia for a little bit. I've talked about them before on this podcast, but I feel like they are doing quite a lot of work on
Growth of Saudi Arabia's Women's Football League
00:22:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
creating a sustainable women's football league.
00:22:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
um They've got, do you know much about the set up over there?
00:22:57
Alka
I honestly, not very much, no.
00:22:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
OK, they have the Saudi Women's Premier League. They also have two leagues set up below the Women's Premier League. So they have kind of three established leagues and they still happen really quickly because I think the Women's Premier League was only founded in 2022 and they've already got like two levels below that as well.
00:23:23
Alka
That sounds incredible.
00:23:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
I know and obviously, yeah, there's they have the funding to be able to put massive amounts of funding into it.
00:23:32
Alka
Yes.
00:23:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Um, but I think it kind of goes along with the narrative with the men's football over there, where they want to create this biggest and best league in the world. So they're going to go out and buy loads of players. I was actually surprised at the number of women's kind of foreign players playing in the Saudi league. Like there's an American goalkeeper. There's, um, there is an English midfielder. He used to play for Liverpool. I can't remember her name, but she's a over there.
00:24:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
And anyway, yeah, I wanted to highlight them a little bit because I feel like we do need to celebrate kind of progress and people putting ah resources and time and energy into the women's game.
00:24:13
Alka
but
00:24:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Absolutely. um they Their key achievements so far include growing from zero to 80,000 girls playing in school leagues. I mean,
00:24:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
What is the population of Saudi Arabia? I need to look at, be insane yeah, because 80,000 girls playing in school leaks.
00:24:30
Alka
it
00:24:35
Alka
It is it's 34 million
00:24:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, okay. What's the thing? 80,000 girls playing in schools.
00:24:44
Alka
but it's still fantastic like from ah from a country that's not really had any from nothing to 80,000 in that growth in that tiny span of time is something that you know other countries could only dream of doing do it
00:24:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:24:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
think
00:24:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:24:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Having spent time a lot of time in the Middle East, like 25 years of my life, I do you feel like this is very typical of the Middle East though, is in when they decide to do something, they throw everything at it and they go, we're goingnna make it's like Dubai, we're going to build a tall building.
00:25:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
We're going to build the tallest building in the world.
00:25:15
Alka
that for
00:25:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
So I feel like this is very typical. and They've also increased the number of certified coaches from 2,000 to 5,000. including a thousand women.
00:25:27
Alka
is this progress?
00:25:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
So one it definitely, I mean, considering where they started as well.
00:25:32
Alka
It definitely is.
00:25:37
Alka
Yeah but and I saw a stat for the UK the other day and it's like from 2024 to 2023 female coaches have only actually dropped by 34%.
00:25:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, really?
00:25:47
Alka
Yeah or like a similar stat and I was like that's not the way we want to be going.
00:25:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, absolutely not.
00:25:55
Alka
and so hopefully we can we can we can take a leaf out of Saudi's book and try and up that in our game but to be able to increase not only professional coaches for everyone because obviously it will help the female game no matter who is coaching them ah yeah
00:26:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, absolutely. I feel like as well that does start at the grassroots level, that is something they've been talking about in Saudi kind of empowering, for example, PE teachers at schools to think about coaching, and I think that's where it starts. um And in England, I think that is perhaps where we need to target a bit more is we talk a lot about grassroots and the importance of developing players but I think that's going to be the same for coaches as well.
00:26:30
Alka
yeah
00:26:36
Alka
Definitely.
00:26:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
um
00:26:38
Alka
And I feel as you introduce football to girls, like for example, like sixth form, you know, it's still growing now.
00:26:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know
00:26:45
Alka
So most sixth form won't have a female's team or like year 11s, year 10s won't have a female's team. As you introduce football to them, also introduce coaching to them.
00:26:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, absolutely.
00:26:57
Alka
It's also spontaneous that like, if you're going to love one, you're more than likely going to like the other, you know?
00:27:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
And also it gives people like me when I was at school because I hated PE, e I was terrible at PE, e but I was still really interested and I'm still really interested in football even though I know that I have not won kind of physically talented bone in my body.
00:27:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
I still really love looking at it and talking about it and thinking about it. So it gives people like me another way in for the rest of the world.
00:27:27
Alka
Exactly, yeah.
00:27:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
One thing, Sadi, I really like that they have focused on is they've acknowledged that kind of technical and tactical development needs to balance developing local talent with bringing internationals in.
00:27:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
um So they bought in, I need to remember her name, ah But there is a German coach who is now the head, Monica Staub, that's it, who is now the head coach of their women's national team. And they brought her in to kind of work with, ah to work alongside local coaches, local schools to kind of put in a talent program in place.
00:28:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I feel like that's something they do really well, is kind of take, um develop the local scene alongside using foreign expertise.
00:28:15
Alka
Yeah.
00:28:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Quickly before we finish, they had four key takeaways at the World Football Summit ah for Asia recently. One is to accelerate professional development.
00:28:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
So Saudi Arabia achieved full professionalization of women's football in three years. oh um They have a so what rapid professionalization creates immediate opportunities for technical development and commercial partnerships.
00:28:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
The action is to develop programs that support the professional player development, which I think is really good because we've seen kind of what pitfalls you can have if something grows so quickly that is that are dangerous to that.
00:28:59
Alka
Yes.
00:29:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
um They've also said they invested in technical infrastructure So they expanded from zero to 80,000 girls playing in school leagues with over a thousand certified women coaches. um So creating significant opportunity exists in coaching education facilities, technical support. um So their action was to create partnerships focused on technical development programs, coach education. So I think it's really about making sure that it's something sustainable as well as growing quickly.
00:29:33
Alka
100% that is the focus.
00:29:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Um, in terms of fan engagement, they're building digital first fan engagement, which I think is quite interesting because obviously I think women's football is bigger in other areas of the world.
00:29:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
So they're kind of on the ground fan support might not be, um, their main target.
00:29:51
Alka
Yes.
00:29:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I think kind of things like this and making more and more people aware of what they're doing over in Saudi is what they're talking about.
00:30:02
Alka
And I think that is just an ace act for them really. I feel like just any growth in the women's game anywhere is something that just should be highlighted more. And obviously it's difficult to highlight it when it's specific countries or in specific locations or like news outlets because it's hard to cover internationally in certain places. But I feel like, again, through social media it will just blow and that is exactly what it needs to do.
00:30:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Um, we do need to finish that. I did want to finish on a positive note though. Uh, let me just bring this up. Um, because a bit of a positive note.
00:30:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
So the leban Lebanese youth player, Selene Hader, the 19 year old who was hit by shrapnel, um, and was in a coma. Do you know about her?
00:30:51
Alka
I think I've seen it on yet.
00:30:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. She is awake. And she's um she's not speaking or moving fully yet, but she's responding to family and friends and making simple gestures.
00:31:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
So I just wanted to share that as a real positive to end, to everyone.
00:31:08
Alka
yeah
00:31:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
So that is all we have time for today. That went really quickly.
00:31:13
Alka
yep it did definitely is that oh i could talk about these topics for ages and bye from me
00:31:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
I know there's just so much more to talk about, but we have to go. So it's bye from me.