FFA fight for women's rights: Dubbo Dinosaurs re-educated?

Canberra United players Ashleigh and Nicole Sykes maybe be barred from playing in their local Dubbo/Bathurst Under 18 team in the Western District boys league...but the story has reached the FFA....

And the FFA has it seems engaged their Legal Department quicksmart.

Some members of the local association were laughing almost mocking when I rang them recently. Guess who is laughing now?

Reckon there is only one winner in this. So forget the legals and let the girls play..if others deem they are good enough, physical enough blah blah

Isn't that what ANY coach does when picking an Under 18 team? Anything else is purely discriminatory isn't it?

And while we're on it..what a way to thank two players who have by their pure talent done so much to promote the Dubbo Football District.

You'd think that Western District would be doing it's utmost to help any player male or female who has reached or the potential to reach the very top.

Football Administrator's: A rare breed!

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Dinosaurs found in Dubbo...just not in the Zoo!

Ashleigh and Nicole Sykes won't be smiling today as the league kicks off in Dubbo...without them!

There are no dinosaurs in Dubbo Zoo but they are alive and well in the local football association.

The Daily Liberal, the local Dubbo paper, reports today that Matildas stars and local Dubbo twins Ashleigh and Nicole Sykes have been training to play with a local team in the Under 18 League.

Guess what?

It's a boys league and Jim Auld and the Local Association has said NO!

Here's the article: And don't forget to add your comment at the end of the story.

Jim said this:

“Ashleigh and Nicole Sykes are really competent and delightful young ladies with a lot of natural talent and I have a lot of time for both of them,” Mr Auld said.

And this:

“But this is just one of those things - it is a male competition, just like there are female competitions which boys would not be able to play.

And he even said this:

“It is common sense that their risk of injury would be increased if they played men and I would hate for them to get injured and jeopardise their careers.

Arguments from othersas to why the girls can't play have included, "they may get hurt, referee may treat them differently based on gender or other players may back off when contesting a ball."

Stop laughing people still really say that stuff publicly!

Come on Dubbo: Never heard of Millissa Barbieri in Victoria...playing boys football...and she's in goals!!!

You've even got a letter from National Coach Tom Sermanni...Jim, do you understand the game better than Tom and the capabilities of our elite female players?

And it's not like you will have 50 girls desperate to play the game at that level is it?

Jim methinks you are going to be a popular man across Aussie media this week...take the phone off the hook...NOW!

Full article below.


Canberra United W-League stars Ashleigh and Nicole Sykes have been denied the right to play for Dubbo Football Club in this year’s Western Premier League competition.
The twins have been training with the club and were hoping to play with the under-18s side this season as part of preparations for the Under-20 World Cup qualifiers in August.

However, with the first round of matches tomorrow, which sees the Bulls pitted against Canobolas Rangers at Lady Cutler Oval, the league has stated it will not allow the Sykes girls to take the field based on the grounds that it is a men’s competiton.

The twins were yesterday training in Canberra under the guidance of Australian Matildas coach Tom Sermanni who himself reportedly requested they play in the under-18s competition.

The girls and their family were hoping to be able to play in a strong competition locally, considering they will be undertaking Year 12 and the travel demands of being in the Matildas and Canberra United squads were already limiting their time to study.

But this will not be the case.

Instead the girls could be deprived of valuable match time which would help to keep up with the physical demands of playing on the international stage.

Ashleigh and Nicole’s father Derek Sykes said he felt the decision by the WPL was upsetting and was not encouraging for aspiring female soccer players in western New South Wales.

“What hurts most is the girls want to stay in Dubbo to complete their HSC and still play competitive soccer,” Mr Sykes said.

“It’s unfortunate the WPL won’t help a couple of kids from out west.

“They have been enjoying their training with the boys who have been supportive and welcoming.

“It is upsetting when you look at what they have put back into the Dubbo community and have pushed Dubbo at every chance. What hope does it give for younger kids coming through?”

Before their rise to stardom the girls played in the Dubbo under-15 to 17 competition with boys. Sykes said this competition and the Dubbo Women’s All-Age competition would not provide the girls with the pace of game they needed to further develop their game.

He argued that at an international level the women play just as hard as the boys and that most of the W-League players do play in men’s competitions of a similar standard.

WPL co-ordinator Jim Auld said the rules stipulated that the league was strictly a men’s competition.

“Ashleigh and Nicole Sykes are really competent and delightful young ladies with a lot of natural talent and I have a lot of time for both of them,” Mr Auld said.

“But this is just one of those things - it is a male competition, just like there are female competitions which boys would not be able to play.

“It is common sense that their risk of injury would be increased if they played men and I would hate for them to get injured and jeopardise their careers.

“There are other female competitions on a par with the WPL under-18s, such as playing for Bathurst Panthers in the Super League. There is travel involved but there is also travel involved in the WPL.”

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ABC TV for Women's football?

The Sydney Morning Herald are reporting Women's basketball is to be given the bounce from FTA live games on Saturday afternoons. And the suggestion is Women's live football will fill the spot! See your Canberra daughter play live on TV. That would be nice!

http://www.smh.com.au/news/basketball/abc-plans-to-give-wnbl-the-bounce/2008/07/03/1214950952192.html

ABC plans to give WNBL the bounce

Jacquelin Magnay
July 4, 2008

THE ABC has slam-dunked its live coverage of the Women's National Basketball League for the coming season and plans to replace the prime 4pm Saturday afternoon highlights with a sport more politically in favour - women's football.

Football Federation Australia received a $32 million Federal Government grant in the last budget, some of which was to pay for the broadcast costs of a women's football league. Rugby league and rugby union officials were furious, having lost $35m in collective grants at the same time.

But now it appears the most successful women's sport - the Opals are world champions - will lose out.

A spokesman for the Federal Minister for Sport, Kate Ellis, said she was unaware of the changes but would be disappointed if programming changes led to a reduction in women's sport on free-to-air TV.

ABC's head of sport and events, Iain Knight, said the ABC would not take money off women's football - the same stance as its deal with basketball and previously with netball.

He confirmed the changes to the basketball coverage, but said no decision had been made on which sport would get the 4pm timeslot.

The ABC has cut its coverage of women's basketball from its digital channel, ABC2, which broadcast games live on Friday night. ABC1 also used to show a women's basketball highlights package at 4pm on Saturday afternoon. Under the new plans, the basketball will lose its live coverage and have a 90-minute highlights package at the less favourable Saturday time of 2pm.

The decision has crushed basketball officials, who are reeling from the turmoil in the men's code following the demise of the Sydney Kings and Brisbane Bullets.

"This is a slap in the face for women's basketball, and to find that the coverage of women's sport can't even be maintained is very, very disappointing," Sydney Flames board member Michelle Nancarrow said.

Basketball Australia chief executive Scott Derwin said women's basketball would come off what was expected to be a successful Olympics campaign with a dramatic reduction in what was being broadcast.

"This will have a dramatic effect and potentially be very, very costly in terms of the profile of the league and its ability to attract sponsors," he said.

This season, the WNBL will feature 11 teams following the inclusion of Logan from South-East Queensland. The season runs from October to March.

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Women's Football tournament October 2008

Belconnen United had an end of year to the Women's football tournament in Port Macquarie, NSW, in 2007. Well, a girls and women's tournament from Under 12 through to Seniors is running again in October this year.

Visit www.traciemcgoverncup.com for the womens ...
or www.caitlincoopercup.com for the girls ...

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World Club Challenge...for Women as well

Talk about the World Club Challenge, for men, coming to Australia is growing. Man United, Newcastle Jets, Boca Juniors, Urawa Reds and the like could all be here next year for the annual tournament.

But how hard would it be to add the Women's World Club Challenge at the same time.

Seems to me an obvious step to grow football, and it's about time the FFA/FIFA actually powered on with the development of the Women's club game.

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Canberra Women to miss out?

Women's football on the rise in Canberra, Australia. Federal Government money about to flow into grassroots and womens football. But another blow for Canberra football. This time it's the women who will suffer!


Looks like the National Women's football league is about to get the nod. Probably for a October start.

Westfields have seen the light and are about to sponsor the Matildas. Surely more sponsors of women and girls football will follow.

And it will be six sides, possibly seven women's teams, all linked to A-League sides. But no Canberra team. More on that later.

Excitingly the winners of the National League are expected to play in an Asian Champions League. With only one other country in Asia, Japan, having a women's National League. It will probably mean just two clubs from Japan and two from Australia.

One idea is that the winners of a home and away league will get the automatic place. With second and third playing off for the second Asian place. The format has yet to be decided.

And what is to stop the winners, in time, going to Europe and play the European winners, South American Champions and a North American club side in the World Club Championship. With the popularity of womens football in say, Germany, TV and sponsorship of such a tournament shouldn't be too hard.

So exciting times, but not for Canberra.

Despite providing more National players than many other States, having a long history in the women's game Canberra is certain to miss out on a National team....again!

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Know your Australian football?

Who is the youngest Australian to reach 100 caps?
Answer below

Matildas Heather Garriock plays her 100th game today against USA in North Carolina, and she's only 26! She's the youngest man or women to reach 100 Australia caps.

Did you know Heather plays her club football in Denmark with Fortuna Hjorring.

And she's a busy women. After playing the USA today, she is flying back for the Danish Cup Final before returning for the second USA international on May 3rd.

And then she's back for three more Danish League games. If goal-a-game Garriock's table topping side win the Danish title she expects to be back to play in the UEFA Women's Champions League next season against the likes of Arsenal.

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FFA: Does it mean Fair go For All men?

Australian Women not good enough?

Cor blimey I'm angry, and it's a bloody disgrace.

The Football Federation Australia (FFA) release their Small Sided Games Ambassador program and NOT ONE WOMEN in the list.

Maybe FFA stands for Fair go For All men

International Women's Day passed on Saturday, Kevin Rudd announced only one women in his list for the national talkfest, and now the FFA who claim to have a women's game, a women's programme and want to promote the game to women and girls don't include ANY women in their ambassador program.

FFA. Please explain. It is 2008. You have the opportunity to grow the women's game like never before. The clubs, the junior clubs are full of girls.

You couldn't make it up. Is there anyone in the FFA fighting for the women. In 2008 should they have to?

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Australian Under 17's are in New Zealand, but not a Victorian in sight.

Gary Van Egmond's daughter Emily is in the under 17 women's side currently in New Zealand.

And good to se Cheryl Salisbury as Assistant Coach on the tour.

Apart from Ruth Wallace from Adelaide, Ella Mastrantonio and Marianna Tabain (Perth) all the rest of the players are from NSw's and Queensland.

Where are the Victorians?

Full press release below





Australian Under 17 Women's national team to compete at 'Future Stars' tournament in Auckland

Former Australian championship winning coach Gary Phillips and current Australian captain Cheryl Salisbury will lead the next generation of Matildas when the Australian Under 17 Women's national team compete over the coming week at the 'Future Stars' tournament in Auckland.

It is the first Australian national team appointment for both, with head coach Phillips, who won National League titles with Sydney Olympic in 2002 and Brisbane Strikers in 1997 currently in charge of the women's program at the New South Wales Institute based in Newcastle. Australia's most capped player (male or female), Salisbury, will be the team's assistant coach.

The Australian team will face the top two ranked nations in the women's game, Germany and the USA, plus host nation New Zealand in the four-nation tournament, to be held from 29 January to 2 February.

Australia will meet the USA on Tuesday, world champions Germany on Thursday with the final match against New Zealand on Saturday.
Australia's 18-strong squad features three players who have already played for the Matildas, with midfielder Tameka Butt and attacking duo, Jenna Kingsley and Kyah Simon.
Australian Under 17 Women's National team squad:
Goalkeepers – Casey Dumont (Gold Coast), Rachel Cooper (Sydney)
Defenders – Vedrana Popovic (Brisbane), Nicola Bolger (Sydney), Ruth Wallace (Adelaide)
Midfielders – Sophie Hogben (Brisbane), Linda O'Neill (Sydney), Samantha Kerr (Perth), Tameka Butt (Gold Coast), Ella Mastrantonio (Perth), Marianna Tabain (Perth), Rachel Wynne (Newcastle), Emily van Egmond (Newcastle), Teigan Allen (Sydney), Alesha Clifford (Sydney)
Forwards – Tara Andrews (Sydney), Jenna Kingsley (Sydney), Kyah Simon (Sydney)
(current home city)
The Australian Under 17 Women's national team will commence their 2010 World Cup campaigns next year.

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Women's game on the rise and rise.

An Asia Women's Club competition will kick-off this year.
And an Under 13 National team competition for girls will start this year.

As usual with Asia, always a few details to sort out, but things are looking good for Australian football.

Full release below;

AFC Women’s Committee meeting



KUALA LUMPUR 16.01.2008: The AFC Women’s Committee, chaired by Dato’ Worawi Makudi of Thailand, met today at AFC House for the first time this year.



All nine female members attended the committee meeting in which it was decided to start two new events – the AFC Women’s Club Championship and the Girls U-13 Festival of Football - to boost the women’s game in Asia.



AFC President Mohamed Bin Hammam said: “The club competition for women will encourage all Member Associations to organise proper domestic leagues for women, while the Girls U-13 Festival of Football will provide an excellent platform for budding teenage players besides being a good training ground for new coaches, referees and administrators.”



“Both the events will help in the development of women’s football in Asia,” added the AFC chief.



The Girls U-13 Festival of Football will be held after the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2008 (May 28-June 8) with teams from the 12 Member Associations who are competing in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup (qualifiers and finals).



The committee also discussed the dates and venue for the second qualification round for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2008 and an announcement will be made in this regard shortly.

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Matilda's want an A-League

Matilda's Star Sally Shipard has moved to Brisbane! She's back in training and back into Camp with the Matilda's this week.

The Matilda's want an A-League, they are looking forward to playing the USA and Canada and of course 2008 is Asian Cup time.

Sally Shipard writes.....

Well the year has begun and I have relocated to Brisbane. On the 1st of January my folks and I left the Nation’s Capital bound for Australia’s Sunshine State. I’m such a fan of hot weather, I will be able to attend university and the football is great-these factors all played a role in my decision to move up.

I’m living with a couple of other footballing buddies so it should be a lot of fun, hard work too though

Ok, so enough about me...this year for the Matildas...obviously not qualifying for the Olympics means the back-end of our year will be reasonably dull. Unless a national league gets up and running (fingers crossed). The first 6 months of this year we will be travelling to Canberra for AIS camps, supposedly we are lining up some internationals against America and Canada.

I’m not really sure where the games will be, hopefully in Australia to keep the ball rolling amongst the Aussie public.
We also have our AFC Championships which will be overseas in Asia mid-year; preparation for this tournament has commenced already with pre-season training at our National Training Centres (QAS,NSWIS etc).

We also have a camp this week at the AIS which will conclude on Sunday the 13th of January. It will be the first camp after the Christmas break. We will be kept very busy with training twice a day, nutrition lectures and immunisations.

It’s a good opportunity for the coaching staff to get an idea as to ‘where’ we all are. Over the Christmas break we were expected to be keeping active, so it should be interesting. I’m sure all the girls are in good shape

It’s going to be great to catch up; from most of the girls I have spoken to they are all looking forward to a busy year. A national league is on everyone’s mind!!!! It would not only be great for Women’s Football, I believe it would be a great boost for Australian Football. Let’s see what happens, exciting times...

bye

Sal

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Sally Shipard on the Women's A-League Challenge

Sally Shipard takes to the field for Sydney FC this weekend. Sally updates us on the Inaugural Women’s A-league Challenge and her time in the Beckham Scrum.

Sally's post starts here:

The Inaugural Women’s A-league Challenge commenced 3 weeks ago

In sunny Newcastle. The Newcastle Jets team defeated Sydney FC 4-2. All players for both teams were notified one week in advance leading in to the opening game.

One week of preparation was not sufficient enough as most of the girls who had recently competed at the World Cup in China had been resting since their Quarter-final appearance against Brazil.

However there were 6 goals, so there was some entertainment for the growing crowd, as spectators began to arrive for the Men’s A-League clash between Central Coast Mariners (CCM) and the Newcastle Jets.

Hopefully everyone enjoyed the game, after all the 3 game challenge is a trial to see how the Australian public react to a Female league.

After spending a week in Newcastle preparing for the match with my adopted team the Newcastle Jets, I made my way down to Sydney just in time to watch a ‘David Beckham’ training session. I was to complete a few days of work experience with a few different companies before heading home to Canberra.

It was very exciting to be watching the Galaxy train, although I must admit my eyes were trans-fixed on the mighty Beckham. Which I believe was the case for every journo and photographer who were present.

On the night of the match, I was in the media box with the journo’s from the Newspapers who were to write their stories for the following days print.

The majority of them had dead-lines for 12pm that night. It was fascinating to see how it worked. A very male dominated industry was something in which I noticed. Hopefully I will be one of the many women to influence that change. I was able to attend the post-match press conference.

I gained a great insight into the world of media that night and just how much of an impact one guy can have on a countries perspective of Football. Amazing!

Our A-league challenge re-commenced in Brisbane on the weekend just gone, a curtain raiser to the much anticipated Men’s game between the CCM and the Brisbane Roar.

The way in which the teams are selected for the games are quite simple, whichever Matilda or Young Matilda is available to play they get on the team sheet. The teams are as even as possible in order for the games to be competitive.

It would have been nice if there were more goals scored, the final score was only 1-0 to the Newcastle Jets.

The crowd would have been more involved if that were the case.

Hopefully this weekend in Sydney the match will be entertaining. As the purpose of these games is to ‘showcase’ what we are capable of and to make a positive impact on the Australian public, we want to prove to the FFA and a potential sponsor that if a Womens A-league competition was established, it would be more than viable.

Stay tuned for updates in December

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Free To Air Football in 2008 for the Women's A-League

With Netball moving from the ABC to Fox Sports next year, the ABC has little significant live sport.

So discussion have been taking place for a while now to get women's football on the ABC in 2008.

And the sounds are all very positive.

Now won't that be great for women's football, our kids, in fact every football fan in the country. Good on the ABC.

And I reckon they'll bust the Netball viewing figures pretty quickly:)

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Caitlin Munoz strikes for the Jets

Canberra's Caitlin Munoz stuck one in in front of 5,000 fans in today's A-League challenge.

The Jets beat Sydney 4-2 and great to see some goals...unlike in the A-League today.

FFA match report is below.

NEWCASTLE JETS WOMEN WIN HISTORIC OPENING MATCH OF THE WOMEN’S A-LEAGUE CHALLENGE


Newcastle Jets Women won the opening match of the inaugural women's A-League Challenge with a 4-2 victory over Sydney FC Women in an entertaining clash at EnergyAustralia Stadium, Newcastle today.

The Newcastle Jets Women had to come from behind after Sydney’s Heather Garriock opened the scoring with a spectacular goal in just the third minute.

Up to 5,000 spectators were on hand for the match and they saw the Jets take a 2-1 half time lead with two stunning long-range goals from Matildas duo Caitlin Munoz and Collette McCallum who were guesting for the home side.

Novacastrian striker Kate Gill extended the lead with a second half brace before former Young Matildas striker Leena Khamis pulled a goal back for the visitors.

The match featured 11 stars of the Matildas recent FIFA Women’s World Cup including Cheryl Salisbury and Gill with interstate Matildas including Sally Shipard, Munoz, McCallum and goalkeeper Melissa Barbieri. The Sydney FC Women included Sarah Walsh, Dianne Alagich, Joanne Burgess and Garriock.


Newcastle 4 (Caitlin Munoz 15, Collette McCallum 31, Katie Gill 58, 74)
Sydney FC 2 (Heather Garriock 3, Leena Khamis 85)


For more comprehensive match details, please www.footballaustralia.com.au


The second match of the series will take place at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium when Queensland Roar Women host Newcastle Jets Women on Sunday 9 December ahead of the Queensland Roar and Central Coast Mariners fixture.

The final match of the series will take place at the Sydney Football Stadium with Sydney FC Women facing Queensland Roar Women prior to the Perth Glory and Sydney FC match on Saturday 15 December.


SQUADS
Newcastle Jets Women:
Cheryl Salisbury (c) (World Cup Matilda, Newcastle), Kate Gill (WC Matilda, Newcastle), Melissa Barbieri (WC Matilda, Melbourne), Clare Polkinghorne (WC Matilda, Brisbane), Caitlin Munoz (WC Matilda, Canberra), Sally Shipard (WC Matilda, Canberra), Collette McCallum (WC Matilda, Perth), Amber Neilson (Matildas squad, Newcastle), Amy Chapman (Matildas squad, Canberra), Stacey Day (Young Matildas, Adelaide), Victoria Balomenos (Young Matildas, Adelaide), Jordan March (Young Matildas squad, Sydney), Jess Seaman (Young Matildas squad, Sydney), Emily van Egmond (U17 national team, Newcastle), Alison Logue (former Young Matilda, Central Coast), Rachael Wynne (NNSW, Newcastle), Tracey Baker (NNSW).
Coach: Gary Phillips

Sydney FC Women:
Heather Garriock (c) (WC Matilda, Sydney), Dianne Alagich (WC Matilda, Sydney), Joanne Burgess (WC Matilda, Sydney), Sarah Walsh (WC Matilda, Sydney), Lisa Hartley (Matildas squad, Wollongong), Teresa Polias (Young Matilda, Sydney), Ellyse Perry (Young Matilda, Sydney), Lyndsay Glohe (Young Matilda, Sydney), Leena Khamis (former Young Matilda, Sydney), Britt Simmons (Young Matildas squad, Sydney), Sam Spackman (Young Matildas squad, Sydney), Alesha Clifford (Young Matildas squad, Sydney) Lisa Gilbert (NSWIS, Sydney), Carli Ikonomou (NSWIS, Sydney), Linda O'Neill (NSWIS, Sydney), Teigan Allen (NSWIS, Sydney), Nicola Bolger (NSWIS, Sydney), Liz O'Reilly (NSWIS, Sydney).
Coach: Alen Stajcic


FIXTURES
Women’s A-League Challenge
Sunday 25 November, 2.25pm
Newcastle Jets Women v Sydney FC Women 4-2
(Newcastle Jets v Central Coast Mariners, 5pm)
EnergyAustralia Stadium, Newcastle

Sunday 9 December, 3.25pm
Queensland Roar Women v Newcastle Jets Women
(Queensland Roar v Central Coast Mariners, 6pm)
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane

Saturday 15 December, 4.25pm
Sydney FC Women v Queensland Roar Women
(Sydney FC v Perth Glory, 7pm)
Sydney Football Stadium

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Women's A-League challenge kicks off next week

Fantastic to see the FFA moving quickly to provide the major Women players in the country the opportunity to play in high profile games in major stadiums.

And of course it leads in nicely to next years Women's National League.

Great stuff/

AUSSIE WOMEN’S WORLD CUP STARS TO FEATURE IN WOMEN’S A-LEAGUE CHALLENGE



The stars of Australia’s recent successful FIFA Women’s World Cup campaign will feature in the upcoming Women’s A-League Challenge that will see Australia’s finest female football talent pitted against one another prior to Hyundai A-League matches.

Australian national team players such as captain Cheryl Salisbury, striker Lisa De Vanna and midfielders Collette McCallum and Heather Garriock will represent teams known as Newcastle Jets Women, Queensland Roar Women and Sydney FC Women.

The three match series will commence at EnergyAustralia Stadium in Newcastle on Sunday 25 November with Newcastle Jets Women hosting Sydney FC Women prior to the Newcastle Jets and Central Coast Mariners Hyundai A-League match.

Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium will host Queensland Roar Women v Newcastle Jets Women on Sunday 9 December ahead of the Queensland Roar and Central Coast Mariners fixture.

The final match of the series will take place at the Sydney Football Stadium with Sydney FC Women facing Queensland Roar Women prior to the Perth Glory and Sydney FC match.

The squads will be primarily based on players featuring in the respective State Institute programs. Australian World Cup stars from other cities such as Melbourne’s Melissa Barbieri and Perth duo Collette McCallum and Lisa De Vanna will guest for one of the three participating teams.

“These matches present a tremendous opportunity for Hyundai A-League fans to see our top female players in action following their outstanding exploits at the World Cup,” said Football Federation Australia Chief Executive Officer Ben Buckley.

“The FFA is committed to establishing an enduring and sustainable format of domestic competition for women in Australia, and these matches will provide a small test event as we look towards building the best possible model for our elite female players.”

Australia recent quarter final appearance at September’s FIFA Women’s World Cup in China was the nation’s most successful appearance in a major tournament with the team finishing sixth in reaching the quarter finals after being knocked out by eventual runners-up Brazil. Following the tournament Australia moved to an all-time high of 12 in the FIFA Women's World Rankings.

The Australian team received wide acclaim for their performance in China and coach Tom Sermanni was last week named Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Coach of the Year, while midfielder Collette McCallum finished third in the AFC Women’s Player of the Year award. Following the World Cup Australian striker Lisa De Vanna was named in the FIFA All-Star team and has also been short-listed for the FIFA World Women’s Player of the Year.

“The players at the World Cup performed magnificently and this will provide a fairly rare opportunity for the players to appear on home soil and I know it is an event they are greatly looking forward to,” said Australian coach Tom Sermanni.

“It will also be a great opportunity for the players in the State Institute programs to test themselves in a competitive environment against the nation’s best and I’m sure all the matches will prove to be entertaining and high quality contests.”


Women’s A-League Challenge

Sunday 25 November, 2.25pm
Newcastle Jets Women v Sydney FC Women
(Newcastle Jets v Central Coast Mariners, 5pm)
EnergyAustralia Stadium, Newcastle

Sunday 9 December, 3.25pm
Queensland Roar Women v Newcastle Jets Women
(Queensland Roar v Central Coast Mariners, 6pm)
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane

Saturday 15 December, 4.25pm
Sydney FC Women v Queensland Roar Women
(Sydney FC v Perth Glory, 7pm)
Sydney Football Stadium

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Women award night leads the way in Asia

The Asia Football Confederation has had many critics in the past, but with the only Confederation to have a Women's Football awards night they certainly have got this one right.

Another sign of the growth of women's football, another sign of the growth of football in our region, in Asia.

Good stuff, and of course Aussie Coach Tom Sermanni and Aussie Ref Tammmy Ogston were among the first award winners.

AFC Media Release below.

Separate awards gets thumbs-up from women players
6 November 2007


Sun Wen


KUALA LUMPUR: AFC’s decision to hold a separate women’s awards ceremony has been applauded by Asia ’s legendary women players, saying it will provide a big boost to women’s football in the continent.

Speaking to, Chinese legend Sun Wen, now a FIFA Women’s Ambassador, said: “It’s a welcome move and the players can look forward to stealing the limelight at a function meant only for them.”

“The achievements of women players have been overshadowed by men’s awards winners in the previous functions but giving them special recognition will boost the morale of women players,” said the winner of 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup Golden Ball and Golden Boot.

Sun was also nominated for FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year twice in 2001 and 2002 and finished second runner-up on both occasions.

Liu Ailing, who participated in three FIFA Women’s World Cups and was a member of the Chinese team which finished runners-up in 1999, said: “Women’s football in Asia is at an all-time high. There are more players and the standard of football is growing.”

“The women players would be aiming to etch their names on the trophy. The separate awards function will give them more confidence and bring out the best in the talented youngsters.”

Both Sun Wen and Liu Ailing will attend the inaugural AFC Women’s Awards which will be held on November 6 here in the capital of Malaysia .

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Tom Sermanni: A-League for Women coming soon.

Speaking on the Nearpost radio show 2XX 98.3fm 6.30pm Canberra tonight (podcast available tomorrow arvo)Matildas coach discusses plans for a National Women's League to start next October.

And I believe it's tremendously exciting for all football fans and players in Australia

How likely is this to happen?

"I'm more confident than I've ever been, shall we put it that way," said Sermanni.


"Everything is in the mix at the moment, and we're looking at playing the games before the A-League games. The FFA want to link the women's game to the A-League in some way, with the large number of women and families attending A-League games, the FFA are keen to build on this."

What a fantastic idea. Wonderful stadiums, presumably the same name for teams much as in England where you have women's teams like Arsenal and Fulham WFC.

Sydney FC v Melbourne Victory in the women's league has a much better ring than other representative or club names from those cities.

What colours? What scarves to buy? Who to support? It's simple isn't it.

A great way of getting cross-over support between football supporters of all gender.

And with the women and men's game booming across this country, with more football through Asia over the next ten years than we've ever had, the game is set to continue the boom

For the growth in female numbers, the rising stars of the Matildas, playing the women's league before the men's game on superb pitches would surely be an exciting prospect wouldn't it?

Now of course there will be naysayers, Not least the groundsmen but surely we can overcome this minor point.

Bring it on.

What next, it will be televised?

What a great way to bring the women's game into the national psyche. Netball and Basketball all have some level of publicity in the women's game.

Football can use one of it's major assets, the A-League, to raise the women's game to a new level.

The A-League should benefit as well. It's marketing wizardry.

And with the numbers of girls and women playing football increasing, the marketing guru's dream demographic, surely some company will leap on board soon with pockets of money just for the women's game.

Don't agree with the A-league for women? Well give me a better alternative.

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Women's National League on the way.

Matilda's Coach Tom Sermanni said this morning that he "expects a Women's National League to start in line with the next A-League season."

Speaking to me for next weeks Nearpost radio show Tom added

"At the moment the FFA are investigating playing games before A-League games to take advantage of the increasing number of girls/women playing football and the large number of women and families attending A-League games."

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Aussie nominated for FIFA World Player of the Year

Lisa De Vanna only Aussie nominated in FIFA World Player of Year nominees for men and women

FIFA World Player of the Year nominees (alphabetical order)

Women
Nadine Angerer (Germany), Adjoa Bayor (Ghana), Cristiane (Brazil), Daniela (Brazil), Lisa de Vanna (Australia), Formiga (Brazil), Christie George (Nigeria), Ragnhild Gulbrandsen (Norway), Duan Han (China), Ariane Hingst (germany), Jie Li (China), Kristine Lilly (USA), Renate Lingor (Germany), Marta (Brazil), Pepetua Nkwocha (Nigeria), Bente Nordby (Norway), Cathrine Paaske Sorenson (Denmark), Un Suk Ri (Korea DPR), Christine Sinclair (Canada), Kelly Smith (England), Rebecca Smith (New Zealand), Ane Strangeland Horpestead (Norway), Kerstin Stegemann (Germany), Ingvild Stensland (Norway), Abby Wambach (USA).

Men
Gianluigi Buffon (Italy), Fabio Cannavaro (Italy), Petr Cech (Czech Republic), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), Deco (Portugal), Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast), Michael Essien (Ghana), Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon), Gennaro Gattuso (Italy), Steven Gerrard (England), Thierry Henry (France), Juninho (Brazil), Kaka (Brazil), Miroslav Klose (Germany), Philipp Lahm (Germany), Frank Lampard (England), Rafael Marquez (Mexico), Lionel Messi (Argentina), Alessandro Nesta (Italy), Andrea Pirlo (Italy), Franck Ribery (France), Juan Roman Riquelme (Argentina), Ronaldinho (Brazil), Wayne Rooney (England), John Terry (England), Carlos Tevez (Argentina), Lilian Thuram (France), Fernando Torres (Spain), Ruud van Nistelrooy (Netherlands), Patrick Vieira (France)

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Who would you pick?

The AFC Women’s Player of the Year award will go to the most outstanding women’s player who has performed consistently at AFC and/or FIFA competitions with the final three nominees to be announced later this month.

This year’s winner will be announced at the inaugural AFC Women’s Awards which will take place on November 6 in Kuala Lumpur. The 2007 Asian Football Confederation Gala Awards will be held in Sydney on November 28.

AFC Women’s Player of the Year Nominees (in alphabetical order)
- Miho FUKUMOTO (Japan), Heather GARRIOCK (Australia), Xiaoxu MA (China PR), Collette MCCALLUM (Australia), Shinobu OHNO (Japan), Kum Suk RI (DPR Korea), Un Suk RI (DPR Korea), Cheryl SALISBURY (Australia), Homare SAWA (Japan), Caixia XIE (China PR)

I'd go for Collette MCCallum of the Aussies, how about you?

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