Villa Park Redevelopment

[Olneythelonely]

But that is my point - have a wall completely dedicated to the womans team, surly the imagery for young women to be inspired would be of the whole team of women being together - no need to incorporate it into the mens stuff

Inclusion is the whole point of it though.

[Risso]

It all seems a bit Emperor's New Clothes to me. There's this idea that we have two teams, they're both equal and nobody is allowed to disagree. Part of my antipathy towards Ingerlund is being told that we should all support them and womens' teams are the same. Good luck to them, let them do whatever they want. Just don't ask me to care a millionth as much about them as the men's teams.

One of the most tedious thing during the Euros (apart from watching England) was the queue of people proclaiming on Twitter "but England HAVE won the European Championships."

[kippaxvilla2]

It is of lesser value. In commercial and quality terms.

[paul_e]

It all seems a bit Emperor's New Clothes to me. There's this idea that we have two teams, they're both equal and nobody is allowed to disagree. Part of my antipathy towards Ingerlund is being told that we should all support them and womens' teams are the same. Good luck to them, let them do whatever they want. Just don't ask me to care a millionth as much about them as the men's teams.

One of the most tedious thing during the Euros (apart from watching England) was the queue of people proclaiming on Twitter "but England HAVE won the European Championships."

I agree with this bit specifically, it's irrelevant in the same way that I wouldn't expect a load of rugby fans to start talking about how New Zealand *have won* world cups as part of a discussion about their football team, it's just a really weird thing to completely ignore the context of the conversation.


** Edited because that made no sense.

[Drummond]

The BBC do it too, where their little guidance link is, it just says Football, or Aston Villa, rather than Men's, or Women's, Football or Aston Villa Men or Women. I think it's an important distinction, if for no other reason than it helps you find what you're interested in.

[paul_e]

It is of lesser value. In commercial and quality terms.

I don't think this matters in the context of something like a mural. The only reason to have something like that is create some excitement as people come towards the ground and if Daly being included means some people get that buzz on their way to a womens game then it's doing the job.

[Drummond]

Maybe we should have a separate shop for the women's stuff too? Or given that they are also Aston Villa, and their kit is also released today, and plenty of people look up to them as well, that Rachel Daly being on the mural is completely appropriate and right.

[Nev]

The BBC do it too, where their little guidance link is, it just says Football, or Aston Villa, rather than Men's, or Women's, Football or Aston Villa Men or Women. I think it's an important distinction, if for no other reason than it helps you find what you're interested in.

I sometimes half hear something on the BBC regarding a fixture that evening or day and think "I didn't realise Spurs were playing tonight" then realise they are talking about the womens teams without saying so. Poor form and it doesn't promote the game at all, just annoys people really.

[edgysatsuma89]

Maybe we should have a separate shop for the women's stuff too? Or given that they are also Aston Villa, and their kit is also released today, and plenty of people look up to them as well, that Rachel Daly being on the mural is completely appropriate and right.

I'm really glad that there is a mural of my niece's favourite player and I am really confused how anyone can see that and feel like the woman's game is being forced upon them. I just don't get it. It feels very Grandpa Simpson.

[algy]

Honestly, it's incredible we're even having this debate.

It's a painting.  Get over yourselves.

[PeterWithesShin]

I have pretty much no interest in the women's team, so I am outraged that there is a woman in the mural. Or in reality it doesn't bother me as it has zero effect on my life who is on it and know that some fans will love Daly being on there.

[The Edge]

Honestly, it's incredible we're even having this debate.

It's a painting.  Get over yourselves.

What do you expect with the void left by the lack of first team football? We've had dozens of pages debating the badge too. And in the immortal words of Hilda Ogden "it's a Muriel not a painting"

[boozey182]

I like the fact that Rachel Daly is on the mural, but I do appreciate that people have no interest in the women's game. I agree that the 'England have won the Euros' was a stupid thing to say, not least because it made me (who likes watching some women's football) think "oh f*ck off". It's not a good way to attempt to win people over, but of course that probably wasn't their intention - it was more to say "I'm a better person than you".

But, anyway, because I'm a better person than most, I like watching the Villa women's team and I don't bang on about it. (That's a joke, btw. I love to bang on about it). I watch it because it's a great way to help brainwash my children. We go to a couple of matches a year, and it's a really nice day out. Nice atmosphere, and I'm not stressed by the result. We take some of my eldest's class mates, and I think I have managed to convert some of them into Villa fans as a result. A few of the girls that we've been with have got more into football and gone on to join teams. It's quite satisfying seeing, in real time, how it can inspire them.

How closely the men's and women's teams should be connected is an interesting debate. They are miles apart in terms of 'quality', revenue etc, but they are part of the club. And, whether you see this as progress or not, it's only going to go one way, isn't it? The women's game will continue to have money invested in it, they quality will improve (I'm expecting a massive uptick in quality in the next 5 years or so, when all these new academies start bearing fruit), and crowds will improve. Personally, I'd want Villa at the forefront of something like that, and if having our women's team captain on a wall near the ground helps, then I'm all for it. I don't see it as being forced down our throats, it's just a picture that wasn't there a week ago. I want the women's team to attract bigger crowds, and I want Villa to win a trophy in the women's game. Not 'as much' as I want to see the men's team, but it isn't either or.

I very much subscribe to the "If you hung 11 Villa shirts on a washing line 5,000 fans would turn up to watch them" philosophy. Youth team, women's team, Hong Kong Soccer 7s - if the Villa are in it, I'm interested and I want us to win. If Rachel Daly was on every billboard in Birmingham, that would be a good thing for the Villa, in my opinion.

[VILLA MOLE]

Great post ^🙂

[Risso]

"Nice atmosphere, and I'm not stressed by the result"

Well, that it's it really. In a close Villa game, my heart is going at a million beats a minute and sometimes it's actually painful. Every second seems to take an hour, and the relief at the end is monumental. We've had some life-affirmingly brilliant high moments, and some soul-crushingly terrible low points. I will never, ever care even 0.1% as much about any other team, including the women's team. People growing up with it now might in years to come I guess, but it's not for me. But I don't mind Daly's picture being on the mural, it's only a minor thing really.