Baroness Sue Campbell says diversity in English women’s football is an area in which she hopes “we’re building”.
England’s squad for their victorious Euros campaign in 2022 featuring only three players of black or mixed heritage – a figure that dropped to two for the 2023 World Cup – was something highlighted in former Lioness Karen Carney’s women’s football review published last summer.
Describing it as a “glaring reflection” of a wider issue, Carney’s review said the Football Association “should urgently address the lack of diversity across the women’s game – in both on and off pitch roles.”
Campbell, who is this year set to retire from her role as the FA’s director of women’s football, has referenced the boost there has been in access to football for girls in schools and changes to the talent pathway as she stressed that while there is “a lot more work to do”, there has been “some progress” made.
She told the PA news agency: “It’s something we take extremely seriously.
“The fact we’ve got equal access in school will give us far more young people from diverse backgrounds – whether that’s socio-economic deprivation, ethnicity, we’re beginning to get a level playing field of girls coming into our sport.
“The next thing that’s going to help them become visible on the big stages of women’s sport is that talent pathway.
“When we redesigned it, we put a lot more emphasis at the bottom end – so we’ve created a programme Discover My Talent, which is working with the Premier League and EFL Trusts, reaching into communities we would never reach.
“We’ve had over 3,000 referrals of young people that we would probably have never found.
“If Discover My Talent is the entry point for diversity, the next bit is the Emerging Talent Centres. We’ve now got 73 of them, which makes them more local, and we’ve got a fund so if a youngster is finding it difficult to get somewhere, we can now fund their transport to and from ETCs.
“And we’ve seen about 25 per cent increase in social deprivation youngsters getting into the ETCs, and 10 per cent increase in under-represented groups.
“We’re making progress. Are we satisfied and are we there? No, not at all. But we are making progress in the player world. And we’re working very hard in the coach world to identify potential coaches.
“At the bottom end of our England teams, our 15s, 16s, we’re starting to see a much more diverse representation, much more representative of the communities we live in.
“So I’m hoping we’re building. I think there’s a lot more work to do, but we are addressing it.
“It isn’t something you can click your fingers and do. Sarina (Wiegman, the England manager) can only pick the best people in front of her. If we’re not getting more people through that pathway, (it’s) impossible for her. I think we’ve made some progress, definitely.”
The FA announced last September that Campbell, who has been with the organisation since 2016, would be retiring from her role in 2024 once her successor had been appointed and joined.
The 75-year-old this week said a conclusion to the process of bringing in a new director of women’s football was “fairly close”.
Girona 0-1 Villarreal: Traore strike lifts Yellow Submarine
Bertrand Traore's goal gave Villarreal a 1-0 win at Girona on Tuesday that prevented the hosts from reclaiming second spot in LaLiga.
Girona, who have enjoyed a superb campaign, are third with 75 points, trailing Barcelona, who moved a point clear with a 2-0 home win over Real Sociedad on Monday.
Alexander Sorloth and Goncalo Guedes went close for Villarreal in the first half, but Girona goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga was in fine form.
Traore broke the deadlock in the 59th minute after latching on to a superb pass from Guedes, however.
Viktor Tsyhankov, Savio and Artem Dovbyk all went close for Girona, but could not find the back of Filip Jorgensen's net.
Villarreal were reduced to 10 men in the 95th minute after Kiko Femenia was sent off for a second yellow card after a push on Aleix Garcia.
Data Debrief: Rare home loss for Girona
Girona have suffered only their second defeat at Montilivi in LaLiga this season, following a 0-3 loss to Real Madrid in September.
The home side attempted 749 passes in this game, their highest total in a single match in LaLiga this season.
Minnesota United v LA Galaxy: Berry hails veteran Caceres
Miguel Berry was the hero last time out for the LA Galaxy, but he hailed veteran defender Martin Caceres.
Berry scored in the dying seconds as the Galaxy salvaged a 2-2 draw with Western Conference leaders Real Salt Lake at the weekend.
It was a point that saw Galaxy maintain the two-point gap between themselves and RSL, with Minnesota United – who sit second in the West – next up for Greg Vanney’s team.
Berry’s last-gasp equaliser sparked wild celebrations, and Caceres – the former Juventus defender – was heavily involved, despite being a substitute.
And Berry was quick to point out the 37-year-old’s importance to the Galaxy’s squad.
“[Caceres] is one of those people who makes your day better every single day. He's incredibly funny and unique and he's had a great career, and he's such a big part of the group,” said Berry, in quotes reported by The Galactic Tribune.
“For him to celebrate like that with us shows how much it means. He's played Champions League finals, won Champions League finals and played four World Cups. It's incredible, guys like that, celebrate with the team, means a lot.
“It's obviously a great feeling as a team to have those moments and when you look back on your career and your life, those are the moments that stick with you.”
The Galaxy have drawn their last two games, while Minnesota head into Wednesday’s meeting on the back of three straight wins.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Minnesota United – Teemu Pukki
Pukki has scored five goals in his first two matches against LA Galaxy, the sixth player in league history to score five or more times in his first two matches against a single opponent and the first to do so against the Galaxy.
LA Galaxy – Riqui Puig
Puig recorded the primary assist on both of the Galaxy’s goals on Saturday, setting up strikes for Gabriel Pec and Miguel Berry. Puig’s 10 primary assists for the Galaxy have set up goals for nine different players with Gaston Brugman the only teammate he’s set up more than once.
MATCH PREDICTION: MINNESOTA WIN
Minnesota have won three consecutive matches for the first time since August 2022. The Loons’ only winning streak of longer than three games in all competitions was a seven-match run in June-July 2019.
Dating back to last September, the Galaxy have lost only four of the last 10 matches in which they trailed by multiple goals (W2 D4), including losing only one of four this year (W1 D2).
Galaxy have won six of their first eight meetings with Minnesota United (D2, including playoffs), but have won just one of the six meetings (D2 L3) since.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Minnesota United – 53%
LA Galaxy – 21.7%
Draw – 25.3%
Vilahamn wants to use FA Cup final defeat as 'beginning' for Tottenham Women
Tottenham Women manager Robert Vilahamn believes his side will use their FA Cup final defeat to start something special, rather than ending their good work.
Spurs were hammered 4-0 by Manchester United Women in Sunday's Wembley Stadium showpiece as Ella Toone and Rachel Williams were on target before Lucia Garcia's second-half double.
Vilahamn's side failed to manage a shot on target but the Spurs boss suggested his team will catch up to the women's elite clubs.
"The main thing I said was this is not the end, it is the beginning," Vilahamn said.
"We still have a gap between us and the top teams but that's normal. We are closing the gap but we haven't closed the gap yet."
Tottenham finished sixth in the Women's Super League as well as reaching this final, their first FA Cup showpiece appearance in their short history.
Vilahamn wants his Spurs players to use this defeat as motivation going forward.
"If you take away the feelings right now, you need to look at these players doing some incredible things this year," he said.
"We are at Wembley playing in front of our fans and they are actually enjoying it and staying, and supporting us after.
"We got a good experience today and we are learning how to play at Wembley more times. We need to look at it that way because the players are amazing."
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