O’Gorman: Scrap pay-for-play in women’s game

ÁINE O’GORMAN wants to see an end to the ‘pay-for-play’ days in the Women’s National League and believes equal pay for men and women at senior international level ‘will evolve’ in due course. As SSE Airtricity were rolled out yesterday as sponsors of both the League of Ireland and Women’s National League for the next two years, O’Gorman spoke of the sacrifices that elite women footballers have to make. The Irish centurion, who remains available for selection after ‘the lowest point of her career’ in Kiev in November, pointed out she has taken 40 days of annual leave to play at senior level. A double winner with Peamount United last season, O’Gorman does not receive expenses to cover outgoings, although WNL rivals Bohemians have flagged they will cover their players’ expenses this season. ‘You’d like to see the pay-forplay gone this season, and players receiving expenses, and to have that aspiration to be semi-professional someday,’ said O’Gorman, who welcomed SSE Airtricity’s involvement as new sponsors of the WNL. The tie-in with the men’s game could lead to enhanced TV coverage, streaming and other

spin-offs for the WNL. ‘The media coverage last year was the most consistent I’ve seen in a while and we just need to build on that now, give the league a platform to develop its brand which is great with SSE Airtricity coming on. You’d like to think that would help. ‘With the Under-19 and

Under-17 leagues, it’s going in the right direction,’ she said. On the international front, O’Gorman is not part of the ‘conversations’ with the FAI over equal pay at senior level but said she would ‘like to see it evolve’ and follow the lead ‘in most associations’. O’Gorman, who has been part of the Irish set-up since she was 16, acknowledged the improved set-up in the senior ranks. ‘The resources are good, we get well looked after. ‘The platform is there for us and the next step is to qualify for a major tournament. ‘I think the equal pay thing will come from creating more equal opportunity and then it will happen.’ O’Gorman was rocked by the cruel Euro Championship loss to Ukraine where she was unfortunate to score an own goal in Kiev. ‘It was the lowest point of my career,’ she admitted. ‘It was my first own goal, and the worst time to score an own goal with the whole nation watching, and we were on the cusp of doing something special.’ O’Gorman started against Germany last month and is on board for the 2023 World Cup. The qualifying draw is in April. Ireland will be third seeds. ‘I’m available so far. We’ll see what the draw brings and what 2021 brings. I’m feeling good, fitness is one of my attributes as well,’ she said. FAI CEO Jonathan Hill executed a coup in persuading SSE Airtricity to stay on for two years, and to expand its sponsorship too. The 2021 fixtures will be released before the end of month with the League of Ireland Premier Division starting on March 19 and the First Division on March 26.