Stop comparing Euros winners’ game to men’s

WELL done our England women for their marvellous success in winning the Euro tournament. However, I’m confused, why is everybody so keen to liken their success with the failure of the men’s game?

There are men’s football tropes like calling them the Lionesses, Sweet Caroline (the favourite song of the England manager), talking about how a lady player if she scores x more goals will overtake Wayne Rooney’s England scoring record, and numerous other tropes associated with the mens game.

Most laughable was the notion this has something to do with bettering the men’s last success back in 1966.

It wouldn’t matter if the woman mentioned scores 100 more goals, she wouldn’t be getting anywhere near Rooney’s record, as he plays for the men’s game and not the women’s.

And as far as I was aware this tournament was a women’s tournament, not for men? Why is there this rush to link what they achieved with the men who, let’s be honest, have been languishing in the sidelines and until last year were not doing that well.

The women’s game is as far apart from the men’s as can possibly be.

Where were all the drunken thugs, the supporters thrown out of their seats by thugs with no tickets, the vomit along the access way?

And are we sure the women were playing football – where was the arguing with the ref, the diving, the shirt pulling and illegal but ignored fouls committed in the six-yard box at corners?

The women’s game has nothing to do with what the men play, and the best advice they can get is to keep it that way!

What happened on Sunday was an exhibition of quality and talent that the men lost years ago.

They now have a chance to attract the funding the men have and be rewarded for their qualities, instead of riding on the coat-tails of the men.

If they want the rewards and riches the men have acquired then it will be a long slog, to prove their worth to the TV companies and the advertisers.

Respect has to be earned, not expected.

Robert Thomas, Botcheston