We must keep up demands for better referee standards
While our game is moving forward quickly, I cannot help but feel that the refereeing is standing still. As much as I want to celebrate all of the positive developments in our sport, we cannot be complacent, we have to keep demanding improvements in all areas of women’s football.
I do not blame the referees themselves, of course. I know it might sound crazy coming from me, but I actually feel sorry for referees in the women’s game.
They are not employed as full-time professionals and yet they are often criticised.
It is an unfair ask. The referees are officiating in a professional division, the Women’s Super League, and yet are not operating in a professional environment themselves.
But at the same time, that is not the players’ fault. We are kind of suffering for it a little when games can turn on incorrect decisions.
Unfortunately, that has happened several times this season, despite the fact we are just four rounds of fixtures in.
For example, for Tottenham’s late winning goal against us at the Academy Stadium last month, there was a clear handball, and that goal certainly would not have counted if Var existed in our league. It is as simple as that, really. You watch it back and ask, “how haven’t you seen that?”. And they are massive points to lose out on in the table, when it comes to the end of the season.
It is frustrating as a player because you feel you are fighting a losing battle to some extent, when a decision that you cannot have any involvement in can mean a game turns right at the end of the 90 minutes. What more can be done to help create better refereeing? It is a question we will keep posing.
I think it is crucial that officiating moves with us. But what can we do, as players?
We can only keep asking for improvements, and the pundits have to keep asking for improvements. Today, we have got the Manchester derby, a massive game for us in so many ways.
As a player, you hope these games are decided by good football, not by controversial refereeing decisions.
All the girls are really excited about this contest – it is all we have spoken about since our last game.
I have played for both clubs and I know the rivalry that exists in the derby. This game is huge.
I played against Manchester United last year but without fans in the stadium, so this time will be different – fans add that extra bit of excitement. I cannot wait for the game, and it is good to see the rivalry between fans and banter with players on social media. I expect some criticism to come my way from some United fans, and I enjoy that side of it now more than ever, because I know it is massive for them and means so much for both clubs.
On the pitch and in our preparation, we will treat it as another game, but we are also very aware of the significance of the derby. And fans are not just getting excited about games involving their own teams.
In the street where my family live, back home in Merseyside, people have been coming up to me this week to tell me that they saw the Barcelona game on Tuesday night, live on DAZN’S Youtube channel. No Merseyside teams were playing in the Women’s Champions League, but yet, in the city where I grew up, people have been speaking to me about that competition, and how good the defending European champions were in their 4-1 win over Arsenal.
To have that interest from neutrals is great, it helps the game grow even more.
We are also seeing huge advances in the match-day media coverage. Since Sky came on board to show the WSL, the level of detail that Casey Stoney and Karen Carney have been speaking about as pundits is brilliant.
They have started as they mean to go on, breaking down tactics and digging deeper into players’ stats.
That has been so important. We have come to a new level of coverage. And that is why we want to see everything else around the game being professional too.
So we will keep pushing for improvements, on and off the pitch.
I expect criticism from United fans because I know the derby means so much for both clubs