Rangers star Rowe a worthy winner on and off the park
Everyone needs to pull together for game to win over fans and flourish
RACHEL ROWE, the Rangers midfielder, collected the PFA Player of the Year award last weekend. For anyone paying attention to this season, it is not an accolade that would have come as a surprise.
The Welsh internationalist has been head and shoulders above anyone else in the league, with an energy, creativity and industry that has been pivotal to the way Rangers have played this term. She has been fundamental to the position they find themselves in with a League Cup in the bank, a Scottish Cup final to look forward to and a league title still very much in the mix.
Rowe might well also have found herself up for speaker of the year too, were such an award available on the end of season circuit.
The 31-year-old used her platform when she was shortlisted for the award to speak passionately and articulately about the direction of the game in Scotland and ask questions as to why there has been a reluctance on the part of supporters to commit to the women’s game.
If the clips that were posted on social media of a measured and nuanced articulation of the problems that the game still faces elicited a depressingly predictive reaction, her comments nevertheless appeared to be helpful in sparking a more positive reaction in the real world.
Coincidence or not, between Rowe’s appeal and Elena Sadiku, the Celtic manager, urging supporters to take responsibility for backing their women’s team as well as their men’s side, there was a positive turnout at Broadwood on Monday afternoon when the teams met. No official crowd was forthcoming but to the naked eye attendance was easily the highest across all meetings between the teams this season.
Scheduled to fall on the bank holiday when schools were off it helped to bring people out, although that also meant a high-pitched tween Green Brigade whose contribution was a loud rendition of nonsense and a couple of stinking smoke bombs.
On the pitch, Monday’s draw sets up an intriguing finale for this week’s intense run-in for the conclusive three games. With Celtic and Rangers level on points, Sadiku’s side have the edge with a goal difference of 13.
But what was notable about the build-up to Monday’s game, all the more so since it came on the back of a week in which both camps had rallied to urge a greater support and coverage of the game, was the failure to boost its profile pre-match.
The only available media access to preview the game from Rangers’ perspective came via interviews given on the official club website.
It is understood that the women’s players were off on the Friday, the usual day for media, but it seems myopic not to talk up the biggest game of the season on every platform that is available.
There had been a bit of needle in the build-up to the game as the fallout from huddlegate and Hampden continued, but Rangers boss Jo Potter, who picked up the Manager of the Year award, is more than capable of negotiating such moments. An impressive young coach who is articulate and capable, Potter would have had no issue in dealing with the politics of that particular situation.
When players are calling out for the different threads to pull together for a collective approach to growth, it is counterproductive not to promote the game as much as possible.
It is also understood that such oversights are frustrating for players who wish to amplify the sport, their place in it and take it to a bigger audience.
It was interesting to note that when a small press pack were urged to be quick with their questions in the aftermath of Monday’s game that Rangers captain Nicola Docherty was keen to speak up: “I have never requested that, by the way…”
Everyone needs to be on the same page if there is to be the kind of upward curve that has been seen elsewhere.
AND ANOTHER THING
JOEY BARTON would appear to be on a potential path to bankruptcy after his social media comments have resulted in serious consequences.
Ahead of this week’s court hearing in which Jeremy Vine has taken him to task for vile remarks made on Twitter, the penny, though, had still not dropped.
“This week I’m in the High Court, fighting for the right amongst other things, to say that this is proper shite football,” was Barton’s martyred cry.
He and anyone else who wishes to do so can criticise standards and decry quality if they care to do so. Abusing people, bullying people and making grim accusations is quite another matter.
Social media has facilitated all sorts of nameless people to send out some of the most bilious abuse without retribution. It’s time there was a realisation that the same laws apply.
AND FINALLY
JOELLE MURRAY signed out of her final Edinburgh derby on Friday night with a 2-0 win. The veteran defender has decided to call time on her playing career after more than 20 years at Hibs.
The former Scotland internationalist has been synonymous with the Leith club across her career with two league titles and seven Scottish Cups.
Murray has been part of the changing landscape of Scottish football as it evolves into a more professional context with her dedication on the park accompanied by a warm willingness off it to contribute to the growth of the game.