As the England boys prepared to face Russia, there was only one topic of conversation going round the dinner table: how the women had fared against Japan the previous day. It was good to hear all the lads talking about it, along with the other results from the Women’s Soccer World Cup. I suppose most people don’t expect we’d be interested.
It really winds me up. Even when I was collared to film a good-luck message for the girls, after the Israel game, the guy started explaining the tournament and all the fixtures to me. I thought, ”I know, that’s why I’m doing a good-luck message.”
Both of England’s matches were of excellent quality. Although it was frustrating watching them miss their chances against Japan, the defensive performance against Germany last Friday was immense. We had the game on in the Portsmouth changing rooms and then in the canteen, and all the apprentices sat there watching the second half. There were some John Terryesque clearances and tackles going in from the England back line, Birgit Prinz barely had a chance. As for our keeper, Rachel Brown, she kept England in the match. The save at the end, with her foot, was top drawer.
People are often surprised to hear that I’ve been a fan of the women’s game for some time. I took my sons to watch the European Championship in 2005 and they loved it, although one of them did say to me: ”Dad, she looks like a man,” about one of the foreign players. I had a bit of a job explaining that one.
I keep in touch with a few of the England women because our paths have crossed through work. I met Rachel Yankey at an England kit photo shoot and we’ve stayed in touch. I took her photo on my phone so I could sketch her and text it over and we had a good chat the week before the tournament started. I’ve had long discussions with Hope Powell about coaching and I remember standing on the sidelines a few years back on a cold and rainy day watching the England girls train ahead of the Euros.
The Women’s World Cup is inspirational for young girls, so it’s really important that they are able to watch the games and hear about what’s going on out there. My partner’s daughter — who’s only seven — keeps saying she wants to be a footballer when she grows up. I’ve already got her the Pompey kit, so I’ll have to get her an England one now as well.
For young girls to be watching a quality player such as Kelly Smith can only be a good thing. All the England lads were saying it after the Japan game. She is a phenomenal player; with her positioning on the ball she wouldn’t look out of place in a men’s side.
One of the lads put it deftly when he said: ‘She’s a manly player — without looking at all manly.” That made me chuckle. She’s definitely the real deal. — Â