A very subjective look into AWFC

If one thing is predictable is the vitriol, criticism and hate that footballers will get on social media anytime they make a mistake. The higher the stakes, the higher the amount of insults and abuse athletes receive. It’s easy for us to say: “ignore them” but the reality is that once you’ve read the comments, once you’ve heard the insults, that’s already in your brain, heart and soul. None of this is ok, none of this is excusable and social media has empowered so many people to just be the worst version of themselves. But you know this… this isn’t something recent… and it is not getting any better and won’t get any better any time soon. You won’t find answers here but I will try to put things in perspective as to why those comments are not only ignorant but they are fundamentally wrong. Be aware that this isn’t too AWFC centric today.

The same people that cling onto a player’s single mistake don’t seem to understand that football is a team sport and 11 players on the pitch have a job to do, a job that is very fluid and reactive. They can be 5 inches off position and its enough to make a difference, for good or for bad. Aside from the collective, macro vision that all players must posses, there is also the reality that a million things happen but they are magnified when those things are mistakes made by players in defense or a goalkeeper. You will always remember more a defensive mistake that “costs” the match, than a forward missing a one on one chance in the 90th minute.

The most recent example of this was Ellie Carpenter vs England. To even reduce her career, tournament and match into a single “mistake” is insulting, ignorant and pretty f*cking stupid. We’re talking about a multiple Champions League winner, multiple French league winner etc etc etc. She recovered from an ACL injury and was a star player for a historic squad during a historic tournament. Ellie quite visually, careers her emotions with every ounce of her, and it’s palpable, its inspiring and its infectious. She never stops running, she’s always on it. You can see the concentration in her eyes, her drive, her energy. These things are not even remotely questionable. Yeah you need this to be an elite athlete but she’s on another level, otherwise she wouldn’t be where/who she is.

She has had an absolutely magical tournament and let’s not forget about THAT penalty she took! Are you kidding me? The power, precision and confidence in that was absolutely insane!!! Did you see her celebrate? Do you actually think she feels this any less than any man that as ever played in any World Cup ever? I know this last questions isn’t too relevant but just wanted to throw it out there.

You don’t need a reminder because you get it, otherwise you wouldn’t be here, but she’s a human being, with emotions, with feelings, with friends and family who are also affected by the hate she gets. People always assume its the player who is affected only but if you have ever been in sort of the public eye, you sometimes read things about you or something you’re involved with and the first thing you say is: “I don’t give a f*ck but I know my parents will!!!!” It’s a very weird feeling and it’s not a feeling that people should experience just because it happens in the men’s game.

So, during the game vs England she mistimed a jump and her momentum carried her too much and Lauren Hemp took advantage of that and scored. I’m sure she’d be the first one to own up to it but what about all the chances her teammates missed?! OBVIOUSLY I’m not here to say that Sam Kerr is the one that should be on the receiving end of abuse, not at all. The point that I’m trying to bring up is that it’s a collective thing and she’s not to blame. Other people had other jobs to do and they didn’t do them as well as we would’ve hoped at the time we would’ve liked. This is life. It’s not like Ellie was caught totally distracted looking at the stands… there were plenty of chances on the other end.

Look, I’ve definitely been one to blame a defender. Lotte Wubben Moy’s mistake vs Wolfsburg sticks out in my memory but she wasn’t the actual reason we lost! She just happened to be the last link in a chain of events and as much as she has worked hard and deserves to be in that chain, she didn’t choose to be that specific link. It’s a collection of things. I also remember Nouwen making a mistake vs Spain but she’s not the reason we lost.

And I think this is one of the many ways football can teach not about who we are, but about who we chose to be. We choose what we do with those feelings and emotions. If someone chooses to send out abuse, criticism and insults they are unwanted in this sport. We don’t need them and they sure as hell are NOT fans. They are a shell of a person who needs their misogynist tendencies validated somehow. Most of these people are men, that’s a reality but its not excusable coming from anyone at any age, from any race/background.

We can sit here and say she’ll come back stronger, and LWM will come back even better and more experienced and they probably will, but we don’t see the actual mental, emotional work that it might take to get there. Ideally they wouldn’t have to but the hate is there. We need to continue to overwhelm the players with support and love and drown out the negativity.

Have you done that today?

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