There’s a certain irony that England kicked off their World Cup campaign with a win, largely thanks to a world class save from The Man United keeper Mary Earps.
So maybe goal keeping is a crucial position after all?
Maybe it’s a role crucial in deciding results, the difference between winning and losing?
The Lionesses’ keeper shouldn’t have to prove that in Australia and New Zealand, but she probably feels she has too?
Nike has never publicly belittled goalies, but actions speak louder than words.
The FA claim to be committed to helping women’s football in the UK. Yet any youngster who wants to recreate Earp’s save against Haiti in their local park this weekend, will not be able to do so in a replica Earp’s jersey.
To clarify you can purchase kits for the outfield talent with any other name and number of the English squad, just not Earps’.
Apparently, the idea of girls playing in goal makes Nike blush, with the company saying that merchandise is not part of their marketing strategy.
It’s worth pointing out the manufacturers have created other male keeper kits in the past.
I truly don’t understand why this tournament is the exception to the rule, making their customers minds up for them?
It’s worth noting that Earps’ equivalent on Man United’s website sold out so such a target audience does exist.
If anything, that business plan just makes you like Nike less, due them either not respecting the art form of being a keeper or the concept of a female doing that job, or both.
Isn’t the idea to encourage the next generation? To let them dream. To influence their imaginations? To let them fantasize that they too can one take play sport at the highest level?
We could have an era where we produce lots of female talent with skills and technique, but a shortage of options in between the posts.
Children are highly impressionable. How many are going to choose to learn a craft deemed so uncool it’s the only shirt you can’t buy?
Earps has had to face the embarrassment of her family and even her peers asking where they can purchase her shirt from only for the 30-year-old to reveal no such item exists.
The player was of course professional enough to not let the rejection impact her on Saturday.
One business doesn’t reflect a nation’s viewpoint and since winning the Euros, she’s very much been made to feel appreciated by other parts of the country.
It’s truly bizarre though that the UK national sport is sponsored by a brand who dismiss keepers at a time when the government are preaching more opportunities for women in sport.
Imagine England lifting the World Cup.
How can the FA, The Prime Minister and the Future King celebrate equality when one of your players can so publicly be treated differently to her peers?
Surely if you have a team of 11 and 10 get the benefits that the 1 doesn’t, that’s discrimination?
The FA can hide behind the idea that ultimately the choice is out of their hands but let’s see their stance when it comes to renewing contracts?
It’s rare that blatant discrimination happens in public.
If gender wasn’t the criteria but race, religion or age, I wonder if the backlash would be bigger?
It just feels strange that in 2023, one of the faces of equality in female sports makes money off an empire that has a prejudice to a women playing in goal.
Shouldn’t partners of the Football Association be helping promote the women’s game?
Trust me, the next time England’s men are in a World Cup, the FA wouldn’t let this happen and there would be more media coverage for the insult.
Earps has even offered to pay for production herself.
So just in case she doesn’t feel equal to her teammates, on behalf of Justarsenal, especially English fans, we appreciate you…
Dan
It’s been a very long time since I have bought a football shirt but it used to be the case that you bought the shirt and then paid extra to have a name put on the back. Maybe it’s different now or maybe this is just a non-story designed to stir up some sort of controversy.
Or just maybe it’s because woman’s football still isn’t popular enough to warrant the manufacturers automatically putting the name on the back? Their intention is to make money, so they aren’t going to deface their own product in the name of wokeness.
Ben.
Certainly not a non-story as it’s all over the UK sports pages these last few days.
Nike has admitted that this doesn’t fit their “commercial strategy”, which is an admission that they think it wouldn’t make any money, while dedicated fans are buying outfielders shirts and having Earps 1 printed on the back.
Shameful treatment of the official World’s top keeper and thoroughly decent person.
What else are Nike going to say?
“Yeah, well we don’t really see women’s football ever being even a smidge as lucrative as men’s football and no one likes goalies, so we just didn’t bother”.
That’s not really going to go down well is it.
Ben
Well, Nike has the contract and as you say they’re more or less admitting goalies don’t sell, but Mary’s point is that she feels devalued while other players can get plenty of shirts for their families & friends, she can’t even get one.
So popular enough to buy a women’s outfield shirt ?
But not popular enough for just a keepers shirt
Are people able to buy the goalkeeper’s shirt? If no, bad. If yes, just get the name printed on it yourself like we had to when I was a kid and stop expecting hand-outs and trying to make a controversy out of nothing.
Dan,how many people do you see wearing GK’s jersey off the pitch,in the streets?
The answer should tell you everything you need to know.
Well done for this article Dan.
I’m most surprised Michelle hasn’t an opinion.
First it needs to be said that Earps is not sponsored by Nike but Adidas.there was an article recently about it in the Athletic.Nike just do not sell GK jerseys.even when it comes to men over the years there’s been only a handful (Barthez,Allison and both Schmeichel).it very simple, economics.
They sold men keepers shirt at last world cup ?
Very good article Dan Smith. I’m glad you’ve brought that topic up. Alot of people would not care less,,,, mainly because it’s women playing football. Some people don’t realise how big women’s football is. It’s gathering momentum in a very big way. I’m in New Zealand with the Japanese women, working with their goalkeepers. I’ve been involved with the Japanese Football Association, men’s and women since 2009. The women have always played second fiddle to the men. I’ve worked with both, (men and women at International level). The women play the game as hard as the guys. Put it this way,,, the women don’t act like drama queens. Mary Earps is a very well respected goalkeeper in women’s world football. She’s in the top 5 rankings of goalkeepers in the world at the moment. Her popularity would suggest she’s number one. I’m at loss as to why Nike would have such a stance with not having a goalkeepers kit baring her number and name. Nike also hold the same stance with the Australian and USA goalkeepers strip. But get this,,, Nike have done a 2023 World Cup goalkeepers kit for Canada. There are 3 goalkeepers strips available. Green, yellow and purple. Canada may have stipulated it, I don’t know how it works. Adidas does Japan’s playing strip, home and away. They won’t acknowledge the goalkeeper as well. Think it’s wrong. Ayaka Yamashita is very popular with the Japanese supporters. The Japanese love all of their players. They always love decking themselves in jerseys with their favourite players number and name on the backs. Ayaka Yamashita is a goalkeeper, and a very much loved player in the eyes of her Japanese countrymen. Nike and Adidas should be called out. And while on the subject of calling out double standards,,, how about FIFA. The women can only have a squad of 23 players. The men are allowed much bigger squads. It’s common knowledge in Sports Science that women succumb to injuries more than men, and take longer to recover. And because of FIFA, alot of countries have been blacked out from watching the Women’s World Cup 2023. Just pointing out a couple of things
Its just lazy and odd.
Why not simply make the plain shirt available? or a short run (2000)? or Make available only online?
What if she saves a penalty in a shootout?
These ‘brilliant’ firms just run on inertia…