THAT Arsenal Women’s team photo by Dan Smith
I can only write about myself but when I watch football, I don’t see colour.
I have never observed my team and noticed how many of certain criteria are being represented.
I find it strange that anyone would view Sport, the whole point being escapism and comfort, and highlight who’s what colour skin, hair, height, etc.
You have to be a certain person for a player’s appearance to be an issue.
I simply care if you are skilful and committed enough to represent the badge.
Not everyone thinks like that though!
Having observed Arsenal ‘s women’s squad photo some have complained that out of the 27 being pictured, there are zero black or ethnic minority players.
That stat seems unlikely for a club based in one of the most diverse cities in the world.
Yet in the UK football is not as popular with young girls as it is boys.
That demographic is growing and the more it does, the increase you will see in the 10 per cent black and 15 percent of Asian talent who participate in the WSL.
The more money invested in any product, the quality then improves, becomes more marketable, garners more viewership, and entices that next generation who suddenly have role models to follow.
It’s that simple.
I’m therefore disappointed by the Gunners trying to defend themselves for the sake of ticking a PR box. For any racial element to even be aimed at the club based on a coincidence deserves instead to be handled with the stupidity it deserves.
This is one of the biggest institutions in England who recruited a who’s who of talent from around the world to make a living.
This is the biggest club in the Capital of England who were one of the first to hire a foreign manager.
Mr Wenger was then the first manager in British history to start an 11 without a single British player (and got criticised for it). Is that not diverse?
Do we not literally have a statue of a Black player outside our spiritual home?
I have been on stadium tours and shown where players pray.
We have fan groups from all around the globe.
Even if I wasn’t a Gooner, the notion that any kind of diversity issue exists at our club is absurd. We literally are one of the most diverse clubs in England.
So, I don’t understand why a club official statement says that increasing diversity is a ‘key priority’.
How do you make that priority a reality?
Ex professional Fern Williams has been quoted in a report as saying the lack of diversity within the women’s game needs to be ‘urgently addressed ‘.
Outside of letting interest be organic what can you do?
Is it the end of the world that currently football is not the chosen hobby for young females?
If they’re content and safe chasing other passions, what’s the issue?
What exactly is the plan here though?
Any scout should judge a prospect based on technique, desire, fitness, etc.
Are we really suggesting that players now get picked to meet a quota?
As a PR move?
No respectable person wants to be employed for any other reason than they are the best for that position.
Because correct me if I’m wrong, if we are starting to be pressured into not giving contracts to women who are white isn’t that racism?
If a club is now being critiqued for having too many individuals of a certain race, isn’t that racism?
It’s funny to me …. UEFA, FIFA, the FA, etc, will pay for lots of adverts, hashtags, shirts, etc where the message is the only colour, we should worry about is the one on our team’s shirt.
I guess that only applies when it suits a certain agenda.
Dan