Lisa Fallon: Irish women’s football is on the path to becoming self-sustainable

This week the disappointing news broke that, after a decade in existence, Galway WFC will not apply to be included in next season’s Women’s National League. The statement issued last Sunday evening was met with genuine surprise and intimated the reasoning behind the decision as being financial.

Signed by founder and chair of Galway WFC, Stephen Moran, the document outlined the successes of the club, which has senior, U-17 and U-15 national league teams. Those successes included the continued development of more than 30 underage internationals, in addition to winning league titles at U-19 and U-17 level, and an U-17 league cup.

The statement concluded with the hope that other individuals or entities would take up the responsibility of ensuring that elite women’s football would remain in the Galway region.

Based on some of the reactions to the news, it’s fair to say that some had assumed that Galway WFC was part of Galway United FC. The timing of the announcement was also met with some surprise.

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I’ve said before that I believe every League of Ireland club should have a women’s section with female teams at every level that there is a male team. Every League of Ireland club should cater for men’s and women’s football equitably

However, within two days, Galway United FC released a statement detailing that new billionaire owners, “Luke Comer and Comer Group have expressed their commitment to support the continuation of women’s football at both senior and underage levels in Galway.”

This was a very welcome development and with such a strong academy structure, under the stewardship of Johnny Glynn, already in place, and with both senior teams already playing their home games in Eamonn Deacy Park, it makes so much sense for Galway United to take this step.

Their statement also outlined that current staffing levels and volunteer pools would need to increase in order to add the three women’s teams to their roster but I’d have no doubt this can be achieved as there is a big cohort of great people who care hugely about the women’s game in the area, and there are a lot of people already involved with Galway United who would love the opportunity to contribute to a new women’s section.

I’ve said before that I believe every League of Ireland club should have a women’s section with female teams at every level that there is a male team. Every League of Ireland club should cater for men’s and women’s football equitably. I honestly believe it should not be the case that any female team has fewer resources or less access to facilities than any other boy’s/men’s team of the same age group/level.

In terms of wages for playing, the women’s game is not professional, or even semi-professional, at the moment and this will evolve, but in terms of resources and access to facilities, everything should be equal.

There are already significant supports in place for Women’s National League teams. Each WNL club receives grants to assist with training costs, travel grants, youth team grants, prizemoney and Uefa solidarity funding, which in the current 2022 season, guaranteed a minimum starting pot of about €70,000 each.

The FAI also provides additional supports like match footballs, access to Hudl, Wyscout and Pixellot for scouting and analysis and access to coach education.

However, to run these WNL teams, clubs realistically need a budget of at least double that figure so additional sponsorship, fundraising and investment is required and in the current economic climate, it is fair to accept that these costs will rise.

Teams need training gear, match gear, training facilities, training balls and equipment, coaches to matches nationwide, pre-match and post-match meals, especially for away games, insurance, medical supplies, proper access to physios and doctors and that’s before you factor in the cost of qualified coaches and backroom teams. People who should be paid for the professional roles they take on.

Speaking on Galway Bay FM on Monday, Moran said: “This year we will not get change out of €160,000.”

When you look at what Sky Ireland have done with its sponsorship of Vera Pauw’s side, you can clearly see what a difference an engaged sponsor or well-intentioned investor can make

He cited how football staff costs, buses, physios, renting the stadium for matches, covering players’ travel expenses, training and match gear for the three teams all adds up. He also explained how, this coming weekend, three buses will be required for the teams to fulfil their fixtures and that those buses can cost €750 each.

Never before in this country has the value of properly funding and investing in women’s football been so evident. The exploits of the Republic of Ireland senior women’s team in their World Cup qualifying campaign has captured the hearts and minds of the Irish public.

Women’s football has been seriously neglected in the past but there is no doubt that is changing now. When you look at what Sky Ireland have done with its sponsorship of Vera Pauw’s side, you can clearly see what a difference an engaged sponsor or well-intentioned investor can make.

There is no doubt that the women’s game here needs support to get on its feet but with the right resources, promotion and coverage (such as WNL on TG4, and WNT and women’s World Cup and Euros on RTÉ, and increased coverage on radio), the game will grow to a position of becoming self-sustainable and hopefully at some stage, professional.

For now though, the figures needed by the participating WNL clubs are not huge in the grand landscape of sport sponsorship, funding or investment by club owners, but when that money is not forthcoming it feels massive for the clubs that are only trying to provide the basics for their girls.

While more funding would always be welcome to help the women’s and girls’ game catch up with where the men’s and boy’s game is in terms of access to resources and facilities, there is no doubt that assistance is needed from people and companies in local communities who can recognise the value in sponsoring and investing in women’s football.

They are definitely worth it.