Tuesday 21 December 2004

Scotland's Best Footballer

Here is an interesting article about a Mexican woman who is being denied the chance to turn out for a men’s pro team by FIFA.

While I doubt we’ve heard the last of that, it led Tom and I to think of pretty much the only Scottish footballer currently playing who could accurately be described as a living legend.

No, it’s not Gary Bollan, it’s Julie Fleeting, the double winning Arsenal captain and Scotland international skipper with 78 goals in 73 games for her country.

Scotland hasn’t produced a male player anything like as prone to achievement for something like 30 years and she deserves far more credit than she gets, particularly as she has not only managed to achieve success in England, but also made a big impact in the US Women’s League, where the standard is much higher.

Typically, Julie banged in a hat-trick only a couple of weeks ago.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Is it not time the rules are changed so that teams can be mixed? Is this girl good enough for our national squad? If so, why are we not allowed to use her? I was raised to believe that sex had nothing whatsoever to do with ability so I find it hard to believe that we are still talking about different sexes being denied the chance to work alongside their peers in whatever it is they decide to do. There is still permeating through our society a sexist feeling and it hacks me off. I haven't time to read the FIFA article today but can you explain in a word or two what their reason is for denying the Mexican woman the chance to play alongside men?

Fraser said...

Naw, it's sexism pure and simple.

FIFA say they want a strict delination between the womens game and the mens, but this club in Mexico feel she has a chance (she has scored a bucket load of goals in the womens game) so why not give her a shot?

In terms of Julie Fleeting, the womens game here is semi-pro level at best and I would doubt she or any other UK based player has the fitness, pace or strength to compete in the mens game.

That said, fitness and strength can be achieved through training and while Fleeting may not be the fastest she could probably hack it at semi pro mens level or even lower league level no bother.

But so what? The argument shouldn't be about whether she can hack it with men. The fact is she is one of our greatest sportswomen ever and has never got the recognition she deserves.

Fraser said...

Well I personally think that Hughes has improved on that score this season having seen him play, but you are probably right...

Tom said...

Here's a story that our resident feminist won't like.

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/tm_objectid=14990395&method=full&siteid=89488&headline=girls-get-2-goals-for-price-of-1-name_page.html

Anonymous said...

Oh my god Tom, you're right! I can't believe that story. If it was 01.04.05 I'd swear it was an April Fool attempt.