The Premier League’s first female manager will require huge commitment from the club that hires her to protect her from inevitable misogyny and abuse, said pundit and former England international Karen Carney.
Carney described how she was warned before broadcasting to brace herself for “a barrage of abuse” — and that a manager who breaks through the glass ceiling to succeed at the top level of the men’s game is exponentially more would experience.
Speaking at a debate in London, Carney said, “There is so much we have to do for the first woman to succeed.
It will happen – it’s just a matter of when. But if it does, I swear to God they better support that manager. That manager would need enormous support to break through that glass ceiling.’
The event, the latest in a series of debates for the football industry on the theme of ‘resilience’, also saw Brighton and Hove Albion CEO Paul Barber say it was only a matter of time before a woman rose to the top to stand. -flight.
WATCH VIDEO BELOW
Football pundit Karen Carney (left) and Brighton chief executive Paul Barber (right) discussed the possibility of a female manager in the Premier League
Emma Hayes (left) and Carla Ward (right) are two of the WSL’s most highly regarded coaches
Barber said that one of the fundamental skills of football management – excellent communication – was just as abundant in female managers as in their male counterparts and that he would apply for any football role based on who was “the best person for the job”. ‘
But Barber also argued that more needs to be done to change public opinion about women leading the men’s game, to pave the way for the person who eventually leads a top division side.
Barber, who is director of the Women in Football organisation, said: ‘This change is coming. But whether the men’s game is ready is something else.
‘There has to be a change of mentality, including the media mindset.
“I don’t think the conditions are right now, but they will. There are women who push the boundaries. We must ensure that the environment is suitable for us to succeed.
“Personally, I prefer evolution to revolution. From a woman’s perspective, that’s not ideal because it’s going to take longer. But many revolutions succeed in the short run but fail in the long run.
Carney (centre) insisted the Premier League’s first female manager needs huge commitment from the club hiring her to protect her from inevitable misogyny and abuse
Barber admitted that more needs to be done to change public perceptions of women managing the men’s game
“For the future, the long-term health of the women’s game, this is a better way to go. It will take longer. It takes patience, but it’s better for the evolution of the game.’
The hurdles include the need to get more women into coaching, to expand and strengthen the pool of candidates.
There are currently only 20 women with the UEFA Pro license – a consequence of the fact that women’s football is still in its infancy compared to men’s football.
Hope Powell, the former England women’s manager who worked with Barber when he was one of the directors of the governing body, is now a coach in England’s under-20 male squad
Another part of the challenge is to break away from the prevailing mindset that women are less suitable managers for the men’s game simply because there is less athleticism and pace in their game.
There are currently only 20 women with the UEFA Pro license – including Lionesses boss Sarina Wiegman (pictured)
Carney and Barber spoke out in a series of debates for the football industry on the theme of ‘Resilience’
Barber said: ‘The men’s game has been around longer at the highest level, so it’s different. The technical ability of female players is already at a very high level. But sometimes people compare men’s and women’s football when they shouldn’t.
“It’s the same sport, just played by different genders and style, speed and athleticism is just different. We don’t see any female tennis players serving at 220 km/h. It’s a different version of the same game and we have to appreciate both.’
Carney said women being at the top of men’s soccer shouldn’t be an end in itself.
“We shouldn’t be guided by the urge to be a female manager in the Premier League,” she said. “I believe women’s football will be a multi-billion dollar industry in 10 years. Women may not feel the need or desire to leave for men’s sports.”