For the one who might don’t know, John Carlin is a journalist and author, who deals with both sports and politics. He’s most popular for his book ‘Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game that Made a Nation’, about former South African president Nelson Mandela, the basis for the 2009 film Invictus.
After looking carefully, I decided to ask Carlin, an impartial sports journalist, about his thoughts on women’s football from the perspective of how sports journalists don’t tend to report as much on women as they do with men from a very long time.
Do you follow women’s football?
“I have followed the Women’s World Cup with increasing interest as the years have gone by, especially after Japan won in 2011.”
Do you think is interesting for the general public?
“It is. Because football is nine-tenths about drama.”
How long do you think they will take to improve their recognition?
“Time. It’s getting there and it’s moving fast.”
Finally, do you think that newspapers could help giving more exposure and creating stars in the women’s game?
“Newspapers can help to create a market, but ultimately readers will follow it or not follow it.”
I really thank John Carlin for letting me interview him and letting you know his thoughts about this topic; a topic that is growing faster and louder as we talk. Still, and as Carlin commented, there are some newspapers who don’t want to cover the women’s games and prefer to go and report the “real football” as many people think.
If these thoughts don’t change on audiences and news, the beautiful game that women have to offer will take longer than expected to have the prestige and recognition it deserves. We’ll just need to wait and see; see how the situation develops at the end.
WOMEN IN FOOTBALL: THE GLASS CEILING 