Denis Kilcommons: Women’s football is not for big girls’ blouses

I HAVE been watching England Women's football team in the World Cup in Germany and have come to the conclusion that they play like big girls.

Which is not bad considering quite a few male stars in the Premiership also play like big girls and they are paid a fortune.

The difference being that the blokes tend to dive more and pretend to be hurt while women players get up and get on with it.

A study conducted in Germany concluded blokes who are fouled stay down 30 seconds longer than women players.

Sport scientist Martin Lames says, “Men's football generally pulls in more spectators and receives greater media coverage. For men, the thought of taking centre stage is much more pronounced than for women, where the game itself is paramount.”

So, he says, blokes fall about and pretend their leg is broken because they crave attention.

This play acting amuses and infuriates fans. Particularly when the player rolling about is a big strapping centre forward who is strong enough to run through brick walls. Odd, isn’t it, that when they don't get the free kick they want, they are soon back on their feet and running like a good 'un?

It's strange that the drama queens of football are in the male version of the sport while the female players shrug off the kicks and bruises and get on with playing the game like big girls should.

What's more, they are doing performing much better than their male equivalents and play in the quarter finals against France tomorrow.

Whilst on the subject of ladies football, I read that the girls who play for FC Rossiyanka, a Russian team located near Moscow, have promised to play in bikinis to attract bigger crowds because the club is strapped for cash.

The team is pretty good at the sport. They topped the Russian Women's Premier League last season and have played in Europe, but they still can't make ends meet.

I've seen the photographs and the ladies involved are certainly eye catching. But would I go and watch them in what some might describe as a demeaning spectacle? Of course not. Moscow is much too far away.