FAWSL to switch to the winter in 2017

  A huge change to women's football in England was announced earlier today with the news the FAWSL is to switch back to the traditional winter season from 2017.

  Rumours have been abound for a while and with the fixture scheduling during the summer season only getting worse not better after 6 years a re-think was needed. Have mixed thoughts on the switch, and rather than try and squeeze them all into various tweets on social media thought it better to use the blog to evaluate the pro's and cons. 

  Full details of the change of format as published by the FA can be found by clicking on the link below,

 http://www.fawsl.com/news/fa_womens_super_league_to_move_to_new_calendar_in_2017.html#GVqIJLDPzWgoZpLP.97

 On a personal level I'm a little disappointed with the news, the FAWSL breathed new life into the women's game back in 2011 when the news of a summer league was announced and I almost certainly wouldn't be the fan of the game I am now if it hadn't went along to watch Lincoln Ladies play Birmingham City Ladies that season and the rest is history. Lincoln Ladies of course were killed off and that saw my support of the game change this blog was born! Started supporting the players that play the game over the shirt they pulled on. Have gotten heavily into the winter leagues through that and my main disappointment is a selfish one as a winter switch will see the leagues clash...maybe.

  So looking beyond that let's look at the pro's and cons. After six seasons the FAWSL has suffered from some horrendous fixture scheduling, a 14/16 game league season should be condensed and played in a relatively short period, it isn't ground availability, summer breaks, international breaks all disrupt momentum. The game is seeing more players becoming professional yet the gaps between fixtures are not helping fitness, motivation and form. Doncaster Rovers Belles a prime example a new full time professional core and they have played just 5 league games since March. 

  The advantages of switching back to a winter league, 

  Would be better for the players no doubt, especially the England regulars who hardly get a break as they need to be at peak fitness basically for the whole year. Footballers are athletes there bodies need to be managed and that means a suitable rest period too, they can't play all the time no matter how much they want to.

  The women's football pyramid in England would be aligned between the top two tiers and the rest below meaning no 10 month lay-off for the side winning promotion from the FAWPL (FA Women's Premier League).

 Would restore some of the gloss that has been lost to the FA Women's Cup as it once again becomes the show piece game at the end of the season. Also it that regards the FAWSL 2 sides would be in better shape and form to compete in the competition and if I'm honest I'd love to see the FAWSL 1 clubs entering in at least another earlier round too, adds to the excitement of the draw.

  A move to the winter season has to benefit the FAWSL 1 sides who qualify for Europe too playing competitive games rather than starting the season looking for form and fitness against a side that already has it.

  Kits! FAWSL fans your side won't be changing shirts half-way through the season.

  It's a tough decision for the FA to make, the women's game is getting more media attention, sadly still not enough and the FAWSL certainly boosted coverage, but I have seen a large drop off in interest for the FAWSL this season on the blog, whereas coverage of the winter pyramid is the exact opposite interest is rocketing, so that in itself tells me a change was needed.

  What are the problems with playing over the winter months then? 

  The weather of course is a huge factor, Sunderland v Chelsea on a Wednesday night in June is one thing in January might be a different proposition. The whole winter pyramid this season suffered terribly through the winter rain fall was unbelievable so yes it will affect the FAWSL too you would see postponements and clubs would need to improve their decision making and fans themselves be savvy games getting called off with a couple of hours before kick off can't happen and I suspect on the whole they won't.

   Ground availability could be an issue too, two sides playing on a soggy winter pitch could see some shocking playing surfaces emerge and some clubs might feel the need to evict there female side but I doubt it, clubs on the whole enjoy a good relationship with each other and both sides don't have to play on the same pitch every weekend if there is co-operation between the various local FA's.

  Games are traditionally played on a Sunday but as with the top tier in the men's game this doesn't have to be the case, the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City play as many games on a Sunday themselves as on Saturday now, the FAWSL could just as effectively have a regular slot of say... 6pm on a Saturday night if it wants to stand out from the crowd (know that'll affect the X-Factor viewing figures but I'm not bothered). 

  Attendances will they be affected? Possibly yes in some regards a good chunk of the FAWSL fan base plays their football in the winter set up would games clash, we don't know that yet. Fans who support both the mens and women's sides would they see a clash of fixtures, I personally think the FA and clubs would try to minimise this but that can only be tested when it happens. Think the women's football supporter is a hardy breed and will see how things go feel like they are forgotten by the FA at times and this relationship does need improvement.

  The FAWSL would no doubt benefit from games being live streamed and a better slot in the scheduling for highlights from the BBC even a few more live games say FA Women's Cup quarter and semi-finals if not the FAWSL league itself whilst BT Sports has it. Think games will still be held in mid-week if solely for TV coverage.

  Plenty of unknowns really think it's what the players want aligning the football pyramid has to benefit everyone. If I was writing this in 2011 when the FAWSL was 1st created I'd be saying then, guess we'll have to wait and see. A bold move not taken lightly.

  As a fan as I say I have mixed feelings know there are several out there who feel like me don't want this to be a step backwards and the FA is taking a bit of a gamble has to get it right but let's face it not many of us were happy with the FAWSL fixture schedule as it is now so something had to be done.