History in the making - Female Manager in a man's game

It would appear, yet again that Football Manager has predicted the future.

The 2009 edition of the long running Sports Interactive series includes the ability to play from the start as a female manager, albeit female managers do not "get jobs" in the game, if I remember correctly.

Still, nevertheless, Donna Powell (pictured) has become the first female manager in the English Conference - taking charge of Fisher Athletic for their game tomorrow. (see article)

It is a great advert for football. Notably some of the games best managers arguably have next to none in terms of real football, top level playing experience. Consider Sven-Goran Eriksson, Sir Alex Ferguson, Jose Mourinho, Arsene Wenger to name a few.

While foreign imports have seemed to 'take' over the English game - it is quite an achievement, ground-breaking for a woman to be given the man's job. Still there is an aura that you have to have played in order to manage - look at Roy Keane and Gareth Southgate as two notable examples of ex-international players given the jobs on reputation, that as if playing makes them somehow more qualified.

I would like to point out to the games most successful managers that I have already mentioned - playing the game at a high level is not a pre-requisite. It was only recent this season as well that the first "black English" manager was appointed to the Premier League (Paul Ince of Blackburn). Perhaps most journalists out there have forgotten Jean Tigana of Fulham a few years back?

Race and sex should not be used as discrimination factors when it comes to the Beautiful Game that we so love. Gradually the boundaries are being broken down, but there is still an racism and homophobia prevalent in today's game aimed at players by fans. It is just 11 years ago that Justin Fashanu, the game's first openly gay player, committed suicide because his sexual orientation plagued his career, and a sexual allegation in the US led him to beleive he was presumed guilty, not innocent. I believe it was an ex-manager of his (Brian Clough) who said "I'm not having any poofters in my team" - shocking, considering.

Though it is a great advert for football, let's not be fooled. The game of association football has many fallacies and is far from the "gentlemen's game" which is used to be known as. The RESPECT Campaign, the 'Kick Racism out of Football' Campaign are indicative of this.

Let's hope the press covering Donna's adventure as Fisher Athletic manager treat her for her merits, not any differently because of her gender. Something tells me though, it might not be all that straightforward if results do not go her way.

Christmas Speeches

Every Year, Channel 4 broadcast an "alternative" christmas speech.

This year, it was by the Iranian President Ahmadinejad.

The Christmas speech, as normal was given by our lovely Queen.

Check the links above to watch the clips (if you're interested).

Basically, the UK Government has expressed their outrage at C4's broadcast because Ahmadinejad is "racist", "anti-semetic", "homophobic". That all may be, but that isn't the point.

The annual Queen speech, by contrast, is a patronizing debacle that only reminds us Britons that we are subjects, not citizens. It's hardly perfect either.

In the first case, the Iranian Christmas message is insulting because of its racial and extreme beleifs that give the impression if we don't consort to these beleifs we are not good people. That is, of course the idea with following religious scripture ideals, isn't it?

The second, the Queen's speech, is like I said, a reminder of the class-prejudice, pro-Aristocratic that just seems as downright patronizing.

We are all people created equal, before God, before the law. So let's ditch these religious and class - namely biased - speeches for Christmas. Let's have something secular, and meaningful. Something that is actually relevant and we can all relate to and subscribe in the 21st Century.

Something that is actually worth watching, anyway. Why anyone would want to be patronized by the Queen or lectured to by the President of a rogue, religious state I don't know. Where, in Iran, violation of its religious teachings are not crimes against our family but crimes against the state is a direct example why it is not worth listening to. The Monarchy, and all it symbolizes, is reason enough not to listen to it.

We are all equal. Maybe next year I could mock my own Christmas speech. Now that would be something.