“We need the women’s professional league as of yesterday, otherwise all the hard work done at the World Cup will be in vain.”
This is according to Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis.
Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates are yet to establish their women’s soccer teams, while various corporates have been hesitant to jump onto the bandwagon and sponsor women’s football in South Africa.
Speaking after the 23-member squad announcement at the SABC studios in Auckland Park on Wednesday, Ellis expressed her concerns about the standard of the Hollywoodbets Super League, saying a professional league will only help improve the standard of women’s football.
“I think it’s important that we get that professional league, it’s important that players train at a certain level every day, not having to worry about going to work,” Ellis said.
“They must make sure that they can train and concentrate on football itself.”
She said having a professional league will also help attract players from the continent, better players, which will increase the level of the league.
“It’s important that we have that league going because yes, the Hollywoodbets has improved but not the standard where we want it to be. It’s a step in the right direction but it’s important that we get that professional league going.
Ellis commented that cricket has done it and that in football, it is needed “as of yesterday”.
“Otherwise all this hard work that was done at the world cup…we will be speaking about the professionalisation of the women’s league again at the next world cup.”
“So, it’s imperative that corporates come on board to make sure that we get that league started sooner rather than later.”
Mamelodi Sundowns alongside TS Galaxy and Royal AM are the only DStv Premiership sides that consist of a women’s team, with SuperSport United recently partnering with Tshwane University of Technology.
Sundowns have been the feeders of Banyana and had six players in squad that went on to make history at the Fifa Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand recently.
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