Norfolk's women's football clubs call on government to invest in grassroots game
Both Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak have promised to review the women's game
Ladies football teams across Norfolk are calling on the Government and national sporting authorities to ensure the lionesses success on Sunday- is used as a springboard to benefit the grassroots game.
It comes after both Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak promised to review the women's game- after the lionesses wrote an open letter to the two finalists of the Tory leadership contest.
Sophie Gillet coaches Caister FC Ladies.
"It needs to be people who are passionate about women's football"
She says the right decisions need to made at the very bottom of the game, first:
"These players wouldn't be where they are without grassroots football and I think we need to enforce that more as a country. I think we need to get the right people involved and get the academies involved, as well. It needs to be people who are passionate about women's football and people behind it- who want to see it succeed. We need people like Ian Wright involved, I thought he was brilliant during the Euros."
"I think we're quite good in Norfolk, we've got a lot of youth platforms when it comes to both the men's and the women's games. Obviously it's still early days, so we haven't seen the impact from the euros yet- but I'd like to think that there will be more grassroots teams starting up in the area."
"People are interested in the sport and their games do sell out stadiums"
Ms Gillet says the summer's shown us that the game's got wide support already:
"You see the England Men's team there on Sunday and see young boys wear England shirts and supporting the team. I really like the letter that they sent to the Government to say about the inclusive side of things and I hope the whole tournament shows them that people are interested in the sport and their games do sell out stadiums."
She thinks the lionesses can go all the way in next years world cup as well:
"I'm really hopeful and I feel that as a country we've now got a team that is really up there with the best. Winning 8-0 in a Euros game against one of the best is just incredible. We've got the friendly against the US that will be a bit of test- but I think football is coming home again."