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Hannah Dingley’s historic appointment at Forest Green tipped to break barriers
Broadcaster Shebahn Aherne believes barriers are finally being broken down to allow more women to work in men’s football. It comes after Forest Green Rovers appointed Hannah Dingley as the club’s caretaker coach following the departure of Duncan Ferguson on Tuesday. The League Two have broken new ground in English footballTwitter @FGRFCOfficialThe move to appoint a female boss is a first in men’s English professional football and comes nine years after Corinne Diacre broke ground by becoming manager of French men’s club Clermont Foot. Aherne raised the topic during an appearance on talkSPORT’s Early Breakfast and praised Dingley’s bravery for taking on the role under what will inevitably be intense scrutiny. “The pressure on Hannah at this time is that she’s the first woman to ever have done it,” Aherne told talkSPORT. “She’s brave for making this move and accepting the job and going and doing it but that is her job. “Instantly she’s going to go into the club tonight and this friendly against Melksham and probably do the job she’s set out to do. “Her gender should never come into this. This is football, it’s a game for everyone. “However in men’s football we don’t see it as acceptable for women to manage because women haven’t worked with men before and I find that mind-boggling . “It’s the same sport, they do the same thing. Actually women learned a lot from men’s football, that’s why women’s football is where it is today, so repay that opportunity.” Aherne highlighted the superb jobs done by Chelsea boss Emma Hayes and England head coach Sarina Weigman as reason enough to hand women the opportunity to work in the men’s game. She added: “Football’s a game we all love but it’s so limited to who can be in football. Women really aren’t welcome in men’s football and I find it so bizarre. Emma Hayes has led Chelsea women to six WSL titlesWiegman steered England to Euro 2022 successGetty“I look at the turmoil of Chelsea Football Club over the last couple of years and I think shame on them that they overlooked the likes of Emma Hayes who has just been an outstanding manager and advocate of the club. “You’ve got Sarina Weigman who’s just won back-to-back Euros and could go on and win a World Cup. “What is it? Why have we not tapped into these women in football and understood what they do differently. “Is it because they work with women? That makes no sense to me, it’s still the same game.” Aherne highlighted how men are welcomed into the women’s game despite the same hospitality not being reciprocated. Herve Renard will coach France women at the upcoming World CupShe used the example of Frenchman Herve Renard who recently left his role as Saudi Arabia men’s manager to take over France women ahead of the upcoming World Cup. “Herve Renard was the Saudi Arabia manager at the men’s World Cup in Qatar, he’s now taken over France. Nobody’s batted an eyelid. Nobody cares because he’s welcome in women’s football. “There’s still a barrier to women in football in this country that they’re not accepted because it’s a man’s game and that’s what it all comes down to. “With Hannah, it’s the start and there’s many more to come. There’s so much untapped talent out there.”
Broadcaster Shebahn Aherne believes barriers are finally being broken down to allow more women to work in men’s football.
It comes after Forest Green Rovers appointed Hannah Dingley as the club’s caretaker coach following the departure of Duncan Ferguson on Tuesday.
The move to appoint a female boss is a first in men’s English professional football and comes nine years after Corinne Diacre broke ground by becoming manager of French men’s club Clermont Foot.
Aherne raised the topic during an appearance on talkSPORT’s Early Breakfast and praised Dingley’s bravery for taking on the role under what will inevitably be intense scrutiny.
“The pressure on Hannah at this time is that she’s the first woman to ever have done it,” Aherne told talkSPORT.
“She’s brave for making this move and accepting the job and going and doing it but that is her job.
“Instantly she’s going to go into the club tonight and this friendly against Melksham and probably do the job she’s set out to do.
“Her gender should never come into this. This is football, it’s a game for everyone.
“However in men’s football we don’t see it as acceptable for women to manage because women haven’t worked with men before and I find that mind-boggling .
“It’s the same sport, they do the same thing. Actually women learned a lot from men’s football, that’s why women’s football is where it is today, so repay that opportunity.”
Aherne highlighted the superb jobs done by Chelsea boss Emma Hayes and England head coach Sarina Weigman as reason enough to hand women the opportunity to work in the men’s game.
She added: “Football’s a game we all love but it’s so limited to who can be in football. Women really aren’t welcome in men’s football and I find it so bizarre.
“I look at the turmoil of Chelsea Football Club over the last couple of years and I think shame on them that they overlooked the likes of Emma Hayes who has just been an outstanding manager and advocate of the club.
“You’ve got Sarina Weigman who’s just won back-to-back Euros and could go on and win a World Cup.
“What is it? Why have we not tapped into these women in football and understood what they do differently.
“Is it because they work with women? That makes no sense to me, it’s still the same game.”
Aherne highlighted how men are welcomed into the women’s game despite the same hospitality not being reciprocated.
She used the example of Frenchman Herve Renard who recently left his role as Saudi Arabia men’s manager to take over France women ahead of the upcoming World Cup.
“Herve Renard was the Saudi Arabia manager at the men’s World Cup in Qatar, he’s now taken over France. Nobody’s batted an eyelid. Nobody cares because he’s welcome in women’s football.
“There’s still a barrier to women in football in this country that they’re not accepted because it’s a man’s game and that’s what it all comes down to.
“With Hannah, it’s the start and there’s many more to come. There’s so much untapped talent out there.”
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