By David Gold
October 22 – FC Zurich President Ancillo Canepa (pictured) claims he can see a day when a woman will coach a men’s football team, though he does not think it will be in the next few years.
Canepa, who will discuss women’s football at the 13th International Football Arena (IFA) conference in Zurich next month, spoke to insideworldfootball and when asked if he could see a time when he appointed a woman as coach of the FC Zurich men’s team, he replied: “Theoretically, why not?
“[It is] probably the same situation 30 years ago in the business world. People would have said I can’t imagine a woman being CEO of a big company.
“I could imagine it [a woman coach], but not in the next few years.”
FC Zurich have one of the most developed women’s sections in Switzerland, with 100 girls and women playing for their youth and senior teams.
Their senior side have been Swiss champions for the past two years, having merged with SV Seebach Zurich in 2008, when that club won the title.
Canepa says the decision to merge was beneficial for both sides, helping improve the standard of the FC Zurich team while giving Seebach the support required to grow.
“Four years ago, the men and women were champions at the same time, so I met the President [of Seebach Zurich] and we started to discuss whether we should merge.
“Of course, she thought it was a very good idea because we are a relatively big club and I thought we could help and support them.”
This summer, FC Zurich pulled off something of a coup, bringing in German internationals Sonja Fuss and Inka Grings (pictured, below) from Duisburg – and the signings attracted the attention of the media.
Though this marked progress in the quality of the Swiss game, the country has yet to have a professional women’s team and Canepa says FC Zurich have no plans to go down that route at the moment.
“Maybe in five or 10 years, but that is not our basic objective.
“We [will] maybe move in the direction of [becoming] semi-professional if more money is coming into women’s football.
“[With] more sponsors we could maybe pay some more fees.
“Big professional football, like in the US, in the next five or 10 years is not possible, the Swiss market is too little.”
But Canepa says, one day, Switzerland will be able to compete with the likes of the United States and Germany, where women’s football is thriving, and points to the success of the men’s teams as evidence of this.
Switzerland have a host of talented young male players, many of whom were in the Under-17 World Cup-winning side of 2009 (pictured, above) and the Under-21 team that reached the final of this year’s European Championships.
“When I compare the [women’s] national team today with five years ago, there is a big difference,” says Canepa.
“[Switzerland] have a lot of players who are technically very strong, but what is different is the physical side.
“In Germany and the USA they are physically stronger, but, technically, Swiss players have developed a lot.
“It’s like in men’s football; we were world champions at Under-17 level and at Under-21 we were in the [European] final this year, so we can [have] the same development in women’s football.”
IFA Zurich 2011 takes place on November 7 and 8 at the Dolder Grand Hotel, Zurich.
To find out how to attend please click here.
Contact the writer of this story at zib.l1734807490labto1734807490ofdlr1734807490owedi1734807490sni@d1734807490log.d1734807490ivad1734807490
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