I'm sure someone has tried to list the most influential women in male football, but I have not seen it. If there is one I would guess that around 8 out of 10 are reporters and quite possibly not all that bad looking. I may have missed something here but as far as I know the world of football club management has been one of the tighest patriarchies there is. Not surprising, perhaps, but all the more interesting then that two of my three football clubs now have women in very important positions.
Rose-Marie Frebran in effect took charge of Örebro SK in 2004. The club was on the verge of bankruptcy and was relegated to the second division. I had a few dealings with Rose-Marie at the time, and it was pretty clear from the outset that she was, quite frankly, da shit. She picked up the pieces, mended them together and started to shape a profit-making club that improves year on year, financially as well as in sporting terms, when other clubs are essentially in the gutter. Already in 2008 Rose-Marie was elected Governor for the Örebro Region. Give her a media conglomerate and we have an Örebro Berluschina right there.
Then there is the real Berluschina. Now, Barbara Berlusconi will have a bumpier trip on her way to respect. The crown princess first seemed to consider AC Milan as daddy's useless little toy. We saw the good old "22-men-chasing-a-ball" rhetoric, and many Milan fans believed la Berluschina was bound to run the club into a disaster. Holding on to daddy's toy because he would not let her get rid of it, but not nursing it. The worst of two worlds.
Then suddenly, Barbara started to pay attention to the club. She became a regular at San Siro. The rumours that she favoured one player over the others have been going on for a while. Felt like the patriarchy hitting back. But now we know better. Even the female apple does not need to fall far from the tree. All uphill from here, Barbara.
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