Aston Villa: Alisha Lehmann's team worried about wet jerseys for season opener
On Sunday, Aston Villa's women's team will face Manchester United in the WSL season opener. But the anticipation of Alisha Lehmann and her colleagues has been dampened, and it's their new jerseys that are to blame.
In the Europa League game against Legia Warsaw, the Aston Villa men's team's jerseys were completely soaked and sweaty after just a few minutes.
Apparently, the dark red and light blue shirts noticeably change color during games.
According to '20 Minutes', the Birmingham club has already raised their concerns with manufacturer Castore. The T-shirt is too heavy and uncomfortable when it is wet, which could also negatively affect performance. So far, the men have opted to change jerseys at halftime.
The women's team is also 'extremely concerned' about the quality of the skin-tight jerseys and the 'wet look' at the start of the WSL season.
Coach Carla Ward is aware of the problem because her team wore the new work outfit in some pre-season matches and "hated it," as 'Bild' reports.
Football commentator Jacqui Oatley can also understand the players' criticism, as four games will soon be broadcast on television. She told the Daily Mail: "Normally they would be looking forward to these games and looking forward to them. But they're dreading them because they're very conscious of what they're going to look like in those wet, sticky jerseys - for obvious reasons. "
The disgruntled club management has already contacted the jersey manufacturer Castore. However, it is questionable whether a solution can be found before the women's team's opening game.
Castore is in the second season of a multi-year contract with Aston Villa. The sporting goods manufacturer's slogan: "Better Never Stops" looks a little off at the moment. 'Sky Sports' reported that the club is already considering ending the collaboration early.
The Aston Villa players have the 'wet look' problem not only with their home jerseys but also with their away ones as well. If necessary, the Aston Villa women's team will resort to the training jerseys.