We shouldn't have to choose between Leicester City and potential history for the Lionesses this weekend
As things stand, Leicester City will be kicking off the final pre-season friendly of the summer against Sevilla at the King Power Stadium at the same time as another kickoff at the home of English football - the second half of the European Championship final between England and Germany.
It sounds ridiculous because it is.
This wasn't suddenly an issue because England have made it through to the final and it might be coming home. It was instantly crazy, and actually quite disrespectful, to schedule a pre-season friendly at the same time as a final of a major tournament.
Of course there will be many who say it isn't a problem because they're not interested in women's football.
But those people are declining in numbers all the time and Euro 2022 has acted as a significant accelerator.
Before the arrival of the brigade defending any decision made by the club, let's be clear: this is not a vicious attack on exactly the same person who came up with the idea of giving out free doughnuts.
Because Leicester City aren't alone here. There are other games involving men's teams taking place at the same time, including Leeds United facing Cagliari in a friendly at Elland Road (Update - kickoff time since changed to 6.45 to accommodate fans wanting to watch the Euros final), a handful of German cup matches and, more understandably, Celtic's opening game of the Scottish Premier League. Whether you support Leicester or Werder Bremen, it'd be nice not to have to choose between club and country.
We’re not used to having to make that choice. Plenty of Leicester fans would have been interested in seeing us have a kickabout with, to paraphrase the club's marketing department, the "Spanish giants" (a description that doesn't bode well for us defending set pieces). But some will be at Wembley instead.
The reason for that is mainly because it's a chance to be part of a historic occasion and an incredible atmosphere. It's also partly because the prices were, in places, one-sixth of what it'll cost to watch Fulham at home to Liverpool, for example, and also very similar to what people will be paying to watch Leicester this Sunday.
Given all the obstacles women's football has had to overcome to get to this grand stage, it may seem relatively inconsequential to see men's games played at the same time as 90,000 fans will be packing into Wembley Stadium to watch a showpiece event. But we all see things from different perspectives and as an obsessive fan of men's football for several decades, this summer has felt like a tipping point for women's football in this country.
It’s not about using Euro 2022 as a stick for beating men's football but the sight of more diverse crowds and affordable ticket prices has been refreshing, particularly after last season's depressing rise in incidences of fans attacking opposition players and staff. It's been a timely reminder there can be other, more inclusive and less exploitative ways to enjoy elite football.
Euro 2022 will provide many positive legacies. You don't even need to wait to see the statistics showing the number of women and girls that have attended a football match for the first time. That's been plainly obvious if you've been to any of the games, or even just seen them on television.
Of course, part of the reason is the prominence given to this tournament. It's been afforded the limelight in so many places and the demand has clearly been there. The scenes at Old Trafford for England's opening game against Austria were understandably emotional for a lot of people that have followed women's football for many years. That must have felt amazing. Thankfully there wasn't a Leicester friendly that night, so we were all able to watch such an important moment unfold.
Things would have been different had Leicester City put the King Power Stadium forward as a venue for Euro 2022. There may have been good reasons for not doing so, but it feels like the Midlands has missed out. You have to wonder whether there's any regret now though, given the success of the tournament and the clear need for the club to promote its women's team at such a crucial period ahead of a second successive WSL campaign.
Instead, we've got the Community Shield in our backyard as a result of the Euro 2022 final at Wembley. The prospect of Liverpool and Manchester City fans descending on our streets and stands adds to the sense that everything's not quite right this weekend.
So for some of us this weekend, it’ll be Wembley Way instead of Filbert Way. But hopefully it’s the last time we have to decide between club and country.