Jess Fishlock: WSL suffered ‘bit of damage’ due to negative headlines

“So much has gone on within the women’s game in the last week that I personally think it has done a bit of damage,” Fishlock told BBC Sport Wales.

“Not only to women’s football as a whole but to the league itself here. It is a bit of a blow to those of us who want to keep the league growing.”

Fishlock, Wales’ most-capped player, says everyone involved needs to “learn lessons” after a week where headlines surrounding the women’s game in the UK were predominantly negative.

West Ham skipper Gilly Flaherty said the players who forced the postponement of WSL matches because of their trip to Dubai “should apologise”, while Manchester United boss Casey Stoney said she was “sincerely sorry” for giving her players permission to travel to Dubai.

“It is hard to talk about how this week has gone. It’s the players, the clubs, the FA – for me personally they have got the decisions wrong,” Fishlock said.

“It’s a sad week for us involved in women’s football and I’m not putting that solely on the players. It’s a shame. Everyone involved is just disappointed in how it has gone.

“We are human beings before athletes and we can get things wrong. Sometimes people make wrong decisions. It was human error and that’s okay, but what wasn’t okay was the lack of accountability.

“I have a lot of respect for Casey Stoney. For me, that is what true leadership looks like.

“But we have to move on from this issue now.”