Football Daily - James makes England squad & Esme Morgan LIVE

Episode Date: June 5, 2025

Eleanor Oldroyd is joined by Ellen White, Steph Houghton and Vicki Sparks. They react to Sarina Wiegman’s England squad announcement ahead of UEFA Women's Euro 2025. Hear from the England head coach and defender Esme Morgan joins the pod LIVE.01:35 Who’s in and who’s out? 07:20 Sarina Wiegman explains her decisions 11:05 England defender Esme Morgan LIVE 20:50 England’s squad culture 28:55 Lauren James worth taking 30:30 ‘No crisis’ despite notable absentees 32:40 Wendie Renard doesn’t make France squad 33:55 Ellen & Steph’s England XIs 35:15 Will Hannah Hampton be under pressure?BBC Sounds / 5 Live commentaries: Sat 1700 Andorra v England Men in World Cup Qualifying, Tue 1945 England Men v Senegal in Friendly.

BBC Sounds music radio podcasts. The Football Daily podcast. Listen on BBC Sounds. Welcome to the Football Daily with me Eleanor Aldroyd. On the day Serena Vigman has announced her England squad for this summer's Euros. The 23 players were unveiled today in a video on social media featuring plenty of famous faces revealing the all-important names. You can follow extensive coverage of the women's Euros across Five Live and Sports Extra and it all gets underway on the 2nd of July. To analyse the England scored we're joined by England's record goalscorer, Alan White. And when I say big names in that video, Ellen, you were one of them. I appreciate that, Ellie. Yeah, thank you.

I'm definitely not a big name. Definitely not. Well, it was you. It was David Beckham, Daisy Mae Cooper, Jude Bellingham. Yeah, it's a quite good mix. They're big names. They're definitely big names. Listen, you're right up there with them. Scott Mills as well. Actually, you're going to hear a Lionesses special on the Scott Mills

breakfast show on Radio 2 later in June. Former England captain Steph Horton, you didn't get the call up. I didn't. I thought you were going to say that I was going to be a record goal scorer there, but I'm a bit disappointed. And also somebody else who didn't get the call. Don't know why not. Our football commentator, Vicky Sparks. Hello, Vicky. Hello, good evening, good evening. Well you have been down at St George's Park for the squad announcement today. Let's run through some of the headlines shall we. So we knew this, no Frank Kirby,

no Mary Earps after their international retirements, no Millie Bright either after making herself unavailable for selection. We will talk about those three in a bit but Chelsea confirming today that Milly's undergone major knee surgery. She posted a picture on her Instagram today. So who is in? Lauren James currently out with injury has been called up. Arsenal's Michelle Aguiamang is in after her spectacular 41 second debut goal against Belgium but there's no Nikita Paris, she had recent call ups to the squad including the recent Nations League squad. And Manchester City midfielder Laura Blinkilder-Brown, Aston Villa midfielder Missy Bo Kearns and Aston Villa defender Lucy Parker all named on the reserve list. Along with Brighton goalkeeper Sophie Baggally. Right then,

let's get your initial thoughts, Ellen and Steph. I mean, I suppose, Ellen, no major surprises in there. No, I don't think so. I'm just going to throw it out that I did predict that squad with my husband last night. So I feel like I'm in the zone with Serena. I know what she's thinking. Yeah, I think I was really excited to see Michelle Adjiman in. What a wild card. Someone that's really exciting. And I think as well, what a wild card, someone that's really exciting and I think as well it's great to have someone that's, I'm going to use the word like naivety going into like a major tournament, don't really know what to expect and she's just so happy to potentially be

there and come off the bench something a bit different. Obviously Lauren James like you just spoke about, she's been injured since April and she's just needed a little bit of time, obviously got four weeks until their first game so hopefully she can maybe get some minutes against Jamaica or even the first game against France. So it's just a really exciting squad and I'm really looking forward to what happens, who she uses as starting eleven but I wouldn't say it's anything dramatic. I think it's a solid squad with good experience and also a lot of players that are going to their first major tournament which I think is's a solid squad with good experience and also a lot of players that are going to their first major tournament,

which I think is exciting as well. The only probably standout would be Nikita, if I'm being honest, I think in terms of her form for Brighton this season, she's forced her way into the England squad and you're looking at these last two games against Portugal, against Spain, and you're thinking those players

that are coming off the bench are gonna be kind of certain this squad. And when she didn't come on in that last game against Spain, when we probably needed a bit of a goal and you bring on Aggy Beaver-Jones, who's had a fantastic season for Chelsea, I think there was a few question marks. I think me and Ellen were actually messaging at the time

and I was thinking, I don't think Nikita is potentially going to go here, which is a massive shame because I think for all that, you've lost Millie Bright, you've lost Mary Earps with big experience, Fran Kirby, that Nikita could have brought that little bit of experience in that forward line. But to kind of echo what Ellen said, it's still an exciting squad. I think especially in them forward areas, I think you could pick any of them, six, seven players with Lauren James included. I think we probably maybe all see Lauren James

playing a bit of a role off the substitute bench rather than starting with where she's in her fitness and rehab journey, but she's still got a month to go. She's a month, a long time in rehab in terms of how you can progress. So for me, I'm still excited to see what England can do. This tournament, we have a lot of players that have experienced winning, which is amazing.

And then young players that have yet to experience that which is exciting for England. And that's a good point Vicky, isn't it actually, because even though there are players who have that experience, that tournament experience, who are not going, a lot of the squad do have tournament experience and even those who don't have got experience of winning things, of winning titles, winning the treble in some cases with the Chelsea players, with their clubs. Yeah, I think that's what the really interesting balance is,

isn't it, Ellie? As you say, you've got 13 players in this squad that were in the Euro-winning squad three years ago. Of course, we've had some key retirements since then, and seven players going to their first major tournament but you know of those players going to their first major tournaments you're looking at the likes of Agui Beaver Jones who as you mentioned has won the domestic treble with Chelsea this season, May Letizier who's got a

season under her belt as Manchester United captain, Jess Park of course with Manchester City who's had success there and Grace Clinton as well who's had a great debut season for Manchester United. So I think the thing that jumped out at me today from the squad announcement was we thought Lauren James would be in. England still have the opportunity because of the regulations around the tournament if it was to be the case and it really doesn't sound like it will be but if it was to be the case that they got to the day before France and they realized that for whatever reason James has

had a setback and she won't make the tournament, they can make a change due to a serious injury before the tournament starts. So they have that flexibility, but I think the key thing that Serena Vigman said today, which is the first time she said this, having been questioned in every single press conference since Lauren James had her injury, you know, how's she doing? She said she's hopeful of having her back for the first game, maybe not to start but to come off the bench and even as Steph alluded to, they're getting some minutes in their final friendly, which is the Sunday before the tournament against Jamaica. Now that was big news because it was one of these questions that, you know, with

this hamstring injury, the talk and the narrative was all around, well, actually, if Lauren James is a player that's only available for the latter stages, would you still take her? And Serena Vigment, without talking about James specifically, had said that she would be prepared to take, you know, that gamble on fitness for maybe one or two players. Players like James that you know can sparkle and shine and provide that sprinkling of stardust that's needed but it seems as though that's not necessarily going to be the case. She's going to be available even from the start of the tournament and that was really really good to hear today.

Yeah absolutely. Well let's hear from Serena Wiegman talking first of all about Lauren James. Of course that's exciting and of course she's still building but she's in a good place. She is where we hope she would be now and hopefully when she comes into camp we can build her very quick and get her already some minutes against Jamaica and of course she needs to be healthy, she needs to be able to train and she needs to show her performances that first and then we can see we can move forward. A 19-year-old Michelle Ajumang heading to her first tournament. You've described her as a bit of a wild card.

Just talk to us about what you feel she can bring. Yeah, up front we have many different players that can bring something different. The competition up front is really, really high and also with the different qualities. She brings something different than the other ones she brings like a lot of physical even more physicality and we've seen she can she can score goals too so yeah that's that's what I hope she can show this summer. Yeah you talk about that tough competition in the forward places Nikita Paris not in the squad and not on

standby either just to explain to us why that is. Yeah she came in in February of competition in the forward places, Nikita Paris, not in the squad and not on standby either. Just explain to us why that is. Yeah, she came in in February of course, after a while. She gave her everything on and off the pitch and yeah, that was so great to see and unfortunately for her because that was a very hard decision for us to make. In our opinion, she didn't win the competition with the other players. So we had to make that decision and whilst bringing in seven players of course I chose to bring in other players for training next week. And you talk about not making that competition, was that for standby as well in your mind?

Was that your decision that she wouldn't be a standby player? Yeah of course we talked about that and yeah that's like how it stands now that she was a bit further away. So then I chose for these four, well I said three players but including a goalkeeper it makes four, to come in and train with us. Also because some American players will not be with us because they're in competition the first week we come together. And in terms of obviously the build up to to the squad you were asked in the press conference several times if this is a side in crisis and it's clear that you very strongly feel that that is not the case, that's

not what's happening in the camp with players making themselves unavailable. No of course it was hard and also because yes there's players who have been in the squad for a long time and we have had an incredible journey together. So that's of course hard to take. But at the same time, we're a football team, we're going to the Euros and we have to go back to business. And for other players, an opportunity to be selected for the Euros and they're so hungry. So they showed up and when we were on the pitch, we were training really well. And in the games, yeah, we gave our everything

and we gave our best. And just finally, looking forward, as I know you want to do, it's the Euros. You're going in as defending champions. How confident are you and the squad feeling heading into this tournament? I think we've had so many experiences over the last year in the games, and we've learned so much.

This camp in the nation and we've learned so much. This camp in the Nations League has learned us again so much about ourselves and about some individuals, but also where are we at in our style of play, what can we still tweak and improve. And we have a little more time to do that, so we're very excited and we're going to do everything to be at our best on the 5th of July and hopefully a lot longer than that. So we're very excited and we're going to do everything to be at our best on the 5th of July and hopefully a lot longer than that. Well that was Serena Wiegman talking to Vicky Sparks, lots more from Vicky and from Steph and from Ellen very shortly but I'm delighted to say we're joined

now by one of the players included in Serena Wiegman's 23 player Euros squad defender Esme Morgan. Thank you for joining us. Hi guys, thank you for having me. Well, it's great to have to great to talk to you. I mean, congratulations. First of all, it's your second major tournament. It's your first Euros squad though. So when that phone call came in, what did that feel like? I felt really emotional. I immediately just got like a lump in my throat and kind of went a bit shaky.

Serena was on FaceTime to me and the camera was probably shaking all over. She probably couldn't see me properly. But yeah, I just felt so emotional and so excited and really, really proud. Because you missed out, didn't you, on the last Euros four years ago because you got injured. Yeah, I had a broken leg and I mean, I don't have any clue whether I would have been picked anyway, but I really enjoyed watching it as a fan and went to the semi-final and the final, bit of a glory hunter really. I was doing some media stuff around the earlier games so I hadn't been able to go to them, but it was so much fun just seeing all my friends do the nation proud. And so I loved going to watch it

and I'm excited to get to be part of this one as part of the squad. Yeah, did you think, ah, it could have been me, I could have been up there? I was just enjoying watching, seeing my best friends just have their profiles saw and inspire so many people was so much fun. And I obviously played with so many people,

either at club level or England youth age groups. So I just felt so much joy watching them have the success that they did. And I always remember coming out of Wembley after the final and everyone just chanting England songs. And I just thought, wow, look at where women's football has come. So it was so special.

And I have so many fond memories of watching that tournament that I never really had any feelings of or wishing I was a part of it. I accepted long before that that I wasn't going to be so then I could just enjoy it. Esme firstly congratulations and long time no see I've missed you. I've missed you too Steffie. Long time no see, I've missed you. I've missed you too, Steffie. Two questions actually. This is going to be your second major tournament for England. Is your approach going to be a little bit different for this one compared to the first

one? And the second thing is, how is the mood in camp after this last couple of weeks? I think I probably know what to expect a little bit more. The atmosphere at the games in Australia was incredible, just in terms of the noise, the goosebumps when the national anthem goes. So I'm glad that I had the experience without playing any minutes

because I could really just absorb all of my environment and the surroundings. And I feel like that has prepared me well to know what to expect in a future tournament if I have a greater role. I feel like I always go into squads with the mindset of just being ready if I'm needed. And so I very much have that same mindset now. And the mood in the group has been great to be honest. We were really, really motivated for the game against Portugal

and we're so happy with how that played. same going into the Spain game we knew it was going to be really tough and obviously it's been hard losing such great people and great players and so the squad out of the squad the last couple of weeks but we've just all kind of rallied together and we know that they're all rooting for us so we want to do well for ourselves to make everyone back home proud and for the girls who aren't going to be there too. Hey Esme, huge congratulations. Thank you, El.

I just wanted to ask, the next four weeks, what's that looking like? Have you got a holiday and then prep camp? Can you kind of give us a little bit of insight of what those four weeks are leading up to the first game? Yeah, well mine might look different to most people's because I'm currently back in America because we've got games now. So first game back on Sunday and then we've got two others after that before then coming back in for prep camp about a week before the friendly against Jamaica. But yeah, I was a bit jealous hearing of some of the other girls' holiday plans heading off to Ibiza and wherever else. I was like, oh, that sounds lovely. Not Ibiza again.

I love football. It sounds like half the women's football community is there at the minute, to be honest. Actually, just to, I know Vicky wants to come in as well, but just one from me as me. Does it actually help the fact that, you know, the guys who are playing in the States at the moment, you're going to be quite battle-hardened, you know, you're going to be playing almost up to the point, whereas, you know, so you're quite relatively fresh compared to the girls who are playing in the WSL. Yeah, when I was signing for the Spirit, that was one of the things that I had in mind. I feel like the US has had so much success in

international tournaments and I do think a part of that is the schedule of the season running March through November because you're getting to your physical peak in the middle of the season, feeling really match fit, sharp, as fresh as possible. Whereas obviously for a lot of the European teams it's either right at the end of a very long season when there's a lot of fatigue and niggles, or it's at the start of pre-season when you're then having to build back in, which can be really quite difficult to manage

from a physical perspective. So yeah, one of the real benefits that I saw to come in from America was hopefully being well placed to be fit, fresh and sharp going into major tournaments. So I'm excited about that. Esme, hi, congratulations on your inclusion in the squad. On a leadership question, I mean, obviously, the players that we've seen, you know, withdraw for various reasons over the last week or so, Frank Kirby, Mary Earps, Millie Bright,

of course, huge experience between them in terms of major tournaments, but also that leadership element. I mean Millie, captaining the side to the World Cup final a couple of years ago. I'm just wondering, speaking from your perspective, you are someone who's captained England at youth level and I know many of the players who perhaps have fewer caps because of the stage in your careers that you're at at senior level, but you have had these leadership experiences at youth level with England. Is that something that you feel that the likes of yourself and other players in the squads who maybe don't have that at senior level, but have that at youth level? How much can you draw on that

in terms of that experience as you come into this tournament? Massively, I think when you lose experienced players, there's always got to be people who step up and kind of take on those roles. And I think players who you wouldn't necessarily consider senior players, but people like Keira Walsh, Georgia Stanway, who've been around the set up for so long, they're natural leaders too.

And so people like them will step up into those roles and have a greater voice and obviously experience that I've got myself, I feel like I've got qualities that naturally I take on sort of leadership roles but I don't necessarily feel that I have that in the Lionesses squad but I think those characteristics just lend themselves to being a good squad player and trying to contribute in that manner and obviously I've played with so many of the girls at youth age groups so although we've got a young squad we have great connection between everyone and I feel like that's going to stand us in good stead in terms of knowing how one another operates, being able to support one another and be positive influences and try and get the best out of each other and hopefully everyone can just perform with freedom

and confidence because we've all got such a good connection and hopefully can all sort of step up and try and fill the shoes of those who've moved on. Have you been doing your tendon prep? That's all I want to know. Every day Steffie it never stops does it? tendon prep. That's all I want to know. Every day Steffi, it never stops, does it? No, it never does. I'm just checking. We need you ready for these Euros. No, I mean, the thoughts, and it's a month to go, a month today, I think, isn't it, that

you'll play your first game against France. One of the things that Serena's talked about is actually just maybe being a bit more fluid with her options. Perhaps she's been quite solid in the past. Do you think the fact that you've got that versatility that you can play all across the defensive line? Has she talked to you about that? Do you have any idea what your role will be? No, not particularly. As I said before, I always just go into the camps with the mindset of trying to be as prepared as I possibly can. I prepare every game as if I'm going to start it so that I'm ready if that is the case or coming off the bench or even if not

needed at all. I think you're there to be able to support and offer thoughts at half time to those who are on the pitch and things like that. So no matter what my role is, I always prepare in the same manner and just try to stay as ready as possible and try and be the best team player that I can do. I've had two experiences of tournaments at youth level, both the Under 20s World Cup and the Seniors World Cup, where I went and I didn't play a single minute, but I just tried to be the best squad player that I could be

and tried to help those start in to prepare as well as they could. And so I feel like I've got experience doing that. And I know how important that role is too. So, yeah, I just try and be the best squad player I can be, try and stay sharp and ready and focused and whatever opportunities come, come. If they don't, that's also fine. I'll just know that I'll have done the very best I could in whatever role I'm given. It's fantastic to talk to you Esme, we really appreciate you coming on and speaking to us. Thank you very much for having me, it's been lovely to chat to you all and I've

missed you guys. I missed you Es. Well I hope everything goes brilliantly and go well. Thank you so much. Women's Football Weekly on the Football Daily. I'm Ben Haynes. I'm Ellen White. And I'm Jen Beattie. And on Tuesdays on the Football Daily, we bring you the Women's Football Weekly. Really pleased with the fact we are now champions and we got this title.

We had time to enjoy with the fans and we'll have some time with friends and family after the game. As we dive headfirst into all things WSL and beyond in the women's game. Women's Football Weekly only on the Football Daily. Listen now on BBC Sounds. The Football Daily podcast on BBC Sounds. Well that was Esme Morgan talking to us from out in the States where she's playing for Washington Spirit. I mean, the mood, Ellen, it's kind of quite infectious, isn't it, really? You listen to the way that Esme talks, that kind of excitement of being part of this group, talking about her friends,

the bond that they have, this group of players. How important will that be as the competition goes on and they go deep and they have difficult moments because they don't hit the ground running against France, things could get difficult quite quickly. Yeah, it's hugely important. The culture that Serena and the team have created, it takes a long time to create that. But then it's credit to the players to build that togetherness, the family-like feel. And I feel like Esme, she's playing herself down. I feel like she's such an amazing team player and it's really challenging going to a major tournament, not playing a minute, but having that focus

and having that real diligence to be the best version of yourself and the best teammate, driving standards. And I feel like, you know, these players that are going, some of those players won't play a minute. We need those players to be the best version of themselves to help this team hopefully go on and do amazing things and retain the trophy. But like you say if they were to maybe not get the result against France, I think it's just about that squad sticking together and sticking to the tactics, the philosophy, what they've known and sticking with what the staff want. So I believe they've got an amazing squad, they've got great experience in youth and I feel

like they've got a great togetherness that hopefully will take them all the way. Yeah, that really stood out to me as well, Ellen, didn't it? I mean, she said, like you say, Ellie, she was so infectious and you could see and feel that we can see her on Zoom, but you could hear the excitement, you know, of what it means to her to be in this squad. But yeah, that real focus on, I am going to be, if I am just a squad player, I'm going to be the best squad player that I can be. And of course, of the three retirements, well, not retirements of Millie Bright, but Millie Bright removing herself from selection and the two retirements of Frank Kirby and Mary Earps. Lots of the chat around the Mary Earps decision, which you know she said was really really difficult, ultimately

the right time to step aside and give the younger generation an opportunity to thrive, but she had also lost her place to Hadhampton in recent months and was set to be number two and you know we've had Karen Bardsley on Five Live a lot over the last week you know who's gone through that experience of being England's number one and then being England's number two and Bardsley really paying tribute to the likes of Rachel Brown-Finnis who you know helped her come through and that almost being part of your career trajectory often you know as a goalkeeper you have that number one and then and then help us number two. Now you know Mary Earps is absolutely entitled to you know make the

decision that she wants to make and you know there are like she says there are many reasons for it and it's not important to get into those right now and talks about the honor that it was to play for England and how hard that decision was but ultimately like Helen says you know it is so hard to go when you when you know you're going to be a squad player and to hear that enthusiasm from Esme Morgan. And of course, she'll hope to play. I mean, she started against Portugal at Wembley the other night. You know, we have Millie Bright not available. There may be opportunities, as you say, Ellie, she's very versatile. She can play

across the defence. But to go with that attitude of, you know, I'm so buzzing to be there and I know I can make a difference, even if it's not starting, even if it's not getting on the pitch, I know I can make a difference by what I do in training, by supporting the other girls, by creating this team environment. It clearly came across, didn't it?

Yeah, it did. And I think for me, Esme is an intelligent human and playing with her at Manchester City. England for a little bit, I think me and Ellen know from experience in terms of the bench is what makes your team. I think if you can get a good bench with a lot of good players, good people who know and have clarity over their role, that helps us start at 11 and million times. And we've been on both sides where the beginning of my England career I sat

on the bench and watch Ellen absolutely smash it in terms of the 2011 World Cup and I knew that I had to be the best roommate, the best teammate I could be to allow her to perform and you know what as well when you get that chance because you've done that you feel more prepared, you feel more ready and I think it's great that Esme has got that attitude and I'm sure a lot of the England girls with the experience know that Serena, yeah she maybe predicts and she picks the starting 11 that's quite consistent but she has four or five players that are consistently going to come off the bench and contribute in some sort of way so I feel as though there's probably a lot of clarity being given over the last week in terms of what people's rules are. And I can always see that as a strength of England and has been definitely

over the last two tournaments. And you mentioned Aguimangu, who we mentioned at the very start, and you look at the impact that Alessia Russo had as the super sub, you know, that importance of that bench, you know, you've got Aguibiva Jones potentially, I don't know whether she will, whether she'll start with she'll be on the bench. But actually the potential for these players to make a name, even if they're not in the starting eleven, everyone's got to be on it, haven't they? Absolutely.

I think it's so important that you're prepared and that you have to put your ego to one side in these tournaments, especially if you are a squad player or you are coming off the bench. It's about making that impact, whatever that might be, but you might have to see out a game. It might not necessarily be that you have to go out and score a goal. You might have to kind of sit in and be very defensive, but you know, you have to work hard for the team at the same time. I've been on both sides like Steph said in 2015 I didn't play a lot and I had to kind of support on that side as well, but you have to be ready. You have to bring positive vibes and positive energy because if you have people that don't have that energy

it really brings down that team. So I feel like this squad and maybe the starting 11 if you put them to one side, the other players, they have to bring that big energy. Matchday plus one, where they have to go out and they have to do a blowout. It's hard, it's challenging, you're tired. But I feel like they've got the right balance in this squad, and hopefully they've got the right energy, the right vibes. And I was just thinking, sorry about that back line as well what Esme was saying about being a squad player previously when you've got someone like Alex Greenwood who is coming back from injury I'm not sure whether she's gonna be playing 90 minutes back-to-back in six games if they get to the final so there is gonna be chance for maybe an Esme Morgan or a

lot of Wubba Moi, someone like that even a Mea Letizier to have that chance to come on and have a huge impact in this team. So I think their roles might be slightly different, but you have to be prepared and ready. And it was such a crucial part of Serena Vigman's tactical plan at the Euros in 2022, wasn't it? You know, obviously, the starting lineup remaining the same from the first group game until the final, the only manager to do that at a men's or a women's Euros, but that regularity of the players coming off the bench and they were so key in the overall impact in each game for England. That was as much the master plan as the starting lineup and you only have to look as far as the

final. The two players at school came off the bench, Alatun and Clary Kelly and that is so encouraging for Serena Wigman, I think particularly to see for example the performance of Agui Beaver-Jones at Wembley against Portugal on Friday, netting a hat trick, only the second player to do that for England women after Beth Mead at Wembley. It is so good to see players like Beaver-Jones, she's had a great season with Chelsea,

but to get this momentum continued in the build up, because I think, we were talking about it during commentary on Five Live, is she making this late claim to ease Russo out of the starting lineup everybody thinking that you know Russo is going to be England's number nine but if she does as you know she may well do come off the bench during the tournament brilliant to have her in form and Adjimeng as you say Elia another really exciting option in that regard. We're going to ask you for your starting lineups for that game against France a month today in just a second.

But I wanted to mention a bit more about Lauren James, Steph, because she's been included. Is she the kind of player that if there is a chance, even that she makes the later stages, you kind of got to gamble on her in the squad? Because if she could be there in the quarterfinals, because she is so good, She can make such a difference that she's worth taking whatever happens.

One million percent. I think there was ever a chance that Lauren James could be part of the squad, whether that is in the first few games or hopefully when England qualified to the quarters, the semi-finals. I think you need players that can make a difference. We speak about Fran Kirby of a time and she was one of them players early on in her England career that could make a difference, could change a game in a heartbeat. And Lauren James is, she's a very special talent, I think, in terms of, I was looking at the midfield

and I was thinking we've got five players in there, but if you add Lauren James in, she can play in that 10 position, she can play off Alessia Russo, she can play on that left-hand side. If Lauren Hempstead's done 60, 70 minutes, she can come on, she can play off Alessia Russo, she can play on that left-hand side. If Lauren Hempstead 60-70 minutes she can come on, she can dribble. I think for me, I think we were all hoping she was going to be in there as an England fan. You want players like her that can change games and she can be a little bit of a weapon

for England in the sense of people probably don't think she's a hundred percent fit but I think for them 15-20 minutes, whatever it might be in whatever game, it's about bringing someone on with her quality and I think for them 15, 20 minutes, whatever it might be in whatever game, it's about bringing someone on with her quality and I think we all speak about her dribbling capability but I think for me in terms of shooting from outside the box and her finishing, she is probably up there with one of the best and potentially in the Euros competition itself. Let's talk then about the people who are not going to be there. We kind of hinted at it a little bit. I mean, Mary Earps, Millie Bright and Frank Kirby, for a range of reasons have said they're not

available for this squad. So Frank Kirby, Mary Earps announcing their international retirement. We mentioned that Millie Bright has posted pictures of her having a knee operation, picture of a bandaged knee. There is very much this determination, Vicki, isn't there in the camp to say it's no crisis. This is just three relatively unrelated things. Is that fair, do you think? That was certainly the message on Serena Vigman today. The word crisis was thrown at her a couple of times in the press conference and as we heard in the interview with her with Five Live earlier, you know, she was very, you know, strong on saying that is not the case, you know, you don't see everything that's happening in terms of training,

in terms of elements of our Nations League performances, you know, it's been really good. She also wanted to emphasise, and Eddie is true, the context and circumstances for all of them are really different. So I think one thing that I did notice in the post Spain press conference, so Fran Kirby announcing her retirement, telling the players after the game and then Serena Wigman answering questions on Fran in the press conference, she was asked would you have liked Fran to be on standby essentially had she not retired and she said well it's not relevant, you know, would you have liked Fran to be on standby, essentially, had she not retired? And she said, well, it's not relevant. You know, she has retired. And I think that is the slight

question. And it's probably only really a question because of the shock retirement of Mary Earps, where Serena Vigman was very strong on that for her and said, you know, she was really disappointed and found it hard and wanted Earps to play a big role. So the question, you know, being would you have wanted Fran to kind of be on standby question, you know, being would you have wanted Fran to kind of be on standby, but you know, she, I should be safe, she said it wasn't relevant. But other than that, I mean, you can really understand Fran telling the BBC that she was going to retire anyway after the Euro. So, you know, in many ways, it just makes sense to bring that forward because you're not going to have any more opportunities to play. So, and you make that

official. Quick word for you, Vicky. I know you've got to go and get a train I'm told. So I mean we talk about the experience that you've got in those three players that we just talked about but Wendy Renard not making the French squad, is that a shock? I mean she's what, she's 34, 35? Yeah 34 and Eugénie Lossomère as well. So it's interesting, they weren't selected for the recent Nations League victories and manager Laurent Bonadet said that these sort of decisions weren't made in the spur of the moment. And I think when you have two competitive games, you know, just before you name your squad, people were thinking, all right, well, you

know, are they going to miss out? But fascinating quotes from Bonadé. Let me just read you some of them because this really made my eyebrows raise. But you know, I understand why he's making these points. As Einstein said, insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different result. I want different results for this team, so I've gone with a different selection. It's something I've been thinking about since the start of the season and no one was indispensable. Now that's what he said after he admitted them from the Nations League squad but I mean that is that's that's pretty clear isn't it? You know, basically as a manager I want to take a different decision and no one's indispensable.

So France moving on. Vicki thank you very much. You go and get your train. I'm going to pin Steph and Ellen down to their starting 11s for that game against France a month today on the 5th of July. Who wants to go first? Go on, Steph, you go first. Hopefully we know each other that we have the same team, I think. I'm predicting maybe one or two changes. Let's hope so. Obviously Hannah in goal, Hannah Hampton. Really?

Do you want to go in goal? Ellen's coming out of her time and she's going home. I've seen her in goal, definitely not. Lucy Bronze, Lee Williamson, Alex Greenwood, Neve Charles at left back. Then I'm going to go Kiera Walsh and Georgia Georgia Stanway as a little bit of a two holders with Grace Clinton in the ten. Then I'm gonna go Beth Mead, Alessia Russo and Lauren Hemp. Are we on the same wavelength as elves? No nailed it. Well there you go. Do you want my subs as well? Well, I was going to say, why do you let Ellen, Ellen can give us her subs.

Ellen can do the subs, yeah. Okay, 75 minutes, we're going to put Aggy Beaver Jones on, bring Alex Greenwood off, but Esme Morgan's going in. No, I don't know. Well, that's the thing is that you don't have to make, you don't have to make choices. You can just, she's got those options. She's got all of those options in pretty much every position. Just a final word about Hannah Hampton. Because of everything that's been said and all the fuss

that there's been this week and this crisis that's not a crisis, do you think there'll be a lot of eyes on Hannah? Will she have a lot of pressure on her to perform during this tournament, Ellen? I think there is obviously going to naturally now be a lot of eyes on her. She is now named obviously England's number one, obviously with Mary now retiring. I've known her since she's been, she was 16 years old at Birmingham. You know, as a young kid, I've watched her move from Birmingham to Aston Villa and absolutely thrive at Chelsea. I believe that she's one of the best goalkeepers with her feet, but stature-wise she can get down, she can make big saves. I think for me it's just, has she got someone there to support her in a leadership role? Can

those older players really kind of grab her by the scruff of their neck and support her in this tournament because it's her first major tournament as a starting player but I think you know she'll go out there and prove everyone that she is one of the best goalkeepers out there. Listen, it's been fantastic to talk to you both and it's wonderful to think that you're going to be part of the team for the Euros and behind England and the Lionesses all the way through, of course, here on Five Live Sports Extra, every game live. So thank you very much to Steph Horton, Ellen White and Vicky Sparks. That's it for this episode of the Football Daily. Also out now you can catch the EuroLeague season finale

with Alistair Bruce Ball as the gang discuss the fallout from the Champions League final. Football, a game of passion, rivalry and loyalty. But decades ago, beneath the cheers and the chants lay a different kind of warfare called hooliganism. On a match day, everyone was your enemy. Everyone was going to kill you. We look over the brutal, bloody battles where punching below the belt was a way of life. It was just a day of mayhem. It's a day you dream of.

Join me, Tony Bellew, as we hear from those bruising for a fight in the name of the firms that they belong to. We hated them, we hunted them, we battered them, Tony Belleu as we hear from those bruising for a fight in the name of the firms that they belong to. We hated them, we hunted them, we battered them and nothing got in the way of football. Something they called the English disease. They were destroying the football club, the game I love. Gangster Presents Hooligans. Listen on BBC Sounds.