Football Daily - Women’s Football Weekly: Inside England with Lucy Bronze & Lauren James!

Episode Date: April 1, 2025

Ellen White and Ben Haines are down at St Georges Park catching up with Chelsea’s Lucy Bronze and Lauren James. Lucy and Lauren give an insight into their relationship on the pitch and how being at Chelsea under Sonia Bompastor has helped both their games. They share what it’s like heading into the Euros and how important every camp is from now until the summer. The team also discuss what it was like in those back to back games against City and how that prepares them for their double header against Belgium with the Lionesses. While Ellen and Ben were down at St Georges Jen caught up with her former Scotland teammate Claire Emslie as they prepare for their Nations League games against Germany. Claire talks how it’s been since Scotland didn’t qualify for the Euros and how the team is in transition. Plus an insight into life in LA with NWSL side Angel City!01:00 Welcome to St Georges Park! 06:20 Lucy Bronze & Lauren James 18:15 Mindset as Euros approaches 23:30 Lucy & Lauren on each others strengths 31:00 Claire Emslie with Jen 36:50 LA LifeBBC Sounds / 5 Live commentaries: Tue 1 Apr 1945 Arsenal v Fulham on 5 Live Tue 1 Apr 2000 Nottingham Forest v Man Utd on 5 Sports Extra Tue 1 Apr 1945 Wolves v West Ham on BBC Sport website Wed 2 Apr 2000 Liverpool v Everton on 5 Live Wed 2 Apr 1945 Newcastle v Brentford on 5 Sports Extra Wed 2 Apr 1945 Bournemouth v Ipswich on BBC Sport website Fri 4 Apr 2000 England v Belgium on 5 Sports Extra

BBC Sounds music radio podcasts. On the Football Daily, the Women's Football Weekly with Ben Haynes, Ellen White and Jen Beattie. Hello everybody, welcome to the Women's Football Weekly brought to you from St George's Park. So let's just set the scene a little bit here. To my left is England's greatest ever goal scorer Ellen White. How are you? I'm very well. How are you? Yeah, good.

Other than the fact I feel like we're gonna get beaten up by the audio here as people no doubt can hear Birds going absolutely crazy There's all sorts of exciting shoots going on behind us as well Lioness is left right and center and we're gonna be joined by two very special guests as well I know I thought you were gonna mention the crows as well. Sorry crows left right and centre and we're going to be joined by two very special guests as well. I know I thought you were going to mention the crows as well. Sorry crows are very much involved. It's the most beautiful day. You could be forgiven for thinking that this is tournament football about to start right? It has that summer feel to it doesn't it? Gorgeous blue skies, players have arrived

to camp in really really good spirits with 2B Games against Belgium to come. We're about to speak to Lucy Bronze and to Lauren James. Jen Beatty we've sent to do some fun stuff with Scotland Camp as well, so she'll be joining us later on. Is it nice being back? It is nice being back, yeah. I brought my daughter as well, so that was fun. She's very popular here, I would argue she's more popular than you or I. I would agree, no one speaks to me, they just go straight to her.

Oh, me? Yeah, can we see her please? No it's really nice and like you say I feel like being here when the weather's like this I feel like your spirits you know it just seems like it has its own cyclone SGP it's weird it's very windy it's just odd the weather's here always very strange but this is just positivity and I feel like the girls will just be on another level now. I think when the last times I was here Farrah Williams was having a pitch named after her just over the other side we've now

got helicopters to add to the mix to our audio. He's here. No we have Farrah Williams having her pitch renamed and in the five minute walk from where we currently are sat to get to the pitch Pretty much like a rainstorm just engulfed us by the time we got over there absolutely drowned It was awful and tell me a little bit about Lucy and Lauren who we're speaking to today. I mean Two very different footballers, but they've struck up this really wonderful relationship haven't they? Yeah they've got a lovely bond haven't they and I think yeah you can just see they've got a really great connection they both really respect each other I think LJ's got a lot of respect for obviously what Lucy's done in the game and obviously wants to kind of feed off what she brings to football in England and a club and then I feel like I'm the same

as Lucy potentially being like I'd quite like a little bit of LJ's talent if I'm being honest. So no, they just it's a really nice blend and I think it was a really good conversation. And having a really good time together at Chelsea now. I mean they've just come off the back of a really successful window of games. They've lost one so they've got the first taste of defeat in there but really Sonia Bompastor can't have asked for much more there. She got pretty much exactly what she wanted in terms of outcome. Exactly. I think if you were to think which game could they afford to lose, I'm not saying they wanted to lose, no one wants to obviously Man City played very well in that game but that was

probably the game that they could afford to lose and it happened and obviously I think it's good for the team to know what that feels like, because it must be a strange feeling to just suddenly have been one every game and then obviously lose. So I think the team done so well, the depth of the squad is absolutely phenomenal.

Won a trophy in the Champions League semi-final. Obviously came back from two goals down in the Champions League, one goal in the Champions League semi-final. Obviously came back from two goals down the Champions League, one goal in the in the WSL. It's just it it's phenomenal to watch and Sonia Pompastor done amazingly well but the players back to back to back to back it's just that's a slog, a real hard slog. Really relentless so they win the League Cup, they then lose the first leg in the Champions League but find a way past City anyway, winning the league and I think to your point there you feel that maybe a defeat in the league might have just felt a lot worse because you suddenly lose that feeling of we could go and

win this season. If they go all the way in the Champions League no one will ever talk about the fact that Man City beat them in the first leg of a quarter-final will they? That's true actually, I haven't actually, I didn't think about that. That's impressive from you. Thank you for bringing that up. A stopped clock is right twice a day. Yeah, I didn't think about that. They're still obviously unbeaten in the league and that would be insane, wouldn't it? To obviously win, is it six in a row? To go invincible?

Do you know what? I feel like this season, the world is their oyster at the moment. And I know it's so hard to win the quadruple. It really is. Obviously Arsenal did it, which was phenomenal. But I just feel like there's something about this squad and something about Sonja. And yeah, I know in the interview that we'll talk about, but I would just love to be managed by her. I just think she's just she just seems so cool,

but then also has a a little something as well I love but I think Serena Vigman has that as well. I mean, you know, we know that's far better than me I love those people in life that you come across that have the best energy you totally buy into what they're doing They can make you laugh. They're super engaging But there is just that little bit in the back of your mind that thinks I do not want to be on their bad side I don't want to be on their bad side. I don't want to be the one that lets them down. That is what it is.

You don't want to let them down. They want to win so badly and you want to win so badly. You want to make them proud as well. And they're no nonsense. And I just, I love that in a manager, like just taking nothing. This is how we're going to win. This is the way I want it to go.

And this is the road. And if you're not on it, if you're not on this road, you're not on this journey, then I, you know, bye bye basically. You know the rules of the game right? Exactly and I just love it. You know all of the rules. And Serena is like that.

I feel like she's really good at having that line of great, she loves talking to you like a human being, like a person, the communication, that level. But then when it came to game mode, training mode, she's the manager and what she says goes basically. And I like that. I think that's a dutch in her as well. Just so direct. We shouldn't move on without a word on Arsenal as well. We've just seen Chloe Kelly over your shoulder

going through her media duties. She's got game face very much on. She'll know this is a massive opportunity, but my word, she's really been taking her chances with Arsenal, hasn't she? Incredible form. I feel like she's gone to Arsenal and she's felt a lot of love, she's obviously got a lot of training in her, she looks fit, she looks sharp, she looks happy and the happy Chloe Kelly you saw that against Real Madrid and I actually texted her and just said your crosses were a dream

with like love heart eyes to just be like that's what it was like for me at Man City and even at England at times. I had Lauren Hemp one side, I had Chloe Gaheley the other and what a dream that is for a number nine. Just the crosses are just unbelievable. We saw that at the weekend as well against Crystal Palace when Beth me scored that volley but she was phenomenal and if she can bring that form into England and we're getting close to the Euros as well so that would be amazing to see. Can you imagine what a final that would be? Two English teams in the final. Absolutely incredible. But let's get into our first interview of today then. Lucy, welcome back. Lauren, welcome for the first time. Baby for you. Lucy's with us almost every week. We're pretty sure she's trying to make a hostile

takeover and Ellen, you've got a bit of beef just to start. I'm old apparently. Ah, listen, I'm old as well. No, I'm not. And I'm young. I love it. Like you two now, coming as a bit of a pair, how long has this been a thing for that you've kind of become a bit of a duo in? Since you got picked for England really, wasn't it? Yeah. How long has that been now?

Since the purple kit. Is that how you memorize it? Like before COVID, was it? Yeah. What was your debut? Your debut. Didn't you play in the tournament? I love the fact that I watched your debut and you immediately look at Lucy in the film. Well your first goal was in the tournament that we had in England. Arnold Clark? Yeah. Was that your debut year though? No. Was that before the Euros?

I think you would say yeah. Quite an easy one, innit? How has life changed for you as a Lioness since then? I'd say probably more after the World Cup. Okay. As that's like such a big stage. And yeah, like good things and bad things happen at the World Cup.

So yeah, probably since that, I'd just say more recognition and everything. Do you think because you had the complete experience there of all the good stuff and some difficult stuff as well, you're a little bit more relaxed by the time that you come into camp now. She couldn't get more relaxed. She couldn't get more relaxed.

I'm already relaxed. Yeah, I think I'm always laid back anyway. Even when you first came in, you were laid back, no nerves. Yeah, I think, obviously you still have a little bit of butterflies, but I think I don't show that. Yeah, like Lucy thinks thinks I'm just chilled. Okay Lucy, now let's get your impression of, is it just chilled? Or is there more going on that we we maybe don't see? Yeah, it takes a lot to see the real inside of Elja's, yeah, like her different

persona and things like that. But no, she's just, she's just chilled, she's easy to get along with, But no, she's just she's just chill. She's easy to get along with. She's funny girl. But yeah, I guess, you know, it's not that easy to always be super open with everybody in the media and things like that. So I'm I'm very privileged that she's picked me as a friend. Do people have to work hard to gain your trust to get in your in your good books? I wouldn't say work hard, I'd just say it takes me some time to warm up to people. But you picked out Lucy like straight away right? You text Lucy to ask us. Well I think Lucy took me under her

wing straight away. It wasn't a choice. But she took you under her wing at the beginning? Yeah. So tell us a little bit about that. I don't even know how it happened it kind of just fell into place and then yeah she was just always willing to help me. I was asking her questions because obviously she's been doing at this level for a while and I was just coming on to the scene so and then we kind of just bonded from there and then now we're playing the same team together. What's that like? Club and country? Was that the reason? Was that the reason?

To be the closest at LJ? Why do you think she's track her back now? We've been coming on to that. We've been taught a lot. Well, we got into this straight away. I mean, you guys are about to play back-to-back games against Belgium, but you've just come from the back of four games against one team. How was that experience for you?

I mean, particularly you, Lucy. we spoke at the beginning and said... Told you didn't I? Well, tell them what you said. Did you get in there, really? No, I didn't. Well, I just knew. Well, Sonia... I ended up at centre back as well.

You played all the position. Sonia basically said, no one or... there won't be anyone. We'll play four 90s. Four lots and 90 minutes. Yeah, outfield. And you were like, I will. I was like, I will and Millie will. You were close to me there. Yeah. LJ was close in the minutes. How was that experience I will, and Millie will. You was close to me there,

LJ was close in the minutes. How was that experience? Did it play out how you thought that it would? I mean, obviously we hoped to win all four games, but I think it kept it exciting, and each game was different, and there was different reasons behind different games. The first three were all essentially away games for us.

I think that was, by the end of that week we were like thank god we're playing at home at Stamford Bridge and probably was our best performance the last one and probably for that reason as well but yeah it was definitely an interesting experience and it was almost like I think you can learn a lot from that going into two back-to-back games against Belgium or even what a tournament looks like having to travel and play games. So it gave a lot of experience to more players at Chelsea and we have a couple of England players, a couple of young England players as well so it was quite good for them.

As you're coming into the Belgium games, do you look out for things in that second game for example that you've picked up from the first? With the city games, so much changed over the course of the four. I mean, you literally had the pitch to contend with, you had managerial changes, you had the team shape changes. I mean, you guys changed two or three times yourself. So can you learn things from the first game going into the second one?

Yeah, definitely. I think you can always learn, but equally so can they. It does make for an interesting challenge the second game being a bit different and it's funny because you analyze one, you do your debrief on one game but it's also your analysis for the next. So it gives so many players opportunity if you end up starting both games or playing in both games to show that you're paying attention to the manager, that you're listening and you're willing to improve and get better. So I think it gives individuals a good opportunity to

show their learnings and to improve and as well as the team. Is that what Sonia kind of looks at as well? Does she kind of watch what you're doing? Is she quite analytical in that sense as well? Not just based on your training, your performance, she wants you to work hard off the pitch in terms of watching the games tactically as well. I think Sonja sees a lot more than maybe what some of the younger players realise and we have a really young squad at Chelsea to be fair, helping them gain experience throughout the season has been one of the big things that Sonja's wanted to get out to be able

to then trust more and more players. We have a lot of players but it's not as easy as you're always going to win when you change the team and things like that. But yeah, I think she's mentioned a few times, you know, you've got to be there every single day. That's probably why, you know, we talk about those four games and her trust and players like myself and Millie who do everything. We're always there, we're listening, we're asking questions and things like that. And yeah, I think managers pay attention to those things. What have you felt like a difference is with having Sonia? Obviously you had you with Emma Hayes for quite a while and obviously she was a, had a big impact on you as well.

What Sonia kind of changed or adapted or do you feel like you work really well together? Yeah, I feel we work well together. I think at the start it obviously took some time, but no, she allows me to be me. She gives me freedom as long as I'm, you know, doing my work on the other side, the defensive part. And I think obviously under Sonia, I think that's what's shown more this season. I've added to my game. I just think because

she's on it, like... You can't shy away. You can't hide. If you're not doing it, you're not playing basically. Yeah, yeah. Will she tell you? Will she say, listen, you're not putting in? Well, you would hear her on the side. Oh really? Yeah, and I mean,

she would literally turn you off. You get a warning and then if you don't do it, it's like, right. With small things that she doesn't like. You'd be off at half time and you wouldn't even be told. Yeah. I love that though. Do you like that approach?

Is that different to what you had before with Emma? Yeah, because I just think I think every manager is different whereas Sonia isn't afraid to make the change at halftime. Yeah So yeah, I do think if you're Not having a great game first half you just know you're coming off you just know you're coming off basically. You don't get another 45 to change that around. Or a 15 minutes. But you know that there's opportunity again later on. I think that's like, we've seen that throughout the season.

Our start 11 has changed and people have been in and out of format. That happens. Even the team has as well. We've had good games and bad games. But I think Sonja's come with so much experience from a team like Leon with the world's best 11 at some points. You know, so she knows how to manage that and how to get the best out of big players. That's what she did at Leon.

Do you feel that you can notice in your game an improvement or is it just different in terms of the amount of work that you're putting in? No, I think I notice an improvement, but I think each season has helped with like, I've gained more fitness, which has allowed me to be able to do the work when I don't have the ball and when I do have the ball. As to before, it's more like I've just got the energy for when I attack and it can come across, oh, she doesn't want to defend. But I think each season, because I've been gaining fitness, it's allowed me to do both. She loves defending. That's what we were speaking about before, I was saying that your level of intensity

to defend then doesn't hamper your level of intensity to attack. I've seen recently in Last Chain, which I feel like then your level has now gone so much higher, which is so impressive obviously that you've been working really hard on that as well. Do you then want to bring that into England or is it a totally different role that you play within this group? No I want to bring that into England. I think my role in England is quite similar to Chelsea. Serena is the same with me. As long as I'm working hard then I can be free when we have the ball. And what about your role Lucy? I mean... Elger. We did defend him with a...

Really good Elger. Keep defending. In general, do you feel like it's changing? Or do you feel... I mean, it's very difficult to not be relaxed on a day like this at St George's Park, isn't it? Sun's out. Probably not those crows. You've got to get aggressively shout out and then heckled down by the crows.

But it's like a gorgeous day. You've got a great environment here. It must be hard not to feel good when you're turning up to be a part of this squad. Yeah, I know it is. I think maybe things have changed more over the last few years, probably thanks to people like Ellen leaving

and leaving me and Millie to pick up and look after the kids. Yeah, so, you know, I mean, I think I'm still the same person, you know, I'm pretty relaxed off the pitch. I'm pretty fiery on the pitch, very competitive. I push everybody a crazy amount when I'm training. It takes a lot out of me sometimes. But yeah, we've got quite a youthful team now at England. So I've had to try and find that balance of, you know, being friends and connecting with them while still pushing them because I know that they can all be like even better than they are world-class players, best players in the world, things like that so it's finding that balance of how to get the best out of the team

while still, you know, wanting to be the best player that I can be as well We're only a few months away now from what's going to be a massive summer does anything change for you two in your mindset as you get to these camps? I suppose you know realistically there's another camp to come and then I assume sometime together as you build towards the Euros. Does anything change in terms of your mindset? For me I just think it's form but I don't think like your mindset should just change just because you're close. Like you should be like that anyway. So yeah like I said I think it's just if you're in form then I just don't see why not. Yeah and I think, well we speak about it all the time, like since I've been at Chelsea, you know we speak

about, like me and LJ specifically, we're like, oh in the Euros next year like the games like this and resting in between or like say take the example of them city games and like this is what tournament football is back to back and traveling and stuff so I don't think the mentality changed because it's something that you're always got in the back of your mind how you can prepare best for the Euros how can you eat the best it starts every single day I can't just turn up two weeks before and suddenly want to get fit like you have to be fit all season and be prepared all season. Have you seen that mentality grow within the team just in the time that you've

been with England from when you first joined up with a team? Have you seen a shift in just the way people approach things? Yeah I mean I think it kind of ebbs and flows I think when you know experienced players leave and new players come in there sometimes is a bit of a drop until everyone gets back to the standard and back on the same page and understanding what it really takes to play for England. And then it starts to go back up again and then you have a few rotations in the team or in the squad. Serena brings in new players and again, you old players go missing with retirement or

maybe get injured and it's constantly balancing that of maybe we need to bring people up a bit, oh they're a bit inexperienced, right? We've got really good experience, now we can push and things like that. Did you feel that as you sort of went through your career that you have those natural ebbs and flows, people starting to realise and realign with what their role's gonna be as you move towards the big tournament?

I had to just be on it all the time because it wasn't that good, so I feel like you just had to work hard. No, do you know what I mean? I feel like I can't just turn it on. No, but... I have to just be on it all the time because it wasn't that good so I feel like you just had to work hard. No, do you know what I mean? I feel like I can't just turn it on. No but, yeah. I have to work hard. I have to be up here because I have to kind of compensate for what I'm not good at essentially and that was, I wasn't technically that great but working hard, fitness, like that was what

I'd put hang my hat on so I'd always have to be, I can't just go, oh okay, it's Christmas, I'm just gonna turn it on now, that doesn't work. I agree with Lucy, you have to always be on it but being in an environment where the squad's maybe changing a bit, it is challenging because you're constantly having to, not reinvent but you're having to talk about things like this is how it works, this is what England's like

and you constantly, those meetings are all. You redo the nutrition meeting or the ice, like why are you doing an ice bath? I'm like, I've done ice. Sleep, like, horrorings, jet lags. You go through another cycle of these meetings. Is this at the beginning of a new phase? Or just the camp host if different people are coming in,

I'm assuming you'd have to do those meetings again to be like, this is what England's like, this is what our environment is, these are the standards we have, this is what competitive, this is what sleep, this is what nutrition looks like, it's quite, it can be draining. Yeah and then it's like the older players are like wanting to push and it's like why are they not doing an ice puff? Just for two minutes. So this is the environment that Serena is talking about when she says how

are they gonna fare and how are they gonna get on in our environment, this is the sort of thing she's just talking about see if you're gonna take care of all the all the little things yeah I've just think it's all the things off the putters probably helped you perform on the pitch but like speaking for myself I think when you're young as well and you're like just coming up you don up, you don't realise those things are helping until, do you know what I mean? And then it's like, now I'm realising that all of that stuff is actually helping.

So obviously now I do it all the time. Did you have a click moment where you're like, I need to do that? Lucy bollied you in the ice spot. I thought that was funny. No, she did, that was the text from the first camp that she was at and she was like, I want to talk about, like she was like, I see you as someone who's fit and works really hard,

like to help me, like teach me. So I think that's why I liked LJ so much because I thought that someone who, not only does she want to get better, but she has like a lot of respect in something that maybe is not her strength but she sees it as like a key attribute to have and I think sometimes like Ellen's saying about how she played but everyone missed Ellen so much when she left so LJ seeing that is like I need that I can't like everyone knows how

talented she is with the ball what we're talking now about her doing both it's like how are you gonna get anywhere near this kid now? Is that just the mentality thing? Is that about just literally being switched on and alert to the fact that you have to do this stuff? Or is it a physical thing? Is it that you literally have to physically take care of yourself? I think it's both. I think it's obviously the part of wanting to take care of yourself, to I think it's obviously the part of wanting to take care of yourself, to allow yourself to do that in games and yeah, being switched on at the same time. I think it is like a learning process as well, isn't it? You have to realise, you have to go through it, what works for you, what doesn't work for you. Obviously learning off Lucy and the older players and then thinking, I want to be on that train, I want to get as many caps as Lucy, I want to score those goals, I want to be the player of the match, do you know what I mean? I want to play for England and I think it is a learning process and it does take time and obviously

if you're blessed with the gifts, LJ says I wasn't, so he's just like, well I'm going to run lots so hopefully please pick me, but I think it is, it takes time doesn't it? Just before we finish up, we wanted to embarrass you both a little bit, so because you're such big fans of each other's games, LJ I would like to know what is your favourite thing about Lucy Bronson's game? That she just does not stop running. I just think she just doesn't stop. Even if she's tired you don't know she's tired. Why is that? Do you hate the idea of people seeing you tired? She don't want to lose. I don't think anyone wants to lose but I

think Lucy just has this block where you just she don't want to be beat. Like Redmond. Yeah. Did you not watch the League Cup final when you just balled those two? Yeah! She bust me and then just ran off your goal and said it. Give me the ball! I was like wow yep she's up for that one. She passed me and then just went off your goalie suit. Give me the ball, Ellen, now! I was like, wow, yeah, she's up for that one.

Right, let's flip this over. What's your favourite thing about LJ's game? Shooting. I think people say ball control, yeah, but she shoots like a foot goes back like this. I was going to say it's just no back leg whatsoever. And left and right. That's so annoying, LJ. I sat that up for you to shoot with your left foot the left foot and what was that, and a short free kick. And Sonja had it on the analysis and they were like, maybe we could have crossed the ball

and I was like, mate, LJ's shooting. I don't care if it's on my left foot, it was on target, the keeper just about saved it. It was that Everton goal you scored, that winner, where you literally just went bang. You had nothing from your left foot. People say it, but I don't even recognise the back lift

that people are going on about. Yeah, because other people are biting their legs like that. I'm just going to shoot now, guys. Just to let you know. Everyone give us a kiss. Give me a yawn. And you're just like bang. You just go like that.

Bye. This is what you're talking about, isn't it? It's like natural stuff. Guys, thank you so much. It's been so much fun. And good luck over the course of the next couple of weeks. Thank you. Thanks. thank you so much. You've been so much fun and good luck over the course next couple of weeks. Thank you. Thanks. That was so much fun and it is a real joy getting to see their relationship together. The dynamic, yeah. I was so close to bringing this up at the time,

but sometimes when you ask a question to Lauren, Lucy looks on like a proud mum. Did you notice that? She sort of looks across and she's like smiling and nodding her head. It's really lovely. Really, really sweet to see. And I think it's important as well to say that you had said to me Maybe an hour before we started Just how impressive you found LJ's work, right? Fascinating to get into that wasn't it to hear that you just don't have any wiggle room exactly And I think sometimes you need that she obviously worked really well with Emma Hayes I think they had a really good relationship obviously got her back from fitness and got her back to great form.

But yeah, I just feel like she's got now this relentlessness, this intensity, this fitness level where she can just defend at such a high level, then attack with the ability we know that she's got that raw talent, that excitement. You just think that she can make something happen out of nothing and I think that's so exciting and obviously Sonja's instilled that in her and I think Lucy's helped with that as well being like defend, defend, defend because it is so important in a game to be able to do both and I think her bringing that into the game obviously with Chelsea but that benefits England I feel as well. Big time that, I was really eager to know whether that is something now that we're gonna see from

her with England. Are we now going to see a real two-way forward, you know, someone that is prepared to work back incredibly hard, but then still has that ferocious intensity that she does going forward. And I also think it's lovely to hear that other players also recognise just how good her ball striking is as well. What an asset. Oh, it's unbelievable. Yeah. And I think defenders are going to be scared. You don't sometimes know what she's going to bring in the sense of an opposition. And that's such an asset for us as England to have someone that has absolutely no back lift whatsoever, strikes also beautifully, technically very gifted, but now added another

dimension is she can defend so well, she's got the intensity, the fitness levels. And like Lucy said as well, they've almost played a mini tournament. They know what that feels like back to back to back, four games playing the same opposition obviously, but very little kind of rest time in between, having to travel back and forth. So I think that will really kind of bode well hopefully in the Euros as well. Well, and particularly for these two games against Belgium coming up, a thorn in England's side as they were looking to qualify for the Olympics ultimately it was that 3-2 defeat to Belgium that cost them over the course

of that qualification campaign for the Olympics. For a player like Lucy who would have been desperate to go to the Olympics, would have been absolutely desperate to be a part of that even with whatever people will say about the Olympics as a tournament in the modern age, for the Lionesses, they would have wanted to be a part of that, wouldn't they? Exactly. Well, Lucy's a winner. She wants to be at every tournament. She wants to win everything. And I was exactly the same when we went to Tokyo in 2021. It's such an incredible feeling to go to the Olympics and that disappointment of for them to not have that opportunity

uh was very frustrating. I could see it on her face. She was on the floor after that game when they did beat Scotland like 6-0 that they weren't able to qualify. You could just see it It was like heartbreak for her not to be able to go to a third Olympics So I did feel a lot of frustration and Belgium was the reason essentially them losing that game And they pose a lot of threats. Tessa Waller is such a good player, you know, she's driving force of that Belgian team and she is going to be huge for them come these two games on the transition. She's very direct, she's a great finisher, she can take a very good penalty as well and that's what I feel like Belgium look for. They look for her, they want to go forward, they defend very well as well. So I think it's going to be a

challenging game or two games for England. Just before we go over to the Scotland camp I want to just pick your brains on what the next two, three months looks like because we were trying to work out beforehand what these Lionesses are going to go through on selection, on game time, in terms of training as well because we know that there are some big players who will be desperate to make it back in time. What does it look like for those that are in the frame to be selected? Yeah, obviously, firstly, these two games against Belgium, you've got to be wanting to play and give yourself an opportunity to get into Serena's head.

Am I going to be a starting player? Am I going to come off the bench? Am I going to make an impact? I want to be on that plane. But then you've got to go back to your club and be in form. And for those clubs that are in still the FA Cup or the Champions League, if they're able to stay within those competitions, it means they've got an opportunity to still play football and to still be fresh and still training. And then there's not a lot of wiggle room then between the FA Cup final and the Champions

League because the tournament's coming thick and fast so maybe they'll get a little bit of rest and then they're back in for, I think it's a Spain game. So it's an exciting opportunity, an exciting time and the team aren't going to be, this England team group aren't going to be together for a lot of that. They're going to have to do a lot of their work at their club to stay fresh and stay fit. And this is all about eyes forward, eyes focused on doing everything possible, recovery, fitness, nutrition, food, everything to be in the best possible shape, come the Euros. Is it nice not having that nervous feeling of like, oh gosh, got to make sure I'm ready to go.

You can not just watch on. I'm on it, I'm on it, please pick me, pick me, pick me, yes, oh yeah, I definitely have that smoothie that's gonna help my legs recover, and yes, that protein. Yeah, love to, yeah. I didn't want the burger, what are you talking about?

I'll have my 55th ice bath just to look like I'm really recovering. One more analysis meeting, please, what else do you want me to improve on? Well, look, why don't you and I go for a pizza, and in the meantime, we'll leave you in the capable hands of Jen Beatty is gonna catch up with Claire Emsley after this I'm Aaron Paul and I'm Jobe Makanoff and on Wednesdays on the Football Daily We bring you 72 plus the home of the EFL from Five Life Sport.

As we'll get stuck into the latest from the Football League and beyond. I can't put a finger on why we weren't as energetic as we usually are. What they've got there is genuinely good people that really care about that football club and the fans have been huge in terms of the backing that they've given to this group. That's 72 Plus, the EFL podcast only on the Football Daily. Listen on BBC Sounds. Hi Claire. Hello Jane.

Thank you for coming on our Football Daily podcast. You must be jet laglagged but I'm so glad you came on and gave me the time. When I heard it was you I was like, of course I'll do it. Obviously I don't want to dwell on not qualifying for the Euros and I all know how emotional that must have been but I just want to know what's next for Scotland? What's this next phase? How is it looking? What's the vibe in the camp? Yeah, to be honest it's pretty exciting Obviously from last camp, we've had a lot

of fresh faces, debuts, new players come in and it's been really refreshing and they've done really well. I think we have needed that new generation to come through. So that's an exciting stage that we're in. I think's, yeah, I think it's just the natural evolution of this team is kind of that next generation and a new phase of players. When you talk about sort of youngsters coming up, right? The first thing that springs to mind is management and how a manager and obviously

that's still a talking point with Scotland. I'd love to know like your take as a senior in the game now and have been in the Scotland squad for so long with so much experience. What kind of character do you actually think will be best for this team with the way it is now? From a football perspective but also personality traits, do you think being Scottish is important? I would just love to know your take. It's a tough one obviously being in the game so long, club and country, I've had so many different managers and I think it's hard to put certain characteristics on who would be right because I think there could be a lot of different types of people that could make

it work. We're obviously still waiting to hear who's going to be the permanent manager so I think for us it's just locking in. We're in camp now, we've got two games against Germany, so for now it's just right, Mick's here, we're just listening to Mick and yeah, we'll get through this camp. So yeah, it's hard to be honest, I can't really say too much on it. Clara, can I just ask you quickly on the transition of a team and youth coming up? What do you think exactly that adds to a team? You spoke about freshness coming off the back of a disappointment not qualifying for Euros, but what has it brought to you guys as a team on and off the pitch, especially you as a leader and how is that?

Do you think you've adapted your role as well? Yeah, I think obviously when you get new players coming in and sort of making their first camp and their senior debut, just seeing that life and excitement and just the pure passion, it's just so refreshing. I think you never take it for granted being in the team, but just seeing how special it is when someone makes their first cap and how hard they work to get here, it's a real special moment so yeah that's been really nice and I think now I'm more one of the older players in the team and more experienced.

I think it's, do you know what, it just feels like I'm ready for that sort of role and I think with you gone now, I'd like to think what you were to me is what I can be to these girls. So yeah, it's nice and I think it's just part of passing the game on and making sure that they have it in a better way than we did and it keeps growing. When you talk about Germany, right, to a doubleheader it doesn't really get much bigger of a challenge to play Germany twice. Yeah, obviously playing Germany is so exciting.

I think maybe they're ranked second right now. So yeah, we're playing against one of the best teams in the world, which is a great challenge and it'll be good to test yourself to see where we're at. Yeah, to play them twice back to back is obviously it's going to be tough but again, it's a great opportunity to potentially try things and see what happens the first game, how can we improve the second game. So yeah, it's obviously a good challenge. Yeah, I was going gonna ask you about that because obviously in the WSL Champions League we've seen Chelsea play Man City like four times

and seeing their very style of play and tactical things like do you think you'll change much or we'll just go see how it goes in the first game to second because playing two teams back to back is a weird one. Yeah I think obviously we're gonna to do our scouting on them and try and figure out what's our best strategy and of course two games, will they change? We don't know. But yeah I think for us obviously we'll set up just to concentrate on the first game and then take the positives and negatives from there. Okay I want to jump back to you officially being an LA girl now. Just as long as I've known you, you've loved America, obviously seeing you sign your contract extension, how

does it feel kicking off this season? Is it season four right for you? Yeah, nah, it feels amazing, like I'm so happy there. Your face lights up when you talk about it. I love it. I love it. I love it. I love it. I want to see your face lights up when you walk around with a smile. I'm very happy to see the smile. Yeah, I just, I really do love LA. I feel so at home there. I just obviously signed a new contract. In January I moved into a house.

I've got everything I need. I've got my brother there, Johnny the dogs. I'm just really happy and settled there. I love the girls. I'm lucky I've got some really good proper mates on the dogs. I'm just really happy and settled there. I love the girls. I'm lucky I've got some really good proper mates on the team. Obviously a brand new facility, like new players, new staff, like everything's really exciting and kind of aligns with what I want in the game and what I want football wise. So yeah, it's been a great start to the season. Obviously it's's only we've only played three

games, but each game we've kind of got better. Say it and I'm loving it. When you when you talk about facilities, I feel like every female player in the game has always talked about, you know, the right facilities and you and I had the luxury of being at Man City and just having everything. Has LA lived up to the hype of what they've delivered and do you really feel like on a day to day you've got everything and that's such a nice feeling? Jen, I'm going to say it. It's better than Man City. Where?

The facilities. Better than those puffy seats in the changing room? Puffy, yeah. We've got double the size locker space. Because it used to be, like the facility that we took over used to be the LA Rams, so the locker spaces were designed for footballers who are bloody huge. So yeah, the facility is amazing. Even just the little details, even having a sauna, that should just be basic anyway. The big ice tubs, the Jacuzz, like we've got a huge outdoor space, like yeah, it's got everything, it's so nice and it just feels like so professional and it's

everything there to be at your peak which is great. Amazing, well I'm so happy for you, when I saw your contract extension I was absolutely buzzing and you've kicked off the season so well and I wish you all the best, especially for these games coming up against Germany. So thank you for joining me on the pod and it's back to Ben and Ells. Thanks Jen. Thanks so much Jen. Great to hear from Claire there. Huge games coming up for Scotland against Germany. And we should mention as well, Wales will be facing Denmark and then Sweden, whilst Northern Ireland have a doubleheader against Romania.

Thanks so much to ELLs too. We'll all be back together next week with all of the reactions to those Nations League fixtures. That's after the game so a little bit later on. Full commentary of the first of that doubleheader this Friday on five live sport, 8pm kick off there for the Lionesses with the second match on Tuesday. That one's on SportsXtra.