The Rest Is Football: Daly Brightness - Toughest Opponents & Pre-Match Meals

Episode Date: August 21, 2025

Who are some of the hardest players to play against in the WSL? Which players maybe don’t get the recognition they deserve sometimes? How does a ‘mashed potato sandwich’ feature in someone’s pre-match meal routine?  Millie and Rach also discuss how they view their roles in inspiring the next generation of female footballers and their hopes for the game in the future. For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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and while we've been there, we've been gathering questions from the fans. We've been to Box Park in Croydon, the Buckingham Palace homecoming and a few watch parties. So let's get into the first question. Out of the two of them, which one celebrated harder after the last year is? I don't think you could say either or all. I think we both parted extremely hard. I'd say probably you because you were throwing up in the back of the tax. Yeah, but you got your foot run over, so I think that explains a lot.

Yeah, I don't think it was any... I think we were both highly intoxicated and we both had the best night. And to be fair, yeah, we did everything together, so it weren't like... I went out separate to you. As always, if I drank, Rach drank, she had a shot, I had a shot. So we literally were like attached by the hip. That's what we are. That's our friendship.

So yeah, if I'm getting wasted, Rach is getting wasted. Simplized. I think we're both leading the party though. I'd like to say that much. I do remember being on a poll at some point. I do remember I have the video of you on the poll. That won't surface. Is that your next adventure?

Oh, God, imagine. People had paid to not go. So, yeah, we're on par with both party animals, basically. Next question. What was it like watching from the other side and not the pitch? What was the whole mood like watching from home? I think for me it was very different. Like, I think we've spoke about this in previous episodes, haven't we?

Like, it's definitely a different side. But I actually enjoyed it. Like, I think it was probably a bit different from me to you. But I just actually felt like a fan. yeah so it's nice to celebrate as a fan but also having that like close bond with most of people there and like knowing what they're going for you're almost like an inside fan yeah it is weird you can't help but see things as a player as well

like straight away we text and was like oh my god do you remember when we were getting on the boss like and we were leaving and do you remember when we arrived at the the team hotel but yeah I think even obviously the position that I was in I probably like made myself view it as a fan and while there's certain aspects of it that you view as a player and you're analysing the game and you understand what the players are feeling day to day and in different moments but yeah I can honestly say like I'd just allowed myself to strip everything back in life

forget football and just watch it as a fan and I think it was really nice to see the the youngsters coming through I've said it a lot but that is a really proud moment you've been a part of a squad and you've like helped these players and seeing the struggles and then to see him on like the biggest stage and you're playing in the final and then to win it's like a really proud moment like even though you're not there you still feel a part of it and a part of their journeys as well so but it was incredible and it was nice to see all the hype as well because we don't get to see that when we're in tournaments do it like we had no idea what was going off i like um you know like going into like a pub

and it's all over the walls like i've never seen that before like people are watching it and it's like you see like watch parties getting announced like your local pub and stuff and you're Like, what? Like, I've never seen any of that. So it was different. Yeah, we never knew it existed. And that, even in the last year, I was like, everyone was like, oh, my God, like, families used to be, I remember our mum's in that group, like, girls, it's going wild.

This is happening? That's happening. We were like, really, like, is it really? And then I remember when we came out and we were like, holy shit, like, it's massive. So it was really, really nice to see, like, that side of things for sure. And as much as we'd all love to be playing, like, it was a really, really nice experience. So, yeah. Next question.

Do you think we can do it three times in a row? Don't see why not. I mean, they don't like to put all my cards on the table at once. Never say never, eh? Yeah, we've set the tone now. The bar's high, but I think the players in England are going to continue to grow and learn and mould into like the absolute best. I think, yeah, I don't see why we can't.

But a bit early to be talking about that, I think. Got a World Cup in between there. I was going to say World Cup, plenty of holidays, plenty of rest, plenty of competitions with the clubs and staying in form and a million other things so I think it's too far away to say just yet but I think the mentality will be that's the England mentality is to win

that's a standard now so yeah never say never next there's obviously players that have obviously been part of it and obviously stepped away what's their role now as sort of legends within the game because obviously now it's about inspiring the next generation you know my daughter

you know could be a next lioness so so what do they see their role now and how do they sort of carry on inspiring that next generation what a lovely question yeah that was really nice actually i really like that and also his t-shirt is sick i remember that kit yeah so i see me straight away i remember it that kit i had the reversible shirt era yeah it was it was sick i had bex 10 on mine i remember it was gold on the back it was sick anyway the question yeah i think for us I think obviously we're still playing, so we've got a natural role to inspire by playing at club level. But I think on the international scene,

it's like we always say that once a lioness, always a lioness, and like kids are going to look up to us regardless of whether we're playing for Villa, Chelsea or England. So I think for us, it's just keep pushing our messaging, our positive messaging out on social media and our platforms and getting involved with the community

and, yeah, keep driving for younger. girls and even boys to get involved in football and follow their dreams. I think we've got a massive platform to do that. Yeah, I think Rach pretty much nailed it, to be honest. The only thing that I would add is for us, we are still playing, so it's to keep enjoying the game. I think that has been the best thing in women's football is you've seen players thrive because we love the game.

I love for the sport. I love for winning, our passion to make things better, to make the country better, to make schools better. I think that drive, that has all. been the most important part and because we love it so much you see that when we're expressive on the pitch and you know the love for the game gives us that um motivation to make sure that you know when we're all kind of boots are hung up and done the next generation have things a lot better off and it's to to create that mentality in the in the youngsters like you pass the baton on

but the job's never done i think that that's installing that's a really good point i think that we've always said mill like we want to leave the game in a better place and when we found it. And I think we continue to drive standards and keep pushing for more. I think we always say it. I feel like we always say this in our interviews, but it couldn't be more true.

Like we want the next generation to have everything that we didn't have access to everything that they want. And you've seen it changed. There's still a lot. There's still a long way to go. We know there's room to grow, but I think it's in a good place at the minute and just got to keep pushing for more.

But also then to then carry that mentality on and then to make sure that they do something different for the next generation after them. I think that's what I mean the job's never done and our role is probably being senior players and still in the game

is educating the youngsters and making them realise that what you have now it was never before and it's not to harp on about it but it's to respect it so that we always keep pushing for more and I think that's such an important

mentality and focus in the game that eventually years and years and years down the line hopefully we don't ever have to keep badgering on about things and breaking barriers and almost like begging for facilities and stuff like that but until we get there everyone has a responsibility and it's

now educating that next generation to step up you know into those roles whether you're sat in meetings demanding things and hey this isn't good enough we need this like we want to be the best like it doesn't come without hard conversation so i think we're trying to educate the youngsters in that but also we're still playing i still want to break boundaries and break records and by doing that you you scream from the rooftops how important women's football is and how amazing it is by being successful.

Certainly. Good question. Like that one. If you couldn't play for the clubs that you play for, what team would you want to play for and why? Oh, God, this is a hard question. I mean, like, can I say, like,

something really low down in the league or do I have to be in the WS? She's going to lead. She's off to Leeds. Leeds, lead, lead. Can I play for Leeds, please? If it was in the WSA, say Chelsea, because you just win all the time.

I'm not playing for any of the team in the WSL, so I'm taking that to my damn grave. Let me tell you. I can't. I've been at a club too long where the rivalry is ingrained in me. Like, I could never. You could come to Villa and play with me? I could come to Villa.

Villa would be the only exception if I got to play with you. That would be it. Exactly. I'll go Chelsea, you go to Villa, but we'll have a crossover. Yeah, but no, no one else. I could never. I could never. I couldn't.

On that, no, it's a perfect. it time for us to take a little break and we'll be back shortly to take more of the questions. TD Bank knows that running a small business is a journey from startup to growing and managing your business. That's why they have a dedicated small business advice hub on their website to provide tips and insights on business banking to entrepreneurs. No matter the stage of business you're in, visit TD.com slash small business advice to find out more or to match with a TD small Business Banking Account Manager Welcome back guys

We are going to get into more questions from when we were out and about Outside of your club teammates Who is your favourite person to either play with or play against? Ooh, nice. Millie Bright, duh. Who else would I say?

Exactly. It's such an obvious question. I bet she walks away from that question thinking, no, they're going to say. I knew it. I got it right. No, I definitely say you. Yeah, 100% you. Okay, she did say who do you dislike playing against? I don't dislike playing against you because I get to see you and we have a giggle so I'm not. I actually look forward to that because we don't actually, believe it or not, even though we live in the same country now, we don't actually get many days off and we don't get time to just like pop around the corner and when we're both retired I'll be popping around

for a cup of tea through my little tunnel underground. But until then, we don't actually get to see each other that much. So I do like playing against Rach, because then I get to see her. But who do you dislike playing against? Who's like, who's like, you come up and you're like, oh, God. I think one player, like, really respected in the last couple years is Yuihasa Gawa. Like, you think you're going to nick the ball off of you. You're like, oh, it's coming now.

And then she just like chops out of it. I'm like, all right, sick. Make sure she just spin round like Tasmanian devil. You're like, have I got her? Have I got her? Nope. literally so yeah i'd probably say ewee but i actually don't dislike playing against her so i think she's really good but i'd say she's probably one of the best in that role do you know i think's

really i think she don't get a lot of praise either black sinius i think she's such a runner she runs runs runs like she's someone that you've always got to be aware of and again it's not that you dislike playing against her like i actually enjoy playing against it's it's like a challenge you know you've got to be on your best game defensively it's definitely not a dislike playing against it. It's just one of them games where if you're heading into it a little bit tired, you're thinking oh shit I've got to be on it here but I don't think

last year she got enough praise. I think she definitely goes under the radar for sure. Next. How did you feel when you won the women's euros in your home nation? Oh, what a cutie. So cute. I think I always say this. I feel like it was just euphoric. I think that's the only

like word I could describe it with because you can't actually explain it because I think obviously winning any major tournament anywhere is massive but doing it at home there was just something so special about it being in your home nation I don't think you can replicate that feeling and the first time we've done it

you can't describe it we actually little man not sure what your name is mate but we cannot describe it it was it would just it literally leaves you like lost for words

like it was one of their moments where you're just thinking holy crap what have we just done like we've done it like I just remember we kept saying to each other we've done it we've done it we've done it and then you're like we've done what and it's like you've changed the whole country you've changed women's football like you've kickstarted this legacy of like winning trophies like internationally and it was honestly one of the best days the best day of my life like today like still the best the best day yeah it is it's really hard it's really hard to actually put it into words and

I think you can only understand the feeling where when you were there, like... Yeah. Even the fans, even the fans, like I feel like even the fans felt it in the stadium. I remember seeing people crying left and right and it's like you have created a legacy, you have kickstarted women's football.

Literally. Yeah, it was a crazy feeling, dude. Imagine having something that you've always wanted to do for years and years and everyone's tried and trying and trying and trying and you fail and trying and failed and tried. And then eventually you do it like blood, blood, tears, you do it, you face all the obstacles in the world and you get there

imagine you achieve that dream that you wanted, that's literally what we did like for years we failed and then we did it and doing it in your home, like imagine doing it in your home with all your loved ones around you and everyone together like it's just, yeah, it would no better feeling. Like walking on

moon for me. My question is what'd you eat before a match? Oh, Miss Picky over here. Miss ritual I've changed right Yeah but go back Let's go back to the playing days When we were both at England

And you were very demanding Of a certain item And if you didn't have it Let's just say it was a big big Big problem So I used to only have Wheatibix So I had four Wheatabix Four sugars

Every pre-match meal And I got really It wasn't even the Wheativics I'd get annoyed at It was the fact that if You know you're in a hotel If the bowl comes in, it's a bit like a saucer. Like, I need a deep...

To get four wheatobics to fit into a bowl... Rachel, what was that camp when you literally had a baking bowl with four wheatobics? Like a mixing bowl, because it was either not or like a plate. You had this massive bowl and these four little bits of wheatobics in because you're like, well, I can't put it there because it's overflowing. And they've got to be placed in a certain way. When I first came to Villa, our nutritionist, Liv. What a legend.

she her daughter made me a bowl like in a pottery class right yeah like perfectly like the depth was perfect and it said like Rachel's Wheatabix and then like number nine on the bottle like it was honestly so sick and the chefs travel with that everywhere and then so that was my ritual but then now I've switched right now I have my bagel marmite beans beans and poached eggs honestly it's a winner, I swear to God. But now, honestly, our chefs were like... Oh, it's just giving me goosebumps. Marmite is rancid.

Our chefs are like, Rachel, do you not need your bowl anymore? And I was like, no, keep packing it, because I might change. Yeah, keep packing it. Don't you dare take that away. I might switch back. Oh, God, so, yeah. To be fair... Don't you have, like, a mashed potato sandwich or something?

Yeah, I am... My nutritionist, well, we've got a new one now, but Katie was there before. The new one, Jody, she will look. learn, she will learn my ritual. And it's funny because last year, Katie used to watch me and she'd watch me like, me and Erin eat at bang on, like three and a half hours before.

Like, Erin's like, right, milk, we can eat now. I just sit down, you know what I'm like in my own world. I used to get up and I'd be looking around and Katie, nutrition should be like, why are you looking, what you're looking at? What you're, you know what you're getting? Just get it. I'm like, well, I'm just having a little, and then the walk around just became part of my ritual.

So I'm looking around as if I'm going to pick up something else like a poached egg or I'm not. I'm getting mashed potato, broccoli, and then I'd get a schnitzel, chicken, and I'd have tomato sauce on top. And that would be my thing. Then I'd have a banana when I got to the game. But then that became like my...

And I never changed from it. Like, that's what I have. Mad, in it, it is like a ritual. Crazy. I always used to say, like, I don't have rituals. I'm not superstitious. I bloody am. No, but I used to change, like...

If, like, there was one time I remember when I didn't have any weirdbicks, and I was like, what am I going to do? Oh, my God. World War. You used to get so stressed I was actually concerned I was like I might have to run to shop here and I'd have to pay it down to the spa

Yeah And then I changed So I had to change that day And I played sick and scored And I was like right that's it Go into that That's my meal now Not having wheat picks again

That is something Players don't understand about athletes And it is an actual thing If you do something And it could be a pair of knickers It could be a pair of socks It could be a pair of shim pads Or the way you did your hair

Or the routine If you do something And you have the best game You're like it was that it would definitely them socks I had on

it was the way I did my hair nothing to do with how you've actually set to the nothing to do with the preparation or that

you actually might have just been having a good game but then you go to it and then if equally if you have a shit game I've been like

I told you not doing that again not doing that again it's my air my air's crap can I just clarify I don't eat mashed potato

and schnitzel and tomato sauce at like 10 o'clock in the morning that's my pre-match meal just to clarify though people thinking

I'm dishing up mashed potato at 9am probably would like, but I don't. Good question. My question is, do your dogs watch the England games?

Lovely face paint. Well, Louis likes to watch TV a bit, but Dexie, have I ever told you about Dexie and penalties? No. Oh, my God. So, a few years ago. Just chase it. I wish my dogs did that. A few years ago, right, I'd just moved to Villa and I was watching the Men's World Cup, I think it was. and I noticed I just keep going upstairs randomly

and I thought where is she going why she just all of a sudden jumped up and gone upstairs and it kept happening through that me watching the football right and I just clicked on and I was like oh my God she must sense like a bit of anxiety or fear or something in me

literally whenever there's a penalty she goes upstairs every single time when football's on if there's a penalty she goes upstairs how does she know that dogs are smart they sense they know, they just know. It's the most bizarre thing.

So she stopped always going upstairs, but if she doesn't go upstairs, she turns away. Like, she will literally, if we're watching TV now, she just go. It's the most, honestly. But she is the most intelligent, like emotionally intelligent dog, I swear. That's, no, so she doesn't watch football. Elsa does sit and watch, she watches all TV, to be honest.

She perches on edge at sofa and she'll watch it. You'll see a little head going like this. He's flat out of sleep. Nothing can entertain him. It's snoring away. He does not care. Herra, she don't care either, to be honest. So it's nothing against the lionesses or any other football match.

They just have better things to be doing, like, sleeping. Okay, we've got time for one last question. I love you guys. Can you be my best friend, please? Aww. Sorry, I've only got room for one. I haven't got time for another one. Sorry, Rachel takes up all my emotional energy

and presents. But I hope you find a best friend like ours. We can give you tips. We'll wish you the best of luck finding that. We will always be your friend. That is what daily brightness is. We welcome everyone with open arms. So I feel like we're besties with all our fans.

We'll be your virtual friend, no problem. Yeah, best is. DB besties. Let's make that a new motto. Great questions, everyone. Thank you. We enjoyed doing things a little bit different this time around. But that is it for the rest is football, daily brightness.

Goodbye from me. Goodbye from me.