We Are Chelsea - End of Season Review with Niamh Charles and Naomi Girma

Episode Date: May 30, 2025

This is We are Chelsea, the official podcast of Chelsea Women, brought to you in association with Škoda, the official car partner of Chelsea Women and proud supporters of women’s sport. www.skoda.co.ukTreble-winners Niamh Charles and Naomi Girma join Caz de Moraes for the final episode of season 2 as they look back at the best celebrations, discuss the pressure of going unbeaten and give out some awards. But when do they turn their attention to next season? We also look ahead to this summer's Euros and some well-deserved time off.  To watch the full episode on YouTube, click here: https://www.youtube.com/@chelseafc/videos Send us your questions to [e-mail] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello and welcome to We Are Chelsea, the official podcast of Chelsea Women, brought to you in association with Skoda, who are the official car partner for Chelsea women, and they are proud supporters of women's sport. I'm Casdemorese, and today I'm delighted to be joined by Neve Charles and Naomi Germa to look back at Chelsea's stellar season and preview the upcoming Euros. This is We Are Chelsea with Neve Charles and Naomi Germa. Right, ladies, welcome back to the podcast. Thanks. And huge congratulations, unbeaten and treble winners. How does it feel? It feels really good and it was nice to celebrate and, yeah, end the season, well. I was expecting a little more. I'm not going to lie, if.

We celebrate it hard. We celebrate hard. Yeah. I loved it At one point When you were unbeaten At what point did you go We're so close to the end of the season

That we just can't lose now Because it would be such a shame Well I think The way I, because you do have those thoughts And the way I would like think about It would be like well There's other reasons we want to win anyway Like if I go into the game thinking

Oh my God it's because you have to be unbeat And then you kind of like Set yourself up for failure But there was lots of other things just to focus on And also the fact that we had the FA Cup final I was like well The league's probably pretty like done but we have to make sure we're playing well.

We can't just switch it on for the FA Cup final. So it was a nice way to keep us focused the whole way through. And Naomi, you joined in January. Well, a lovely little hall of trophies for you. It's been a nice little start to your time at Chelsea, hasn't it? I mean, I feel very lucky and grateful. Did you expect, I mean, you must have expected to be winning stuff because that's what Chelsea do,

but were you expecting unbeaten and three trophies? Yeah, I don't think you ever expect that going into transfer and that's not like the thing I was looking for. I was looking for the culture, the team, the mentality, the intensity and training and all those other things. And I think, you know, when you have all of that, being unbeaten and winning trophies is what comes along with it. Let's rank the celebrations.

The League Cup, the League title and the FA Cup. rank them in order which celebrations were the best i think it's very easy yeah f a cup league league league cook okay well i mean i think the f a cup was it was also the last game of the season so that makes it easier to fully celebrate and um that's mostly the reason why yeah yeah yeah actually could celebrate okay and we had all of our friends and family in one place. There was a whole setup. It was a big team party. It was really fun. Who from your family came? Um, no. I meant everyone else had their family. She's my family. My sis. I had my sisters. I had my English family. Okay. And I had everyone else's families. My family did come,

just not, they weren't there for the FA Cup final. Did your family come? Mm-hmm. Yeah, it was really nice. They come to a lot of the games, but they obviously had to drive up north, so they kind of miss the heavy celebrations, and usually they're, like, heavily involved. Are they? I did feel a bit, like... Because they're from the north.

From the north, yeah, that's what I always tell her. Yeah, me knows already. She knows. But at one point, I did feel a bit abandon. I thought, I'm going to have to take this on myself, you know, because usually they're right there with me, but they weren't. How do you keep the celebrations going when there's so much to celebrate? Like, at some point that he's just like,

Amma pooped out? I think because you work so hard and like it's it's such a gruel like through the year that like you're ready to celebrate and also that's what like I love about it is that you get to I think it's so special that you get to celebrate with the people that you've spent more time with them with your families like eating so many meals with them like it's it's a moment that you've really earned and deserved you know so I look forward to it and with the league the final game being at Sanford Bridge did that make it that must have made it much more special because I guess last season you were away but it was also special last season I

know that's not the answer you want because we were old Trafford and it was like such a special day well because it was it all went down to that game yeah yeah that was it was a different feeling like I felt so much relief last year and it was obviously like we played really well in that game this year was more just like a celebration and like with the fans and stuff so that was really special how have you found the fans Naomi because you're you're new to us blues they're very involved I think they're saying that with a bit of fair in your face I feel like they know everything

they do they don't myself for me yeah no but they're they're very passionate and yeah I think

like even at King's Meadow like you can hear them you can feel the support and then like Neve was saying in the final game at Stanford Bridge just to see everyone there like so happy

celebrating together celebrating an incredible season was really special and I think you can feel like the history and the pride that comes with Chelsea. And at the end of the FA Cup final, obviously there's new investment into the women's team. Serena Williams and Alexis Ahanan was there. Did you get to meet them? We got to meet him. Obviously when we went across the, where you went and get the trophy, obviously he shook his hand. I don't know whether you know them previously, do you? I've met them before, yeah. And I'm very excited that they're investing in our team.

That injection of investment, it just brings a whole world of opportunities. I also think, like, as an English person with the American, the American mindset coming to the English game, like it's a real good combination of, obviously the English game and the history that we have and also, I think, said it today, the American mindset and sort of how they invest

and they see the potential in women's sport and business-minded and also their incredible sports people. people like I think it's a really good collaboration I agree it's exciting to know and I think they might bridge that gap between Europe because obviously the only medal that is missing is the champions league and I think with that new injected investment it might be do you guys at what point do you start thinking already about ambitions and goals for next season it's not exactly true but we were actually joking in the gym the other day we would a few of us were in there and one of the staff made a comment like oh like you just won the FA Cup and we all turn around like

yeah harry that was yesterday like obviously we don't mean it exactly like that but that is sort of the mindset like you do we got one day to celebrate we celebrated well now it's on to the next one but it definitely is like from when i came to this club i remember this the second year when i came in on preseason i was like oh my god like we've done really well the first year and it was like it's literally back to square one which is the exact mindset that you need but it really is that like it doesn't count for anything what you've done the year before it's so ruthless in a way isn't it you can't because you want to celebrate in that moment so looking at these three celebrations i mean there's so much singing as well we've got country roads

we've got we adding new traditions beaker's bought a nice new one has she what's her one there's a dutch one i don't know what it's called i have absolutely no idea i just know that we jump yeah you just jump to the left and you jump to the right it's so simple but there's it's nice when people, and then we put a French song on. Yeah. Yeah. Again, it's the French song. It's when they say all the names. It's like Alley the Blue, Alley. Like from the French.

Yeah. Yeah. So I'd say we've got better at incorporating like everyone's bought their own little thing. So it's been nice. Like Cio's bought someone that we do a dance to. You know when they come on in the change room, it's like, oh, Cio, R, Vika. And then they just lead it. And it's really nice. Well, Naomi, you've obviously slotted in really nicely into the family friendship group haven't you i guess cat led that way yeah how have you found settling in to london life and being here and i guess making london your home and chelsea your home

it's been good um i mean i think the team made it easy for me to feel settled and make this feel like my home do you bicker with neve as much as cat does um no but i think we're on the same level yeah yeah um but nev has laid back has upgraded to a cis very early on actually yeah so she's actually my sis okay um and we actually communicate on the pitch as sis oh do you yeah and like so like and if it ever gets really serious then she becomes nay so then we like to judge your game by like did nay come out today or not or is it just cis Why, are you quite loud on the pitch? No, like, she'll...

Or are you loud? Like, when I'm like, I'm back in. On your left, sis. I'm like, I left, shoulders, like, yes, sis. I'm back in, sis. But then if you're annoyed, will you be like... Not annoyed, but like if we're... It's like...

Under the cosh a bit. Right, okay. And it's like... Nay, left. Yeah. Okay, and then you know, like, okay, we're in the zone now. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah.

I quite like that. I wish we could mic you guys up. And then we could just hear what you see what you see. what you say. I also yell at a cat and they go, go kitty, go kitty. You call it a kitty on the end of, in the final of, I don't know, maybe

we'd tune a lot or something and cat is about 50 meters away and all I hear is they go, go kitty, go kitty. I think he was pressing as she was. I was like, you got it kitty, go.

Go girl. And also, you are very, we say Ney's super strength that she's so enthusiastic and supportive at one point in one of the games there was like

a through ball behind me and I really had to get there otherwise the forward was there and Ney was just over there but obviously she wasn't in the moment but I just hear

come on Neve you've got it you can get it Neve go and I was like she's really here with me and I was like yeah yeah

I was like she's really got my back in it just makes it that much better you've got it Neve go Neve okay come on

I don't sound like great hustle way to work back. Do you ever say it? Great hustle? No, I don't say that. So good, do you? So good. That is what we're going to do next season. I'm going to mic you all up. That would be really, yeah. Yeah, it'd be funny. We do chat a lot during the game. In a good way. Like, I like it. Who is the loudest? Probably Millie. Yeah, Millie. I thought you might say Erin. No, I think Millie's louder. Millie's loud to the whole team. Aaron's like loud.

Lucy's loud. Okay. Yeah. but Lucy's on the other side from us too so it's harder for us to hear Millie's closer to us maybe she should just shout at us she's just yelling at us not talking to anyone else she's just shouting at YouTube

because she's looking at the game and you two are going come on girl yeah you've got a kidding and she's like what are these two doing what are these two doing your head did you just take your head let's talk about what spots do you love

in London and what have you managed to explore and what have you not managed to explore than you still would like to in London. I'm trying to think of what I've explored. You've done a lot, I think. I've been to a lot of restaurants, I think. Have you done, like, Big Ben and, like, House of Parliament and all that? No, but when I've visited in the past, I have done, like, Buckingham Palace and all of those spots.

Maybe you could do, like, an open rooftop tourist bus. I've done that before. I've done that. Well, actually, no, I think we just... the bus and we went on the top and we were like oh it's like a normal red bus

oh my god it's not to say you took a normal red bus it's not the same it's not the same I've done that I've already done that it went like down Oxford Street there are

bus routes that go down oxes street I know but we were like oh my gosh this is perfect it's like a bus store she's got a normal like number 52 and sat on the top

and like taking photos um okay How do I still want to go to? No. No, not museum person. No, I just haven't been. Okay, which I like to?

I feel like a lot of this period was me, like, getting settled and figuring out my apartment and all of that. Did anyone help you move? My mom came, like, two weeks, I think, after I got my apartment. And she did everything. Yeah, she did it all. She really went to work in a major way for me. and yeah it saved my life

I wouldn't have done it like to the level as she did we also were on camp it makes us seem like we were just like see you we were on camp

when you got your apartment weren't we say yes even if we weren't hmm we actually were on camp I swear that's why we didn't know

yeah they were they were okay yeah well talking of camp you don't have much of a break because you're going into this summer

you're going to practically straight into the euros right touch wood if selected, hopefully. Sis, you'll be there. It's exciting, yeah.

Obviously, while I was speaking to someone today, we actually have a lot of big games before then in the Nations League, so yes, the Euros is like the big thing, but actually, next camp, we have really, really big games in the Nations League, so it will really help us prepare for the Euros, but equally as standalone games,

they're incredibly important. When you go into camp and you've just had the result in the league the way you have, three trophies, unbeaten, do you go in with a little, extra confidence? Do you get a bit of stick from the other guys? Like, what is the mood and the vibe when you go into camp and you've obviously had an incredible season? To be honest, I think

we're all very much like, you kind of part your club at the door and like you're very much you become England and like you sort of pick up from when we left on the last camp. It's less of like, and obviously you'll talk about things because we're all friends and like you talk about and share different experiences but it definitely is like once you come in, you're like an England player and I think that's the best way to do it because everyone comes in. from so many highs, lows, like a lot of the time we meet up during the league and we'll have played each other that day.

So obviously you can't then go in because some people will have won, some people will have lost. And if you go in still with that mindset, it's a recipe for disaster. So we're definitely, it's the best way to, yeah, I think, manage it. And now, a question for both of you,

when you do go to a national team camp, what do you do on the first day? Because you've been away for so long and I guess you need to regroup with a different set people. What is, what, what do your camp do? And then what does the UK do? Everyone has to fly in. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Like, from their respective clubs. Um, so we usually have a meeting that night and just kind of set the expectations, like, look at the week, see what, um, the camp will be like. And then we have a meal. Would you do any, like, team building? We, uh, we might do, we might do something in that meeting, but then usually it's just, like, dinner and everyone, like, is chatting and catch, catch, catching up like what do we missed um and yeah it happens pretty naturally i would say okay yeah is there anything they do in england camp i was this pretty similar obviously we don't travel as far but we drive a few hours up to st george's usually and it's pretty similar we'll all

check him with the medical staff and it is very much uh like you just you meet so many people you just hug everyone catch up naturally more so than we always have a welcome meeting and sort of like it's mad you just get as soon as you're there you just land back into the swing of it's like the second you walk through the door it's like you could have been on camp for ages it just picks up straight away wow yeah will there be a little bit of pressure going in to the euros as defending champions like do you feel that pressure i think like no matter what's happened in the past we'd obviously go into this and we want to do our very very best so yeah yes it is still there but it's like if you were to take that away it would still very much be we want to do our very best so and i think we're also

aware that and what we're trying to like drive and developing ourselves is that we're a new look England like we've there's a lot of been a lot of changing personnel since the Euros and there's been also a lot of major tournaments since then that actually it's not like it just happened yesterday we're definitely a new England and the women's game as a whole has got so much better so if we we don't want to live there we want to be very present now and sort of developing a new team and new identity and like really buying into that with yeah the players that have been there for a long, long time and the players that are sort of new,

we're trying to, yeah, be present in that and just sort of focus on the now. This podcast is brought to you by Skoda, the official car partner of Chelsea women and proud supporters of women's sport. It's football season. Time for afterwork training, muddy boots and early morning weekend games.

Whether you're playing five-a-side after-work, cheering the kids on from the sidelines on a Saturday morning, or gathering with your mates to watch the big leagues each weekend. end. Scoda's the perfect companion for your everyday adventures. Zip around town in the fully electric eniac or give the squad a lift home in the all-new seven-seater Kodiak. There's something in the range to suit teams of all shapes and sizes. Don't just take my word for it though. Search the Scoda range today to jump in and see for yourself. And now let's talk away from football. Do you get a bit of a break? I mean, will you get any break?

after this camp I'll get a little bit and then into the next camp so maybe like 10 days what about you Naomi what's your summer looking like we have another camp like in we have a camp right next week and then two and a half weeks later and then after that I'll get a little break yeah and what will you do where will you go

where will be your holiday where does it be so relax I'm going to go to Cabo Mexico with some friends and then I'm also going to go to New York and New Jersey and Connecticut I have family there and then I have friends in New York so I'm just going to try to see people where's the place near New York that everyone goes in the summer the Hamptons where you go there um I don't know if I'll go yeah I'm not sure I'll see what I just kind of show up and I

And I let the days take me where they take me. You're not the organiser in the friendship group. Yesterday I thought, oh, lovely day, let's go for coffee. She organized it, yeah. I did. Yeah. Just, you know, like, catch up. So you were there first, and then I joined, and then Kat joined.

I ordered the drinks for everyone. Well done, yeah. Yeah. Cat joined, lovely little chat, then Kat had to leave. Me and Ney chatted for a bit longer. Then Ney left, and I'm just sat there. and the way she just comes over and goes here's your bill

and I just looked here and I went so I paid it obviously and I said oh my God and I thought you know what I'm not just I'm just not going to say anything I'm going to see if either of them remember because they were just like

okay see ya like bye and then I just did you remember and then Kat put a message in the group like I just sipped and what's she said I said I sip and ditched or something she's like so

sorry guys I sift and ditch like I got I got it next time and I saw the message and I went oh no I didn't even realize

I didn't even I didn't even realize I have this clear vision of a bag over a shoulder like bye sis see later bye

school's out yeah school's out yeah yeah that was yesterday yeah me and Neve

actually planned something together did you yeah yesterday we were like bickering upstairs like i don't want to plan it i don't want to plan it and who planned it we planned it together okay because i was like i'm happy to plan it but i do need someone else because i am not a good plan like i try my best and i'm just not so i need someone else there as well so last night where's the plan where are you going what you doing we're going to dinner oh you it took that long to plan well no we had to decide where what area we wanted to be in what we wanted to do we wanted to wanted it to be perfect yeah it's like a like a you're taking the mic no i'm being deadly serious it's a group dinner it's a group dinner it's not just two people and it's like

sorry i thought it's the two of you guys for dinner i'm crying i thought it was the two of you getting for dinner no no you sat down trying to plan it i was like what what is going on here no we planned we planned a dinner for Friday for a group. So where have you picked in the end? We wanted a rooftop vibe and like saying that now it's like, are we being stupid? Oh my gosh. Maybe.

We wanted a rooftop vibe in London. It's not supposed to on Friday. So we've gone to this... You're in England now, darling. I know. I did check the weather and it seems all right. It's been so sunny. But last night when we were doing it, the times were literally going as far as texting nay and we were like, okay, we want seven and I was like, seven's

gone, we can't do it anymore. And it was really stressful. Do you all argue about what kind of food do you want to eat? No, I don't think we... I feel like it's the opposite. Everyone's like, oh, I don't care. Oh, I don't care. Yeah.

And then ends up taking longer. Yeah. Because no one cares. Yeah, definitely was that. Like, I think I got to the point where I'm like, I just want someone to make a decision. I will be happy with whatever you say. Right. We're going to play a game.

It's going to be quick fire if you had to give an award out for the best goal this season. Oh. Who did it before? I would actually say cats at Wembley, just because it was in an FA Cup final. When we got the second goal, it was like, oh, thank God. Yeah. I've never seen a head of ball.

It was a really good header. It was a really good header. The other one that I thought of was yo-yo's. At Tottenham. Yeah, the one really played it, and she took it off the volley. Mm-hmm. I'm sure we're forgetting one. Well, it was meant to be one.

Against City. Mar is against City. No, that takes it. Mar is against City. Best goal celebration. Sandy. She's just become this. Yeah.

It's got an aura. Yeah. Best game of the season. I mean, I really enjoyed Sunday. Same. I just think it was like... I haven't played that many games. I was waiting for you to save that many games.

best away trip um i have one that i thought was fun i think the united we won the league at united and then we took the coach down for was it three hours i think like three or four hours three or four hours and there was music playing and people singing the whole entire ride like we did not stop until the bus got the car bus from the manchester the whole time the whole all the time and to be fair i think katie cox DJed and afterwards i was like fair play you've done well for three hours just bangers after and she actually had bangers after that there was no like lumenet at all she did really well she's dark horse katie and she was dj in the other night as well at the f a f a cup yeah i have been meaning to tell her so katie this is me telling me she's good

she can she can cater to the group yeah she really can people what they yeah like different people what they want what kind of music do you do you like to listen to after you've won is it different It has to be different music to like when you're going into an important game. Yeah, I feel like I'm more chilled out going into a game. Who's got the best hair? Sis, I would say you. I think your brays have really been doing it. Oh, thanks.

Would you agree? That was so nice. Yeah. It's actually the nicest thing she's ever said to me. Aw. It is as well. It is. I don't remember saying anything nice to you ever.

But you know, sis. Would you agree? Who would you give the award? award too. Or Micah. Micah's got cute hair. Micah's got cute hair. Yeah, I'll say Micah.

Okay. Who is the biggest chatterbox? I talk a lot. You win again. You're not the biggest one. Is it a diss? Is it a diss? Is it a diss?

No. I would say consistently, yeah. good thing it's not a bad thing yeah do you think I talk the most on the consistently yeah consistently I would say I do talk about it's not a bad thing it's a good thing and who's the comedian of the season yeah I find a cheer funny she is funny sly funny she is funny how did you feel when she announced that she was going um devastated and it really hasn't hit me yet absolutely devastated because she's such a strong character And she's, like, really wise, I feel.

Mm-hmm. And steadfast. She is. Yeah, she's actually one of the best people I've ever met, and I think, like, football's amazing. Like, we've basically lived in each other's pockets for five years, and then it's, like, gone. Yeah.

And also, I really thought I was going to be able to, like, be an auntie. Yeah. Raise her child might be a stretch, but babysitting. I'm serious. She would have. No, I seriously would have done. But, so that's kind of, like, sad, obviously.

She'll be my friend for life, but. yeah we are very lucky that you get to live in each of those pockets and then it's like it's like extremes it's we just got separate ways but yeah she's she's a very special person good human because you've known her for a short period of time but you've obviously we were saying that we wish that we crossed over for longer yeah well girls listen thank you so much for coming back on the pod it's been great and i've got to say a huge congratulations because it's been one brilliant season. You've started with a bang.

Good luck for the Euros. Thank you. I'll see you guys next season. Thank you for listening to this season of We Are Chelsea, the official podcast of Chelsea Women, brought to you in association with Skoda, who are the official car partner for Chelsea women, and they are proud supporters of women's sport.

Thank you to everyone who listened, subscribed, commented and got involved with the podcast this season. have loved it and we'll see you next season.