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Daily Women Football : Beyond the Pitch Episode 116 , WSL, Nations's League and Norwich City Busaries
2 Plays3 hours ago
Join Cate and Ro as they talk about the incredible WSL weekend, the Lionesses victory on Spain for the Nations's League and the wonderful now initiative from Norwich City Football Club which launched the bursaries for women.
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Transcript
Introduction and Co-host Excitement
00:00:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello, hello, and welcome to the Daily Women Football Podcast. Be on the Pitch, brought to you by the Global Sport Podcast Network. and I am very excited because this evening I've got my mate with me, bro, fellow, obviously lionesses and also Spurs, a supporter.
00:00:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
So very, very, very excited. Who also tidy up her house perfectly. So she's got incredible background and I always need to hide mine. ah Sorry.
00:00:39
Ro
Well, I'm not sure about that, but thanks. Thanks for having me, Kate.
Recent WSL Games Recap
00:00:42
Ro
I'm really looking forward to today.
00:00:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, of course, of course.
00:00:43
Ro
ye
00:00:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thanks for having a chit-chat about one of the things that we like the most, which is football. Well, I know you you follow also the men's game, but you know I am a big women's supporter. So anyway, three segments as usual today. So we are going to touch on the incredible weekend.
00:01:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
WSL, the gift that keeps on giving. Another fantastic weekend of games. Lionesses in Spain, last week's game on the Nations League.
00:01:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Great atmosphere at Wembley, and I were there together. So, yeah, we chat a little bit about that. And then last but not least at all, ah news that came out last week, which really, really got me excited.
00:01:20
Ro
Yes.
00:01:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
And when I shared with Ro, she was also so much on the ball to talk about it, which is Norwich City Bursary for Women ah in collaboration with East
Aston Villa's Season Struggles
00:01:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Anglia University.
00:01:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we'll dip a little bit, um you know, go a little bit in a deep dive in a moment but we'll start with the WSL so for anyone that doesn't know these are the results so Manchester United won against Leicester City 2-0 Crystal Palace sadly lost again against s Liverpool Everton winning in Birmingham at Villa Park 2-0 our team Tottenham sadly losing at home with
00:01:47
Ro
yeah
00:02:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
to Manchester City 2-1 Chelsea and Brighton 2-2 and Arsenal and West Ham 4-3 and oh my god I can spend I think half an hour even more only talking about this result where do we start from bro
00:02:25
Ro
I know yeah that was I don't think
Manchester United's Performance Amid Challenges
00:02:27
Ro
anyone saw that coming did they not even the players themselves that last one that last result it was it was a crazy weekend for games like a lot of the underdog players well, if you say underdog teams, actually delivered really well throughout the weekend, didn't they?
00:02:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I mean, super surprised about Everton.
00:02:42
Ro
um
00:02:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm not sure if they are really performing or if actually I still feel that Aston Villa is quite underperforming.
00:02:52
Ro
yeah
00:02:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
So I think the combination of both was a bit like meh.
00:02:57
Ro
Yeah, I mean, I think with Aston Villa, they had a really strong season last year, didn't they? They were really up there. And I feel like they've dropped this this year. ah don't know if you feel the same, but they had a lot going on for them, didn't they?
00:03:11
Ro
And a lot of potential. and then it seems like it's kind of just me just gone down like a lead balloon.
00:03:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I mean, let's not forget that obviously they got a new coach during the January transfer market season, but also quite a few of the players have left.
00:03:19
Ro
Yeah.
00:03:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
So it's kind of like she arrived, she found a new team and I think they still obviously
00:03:27
Ro
Yeah, that's true.
00:03:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
some you know someone who is coming with a slightly different
Spurs vs Manchester City Analysis
00:03:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
methodology of like teaching and being and thinking about football, etc. Which could be really good, but it's always a bit of a gamble, right?
00:03:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it depends.
00:03:45
Ro
yeah
00:03:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
and she's So she's trying to build up the team again. I think they haven't found a moment yet.
00:03:49
Ro
Yeah, start from scratch. I mean, don't we know it the most of anyone with Tottenham, but ah we've had our fair share of managers, men and women. um But yeah, I think, um yeah, like you said, they they did have the likes of Rachel Daly joining them and Jordan Nobbs. And obviously they are basically like ah heroes for the Lionesses. They had a big part to play.
00:04:14
Ro
for ah a couple of their seasons, one of their big World Cups that they had. um And yeah, so we were expecting a lot of good things from them. um i think, i did Adri... What's her name? Adrienne Leone?
00:04:27
Ro
Did she leave recently, I think?
00:04:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
I can't.
00:04:30
Ro
Leone. I think she left as well to go to America. And she's like one of their... She was amazing. She's a really good player. She's Canadian. And yeah, she really did bring them forward. um So I think they'll suffer a lot without her.
00:04:45
Ro
Definitely, without a doubt. um
00:04:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, and but anyway, i mean, it's I'm only a little bit worried because Aston Villa, it's like they lost their fourth, the last four games, they lost them.
00:05:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
And they're literally like bottom, really but like really close to Crystal Palace. So they have 10 points and Crystal Palace 6. And if you think about it,
00:05:08
Ro
Yeah, it's quite a scary place for them to be. And it's quite unusual to see them that low, considering, you know, like the streak that they had going from last season.
00:05:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it is.
00:05:16
Ro
is It is very strange.
00:05:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's very disappointing. But it's also like, you know, they are...
00:05:18
Ro
Yeah.
00:05:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Aston Villa is one of the team that last year also made a switch to the big stadium.
00:05:26
Ro
oh
00:05:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I really don't want them to go back into it. It was like, you know, it was them, it was Leicester, obviously.
00:05:29
Ro
No.
00:05:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was Arsenal that they committed to let, you know, to have their women play in the big stadium.
00:05:37
Ro
Yeah, fantastic.
00:05:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
And, you know, exactly fantastic.
00:05:38
Ro
Yeah.
00:05:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
So it would be quite sad.
00:05:40
Ro
It's the the way we want. Yeah, it's the right. It's the right direction that we want women's football to go in. um And hopefully, like you said, a lot of clubs will follow um after the such big massive decisions have been made by major clubs.
00:05:54
Ro
um
00:05:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, but then I also hope that the fact that, you know, their season hasn't gone as maybe they were hoping for or something, it's not going to be...
00:06:02
Ro
Yeah, it could have been pressure, couldn't it?
00:06:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
if
00:06:05
Ro
Could have been that added a bit of pressure to them. Maybe.
00:06:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, no and i'm just I just hope they're not going to take that choice back and just say, well, you know, no, it doesn't work, so you go back to your little one. Anyway, that's that that's
Lionesses vs Spain: Strong Defense
00:06:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
what I meant.
00:06:18
Ro
a whole different, yeah, whole different kettlefish there, isn't it? But yeah.
00:06:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Correct. that
00:06:23
Ro
um
00:06:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
I also want to say, spend a moment really talking about how Manchester United, how the team at Manchester actually, ah you know, amid of everything that is happening, like United has been in the press so much for everything, for how they treat their women's team, for what's happening now, cutting at the staff, they're doing a lot of different things.
00:06:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Obviously, the men's team is doing really bad, etc. and the girls just keep on marching on. It's like five games since the beginning of the year, five victories and a couple of clean sheets. So, like, really, really, really good.
00:07:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
A really good you know goal difference as well. They've got 36 points, so they're literally putting so much pressure on Chelsea now.
00:07:00
Ro
Yeah.
00:07:07
Ro
Yeah.
00:07:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
and And they're also kind of like pulling everyone else up because I think Arsenal and City got a little bit comfortable for a moment being in their second place. But, you know.
00:07:19
Ro
Yeah, no, I think they're on fire at the moment. um They are one of the newer clubs, I think, to ah take part in the WSL. I think they were only established in 2019, the women's team, officially, which is crazy to think that it it only started not very long ago, just one year before COVID.
00:07:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:07:39
Ro
But also because they're such a great team, you would never have thought that it would they would be at this level that they are. considering a little amount of time they've had to kind of get themselves together and, ah you know, enter in such a big league.
00:07:55
Ro
And yeah, there has been controversy around Mark Skinner, how the players have been feeling, how their morale's been affected, decisions that have been made that people don't necessarily agree with. But all due respect and the credit to, you know, the actual whole team and the coaching staff, like they've they're doing such a great job and they're all playing so well and they're all,
00:08:17
Ro
gel really well when I was watching the game um that they played Leicester and it Leicester am I getting that wrong yeah yeah yeah yeah they um oh they showed up they were just fantastic to watch I mean obviously you think wow they could have had a lot more opportunities score a lot more goals than they did and um Leicester put in a good a good fight as well but um they just play so well together and they really are
00:08:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, this weekend you mean?
00:08:45
Ro
a joy to watch, even as, a you know, I
Jess Park's Highlighted Performance
00:08:48
Ro
don't necessarily care about Man United, especially the men, but I have to admit they' they're a really good team. They're a really good squad at the moment. And yeah, they're working really well.
00:08:58
Ro
What about you? Do you think the same or?
00:09:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think that it reminds me of the, what was The 1999, I think, Men's United, when you had all the kids coming up from the academy, right?
00:09:07
Ro
Yeah.
00:09:11
Ro
Yeah.
00:09:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
So you had the Neville's brother, then you had, of course, David Beckham, then you had Paul Scholes, and then you had, what's the name of the Irish guy?
00:09:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
The Giggs. Giggs. um and they were all they were all in the academy, right? So they were like homegrown, as they called them. And then, you know, Sir Alec Ferguson kind of like took them on this journey.
00:09:23
Ro
Oh, yeah Welsh Yeah, yeah, yeah
00:09:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
And you see it also in the documentary that they did, where and but but even when you watch them play, it looked like they were just like mates playing with each other.
00:09:40
Ro
Okay Yeah, that's what they are
00:09:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like they were really good. And this is how I feel like
00:09:48
Ro
yeah
00:09:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
this United is. That's how I feel when I see them playing. but I already started to feel that last year. And of course, although they battered us at the final of the FA, but it was a pleasure to watch them play from a...
00:10:05
Ro
I mean, rightly so. They were definitely the more deserving team, as much as it hurts to say. I mean, like it deserved they deserved it, yeah, 100%.
00:10:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, but they played very well. They weren't just They weren't just like super lucky and we really didn't show up.
00:10:14
Ro
No.
00:10:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
They really, you know, it was a great game and they played very well.
00:10:16
Ro
They worked for it. yeah
00:10:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
So anyway, talking about our team, do we want to spend a couple of minutes? Because that's what we have left for. um Talking about how we lost 2-1, but we didn't deserve it this time to Manchester City at home.
00:10:26
Ro
Oh yeah I'll show
00:10:32
Ro
it we didn't we we we We could have got another goal in there I was so gutted when one of my favourites Tilly Vimber missed an opportunity in the second half but obviously Beth England was the first to score um Brilliant goal One of the best goals I think I've seen in a while from, ah you know, Spurs and in general Spurs, men and women.
00:10:54
Ro
um Yeah, ah it was just so good to see that. so refreshing to just see that team perform. It was like a team that we'd all been waiting for to kind of erupt all this time. And then suddenly it happened and everyone was just like, wait a minute, did we just score?
00:11:10
Ro
Did we just score the first goal?
00:11:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:11:12
Ro
Like it was crazy.
00:11:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah
00:11:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:11:15
Ro
But yeah, really enjoyable.
00:11:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
But, I mean, incredible, incredible goal from Betten England as well.
00:11:20
Ro
Oh, yeah. Really awesome
00:11:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Really, really good.
Upcoming Lionesses Games and Attendance
00:11:23
Ro
goal.
00:11:23
Ro
Banger.
00:11:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Technically, like, really good. And also, yeah, and also she now became the only, I think, football player in the WSL to have scored 25 goals for two teams.
00:11:26
Ro
Oh, the way they worked up the pitch was amazing. Yeah. I'm so happy to see that.
00:11:39
Ro
Yeah. I see. Yeah. I saw that recently. Yeah. Post is brilliant.
00:11:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I saw the start as well. So really super well deserved. But anyway, yeah, I think both teams played very well.
00:11:45
Ro
Definitely.
00:11:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
i They kept the goalkeepers very, very busy. Very, very busy.
00:11:53
Ro
Definitely.
00:11:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
I just think that, you know, City's second goal was, want to say luck because, of course, they're also technical, etc. But, yeah, it was just, you know, the right moment where our defence was a little bit destructive.
00:12:04
Ro
Yeah.
00:12:08
Ro
Yes. Yeah. I think you could tell we were a little bit tired out by the end, obviously, because we'd been running around.
00:12:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
think they were in service.
00:12:14
Ro
a lot in the second half they had us like running circles in our own half because that's what City do best obviously but yeah I mean Neville she just she was amazing I just I do really rate her anyway as a right back and wait am I getting that confused yeah now I keep doubting myself I should know but yeah no she's just fantastic player and she really played really well
00:12:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:12:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:13:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's right. Get what's right for you Like a ticket to watch the Lionesses at Wembley at their next game because that's what we did last week and it was fun.
00:13:25
Ro
Mmm.
00:13:30
Ro
Mmm. Mmm.
00:13:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was good.
00:13:34
Ro
Oh.
00:13:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was really great atmosphere. Nearly 50,000 people again, which on a Wednesday evening, school night, I think it was quite a good turnout.
00:13:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Everybody knows that it takes quite a long to go home after and I think it was you know there were quite a lot of kids do you remember even we stopped after there to have a drink and it's like what's going on why all these kids still here it's like 11 o'clock go home
00:13:53
Ro
yeah
00:14:01
Ro
yeah definitely celebrating as well um
00:14:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah celebrating so not i guess not the most amazing victory with regard to score wise So it was only one nail but I think actually a really great game and incredible defense from our side, from the Lions' side.
00:14:20
Ro
Oh, yeah, because when you look at who we're playing against, that's just incredible result because we've always struggled, haven't we, with Spain?
00:14:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:14:29
Ro
Don't we all know it? There are arch nemesis, the main ones that we um we always struggle.
00:14:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:14:35
Ro
And it was, yeah, I mean, I just hope that this is kind of like a ah little bit of a sneak peve preview
00:14:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
A prequel to
Family Atmosphere at Women's Football
00:14:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
the Euro.
00:14:44
Ro
yet to to to what we got to to expect coming, yeah, this summer, which I'm really, really excited
00:14:50
Ro
looking forward to I'm ecstatic about that because I've got tickets to one of the games um yeah it it was it was really 50 50 I think wasn't it maybe at one point it might have been about 60 40 for England like as in both the teams um you know their style of play and how they play their performance and you know their techniques it was very very equal I feel
00:15:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
In what way? you if you in what way?
00:15:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, for sure.
00:15:19
Ro
in the game, except obviously we managed to pip in the goal.
00:15:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
just... Yeah, I think that we were... it it felt like we were extremely prepared for this game. Now, I'm reading the book.
00:15:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
What is it? Hold on a second. Stay here. and I'll grab it.
00:15:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
I've been reading this. I've been reading this.
00:15:39
Ro
Oh yeah, you brought that with you. like
00:15:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
I brought that with me, do you remember? So I've been reading this book, ah which is the book that Sarina wrote after winning the Euro 2022. And actually, she talks a lot about how they prepared the game.
00:15:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, obviously, not all the technicality and let's say the secrets, but she really talks a lot about it.
00:15:55
Ro
e
00:16:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
And to be honest, this is the first time I'm, of course, this was our first game, right? But this is the first time, obviously, that I watched the game after reading that book. And I just look at it and I'm like, huh?
00:16:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
okay, that's why you did that. Or like, I'm sure, you know, you spent a lot of time thinking about it and and you can see it. I just think our defense was incredible. I think we could have done a bit better ah front.
00:16:22
Ro
Yeah, solid.
00:16:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Our defense was like,
00:16:27
Ro
I think really, to be honest, they they once they got that goal in the back of the net, they knew that they had to just, yeah, keep it keep it solid back in defence because they're going to have to be defensive from then on, really, because they know Spain aren't going to, you know, let them get away of that lightly.
00:16:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:16:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
It reminds me.
00:16:45
Ro
But an amazing goal from Jess Park, though.
00:16:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:16:48
Ro
Brilliant goal again.
00:16:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
But it was really funny because she scored and then she was like, oh, it did just happen.
00:16:53
Ro
Did I score?
00:16:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Yeah, it just happened.
00:16:55
Ro
Fair play to her. She was amazing. she was She was one of the best players on the pitch. and she She put in a really good shift and um I think everyone's really proud of her.
00:17:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:17:04
Ro
um
00:17:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah.
00:17:06
Ro
Yeah.
00:17:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
But um I wanted to say another thing, actually. So obviously we have a couple of games coming up. We've got the next one is with Belgium, if I'm not wrong, in April.
00:17:18
Ro
Okay.
00:17:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:17:20
Ro
Well, i yeah.
00:17:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, looking at me.
00:17:22
Ro
i you know No, no, no, I'm not looking it up.
00:17:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
You're looking a and looking at me like, what are you trying to say?
00:17:23
Ro
But all I know about the Portugal one.
00:17:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Huh?
00:17:27
Ro
All I know is about the Portugal one. It keeps getting advertised because it's it's home. So maybe that's why. But.
00:17:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
but The Belgian one as well, because we are playing here and then we're going to play them um after not long.
00:17:35
Ro
Is it? Oh.
00:17:41
Ro
OK. I haven't seen that.
00:17:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. So the portugal one the portugal one the Portugal one is going to be much, much later.
00:17:47
Ro
Yeah, that's what thinking.
00:17:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. but
00:17:48
Ro
Yeah.
00:17:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
So the next the next break that we have. instead of having two different games, like this time we had two different ones, right? We played Portugal, then we played Spain.
00:17:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
But on the next round of the international, we actually played Belgium at home on the 4th of April. And then on the 8th, we played in Belgium.
00:17:58
Ro
Hmm.
00:18:05
Ro
Hmm. Okay.
00:18:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
So we of one what I wanted to say is that, you know, the tickets come and watch the Lionesses of Wembley are really not very expensive. And I think the 4th of April is a Friday.
00:18:14
Ro
Cheap as chips.
00:18:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Correct me if I'm wrong, but it should be a Friday. So i just want to say to anyone who's listening, please come and, you know, support the Lionesses.
00:18:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm not saying every time. I'm not saying every time. Yeah, I'm not saying every time it has to be like a sold-out stadium with like 90,000 people. But if we can get to like 60,000, 65,000 people all the time, it's nice, it's quiet, it's peaceful.
00:18:28
Ro
Yeah, it's a Friday.
00:18:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like you you don't get run over. You know, there's no argument. We don't shout. We don't do any of that.
00:18:49
Ro
no smashed glasses but you leave.
00:18:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know, if you you can also come on your own. We've got the free Lionesses meetup. We've got many other meetups from a lot of the supporters fans. If you are a Tottenham supporter, reach out to us. You can come with us.
00:19:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
And, you know, there's always a group of us that goes together. If it's not a group, at least it's two of us, me and Ro. So fine. You can join our group of two. But it's an amazing experience. It's great. The girls need us. I think, you know, this competition, sometimes people call it, the you know, a fake competition or like an added bonus competition.
00:19:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think it's actually a nice opportunity for teams to play each other, for us to play against other teams that we might not otherwise play, ah you know, different type of drafts, etc.
00:19:35
Ro
Hmm.
00:19:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's a nice, you know, it's a nice chance for travelling fans add another, you know, location and to go and play. And then let's not forget that one of the greatest things still for me so far for now about women's football is that the fact that you're playing, yeah yeah sorry, the fact that you're playing Spain doesn't necessarily mean that you're playing them in the same location so that they use different stadiums. And it's the same as here. and Not all the games will be at Wembley.
00:20:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
So that means that when you are a traveling fan, it's not necessarily said that if you play Portugal like right now, And then in six months we play again. It's probably another city, another location, another place.
00:20:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
So it just kind of like is an added volume.
00:20:24
Ro
Yeah, yeah, exactly what you said. I'm just going to echo everything that you said. It's one of the best experiences that you can have, especially with the Lionesses and the team that they have now.
00:20:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:20:34
Ro
ah it's It's, it's, it was what a time to be alive right now, isn't it? I wish I had this growing up, to be honest.
00:20:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's true. yeah If you are a supporter of that, but also i want to stress it again over and over and over.
00:20:40
Ro
Um,
00:20:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's such a safe space to be safe for women, safe for kids. It's just, it's literally, yeah, it's just really nice life.
00:20:53
Ro
It's a really nice, yeah, vibe. Really lovely vibe. There's a mixture of everything. Yeah, there's people that are a bit more merry than others, having a laugh, and there's others that are just chilled.
00:20:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. I mean,
00:21:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
correct.
00:21:04
Ro
And everyone's just having a good time. Everyone, whatever they're doing, they're enjoying themselves.
00:21:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Correct. I mean, if you think about the fact that, you know, after the game, we all, you know, a lot of us stopped to have a drink, you know, one before home.
00:21:14
Ro
Yeah.
00:21:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah And we had in the same place, we had a lot of Spanish supporters. It doesn't really matter.
00:21:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah You know, we don't argue. We don't pick up fights. We are not aggressive. It's just really nice. And everybody's there to enjoy.
00:21:22
Ro
Mmm.
00:21:27
Ro
Yeah.
00:21:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
So think about it. If you haven't been to a football game because you've seen certain things, especially that comes from the men's football, Forget about it. You know, women's football is like rugby. You go there to have a laugh, to have a good time, to enjoy the game, to appreciate it, not to fight to anyone else.
00:21:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, yeah, come and join
Norwich City's New Bursary Program
00:21:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
us. What a beautiful day.
00:21:48
Ro
Yeah, it's a beautiful game.
00:22:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Last but not least, because we've got a few minutes left, we wanted to touch on on this really, really great great initiative from Norwich City, Norwich, actually, as my terrible foreign pronunciation, Norwich City.
00:22:28
Ro
Yeah.
00:22:31
Ro
It is an odd one. It's one of the odd ones, isn't it?
00:22:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's like Worcester. Yeah, it's one of those. Anyway, yeah, Norwich City Football Club. They yeah announced, it I think it was last last week or 10 days ago. So what they did is that they introduced basically this bursary in collaboration with the University of East Anglia.
00:22:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
that mirrors a little bit the American model, right? So you come and play for our football club. Obviously, this is a postgraduate course. So you come and play for our football club. So you get, you know, a lot of money off, if not if not free, completely free.
00:23:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah university In the meantime, you know you play for us. That's kind of like the exchange, right? But you have to play for our team. um And in this way, what are they going?
00:23:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
I guess the thought behind it is not just giving certain women opportunity to do both. As we know you know, women don't get paid as much as men. So when your career ends, sometimes you have to really rethink about what to do and have the opportunity to train for both while you're still quite young is fantastic.
00:23:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think Norwich City has been investing in the women's side for a long time. They are really, really, really active. They really um involve the community. And I think doing something like that shows how much they are thinking about you know, further than just it's a football team and we are playing every week.
00:23:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
They have really good training facility. They really look up facilities. They really look after their teams. And as we were discussing before, I think, I hope this is just the first of many, because I, what I see is that they will capture so much talent. First of all, they will capture, they will capture some young-ish,
00:24:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, let's say young women that might obviously not be economically or financially able to sustain that kind of expense. ah They probably would have not even thought about playing football to a certain level because who cares?
00:24:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then they are kind of like thinking now and they say, OK, I can combine both because this is why the pathway in United States is so great is because so many are like, OK, you know, I'm just going to go to college through a football scholarship.
00:24:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, i fine. I just need to play football. No problem. But then they pay for my education.
00:24:56
Ro
Yeah.
00:24:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it kind of like raised rise raise the level. And I think it's a great opportunity for teams that are not in the Premier League or in the Championship either, be able to do something like that and kind of like raise the standard of football and open the doors to more opportunities.
00:25:15
Ro
Yeah, completely agree. I mean, in America, i mean, I know America's a lot much larger scale to the UK, but it's so massive and I didn't I went to an American sports bar a few months ago and I didn't realize it actually aired like televised the college teams playing I didn't realize that's how big it was over there I just thought it was like similar to here it was just two big teams like city teams or whatever playing against each other and then someone said no no they're college and I was like wow okay they're serious about their sports so yeah it's bringing that kind of like
00:25:48
Ro
um commitment a bit more but bringing the bar up higher like you said and showing how committed they are to opening up opportunities for everyone especially women and making sure that you know everyone feels like there is more than you know two or three options for them there's well if I was ah in that position in the position now that some young women are in and that was an open opportunity I mean I'd probably be grabbing it with both hands to be honest this it's
00:26:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Exactly.
00:26:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
but that's what I meant.
00:26:16
Ro
something that would never existed.
00:26:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Exactly. That's what I meant. Imagine that. if If so many years ago when we were going, you know, maybe we were just playing football just to have some fun and you think, okay, I can take this a little bit more serious.
00:26:18
Ro
Yeah.
00:26:26
Ro
Yeah.
00:26:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
like There's a friend of mine who runs a company that does exactly that. So recruits, you know, football players, young football players. So I think 14 to 18 or something like that.
00:26:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
um to for United States. So they can go there, they can play football, once they go to college, sometimes they stay on a little bit later and they do the post-grad as well, you know, that type of thing.
00:26:42
Ro
Hmm.
00:26:54
Ro
Yeah.
00:26:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it's it's fantastic and they are so in demand. So I just really love the fact that, you know, we are now starting to think outside of the box and think like, well, why don't we do it here?
00:27:04
Ro
Yeah. ah Yeah, a lot of innovative and in innovation and innovative thinking. um And like you said, hopefully paving the way for other clubs or other teams to to follow and um hopefully have the funding to do the same as well.
00:27:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, absolutely. But also, you know, I guess it opens up to more, um how do say, to kind of like making the fan base larger as well, right?
00:27:29
Ro
Yeah.
00:27:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because of course, like, if your kids, your daughter or, you know, your nephew, your niece, ah your, I don't know, cousin or something is playing, Then you just turn up sometimes.
00:27:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
like, I'm just going go and watch my cousin. And you're just like, oh, actually, this is quite nice. I quite enjoy that. And then, you know, you start to speak to more people and develop it more and more and more.
00:27:49
Ro
Yeah.
00:27:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
So I think it's a trickle effect on everything.
00:27:52
Ro
Definitely.
00:27:54
Ro
Yeah. Yeah.
00:27:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, yeah. Do you agree?
00:27:58
Ro
I do. I do definitely agree. Yeah, definitely.
00:28:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
trust you. Well, thank you for being with me this evening. I think that's all we have time for today. And i look we look forward to welcoming you to the next episode of Beyond the Pitch, the Daily Women podcast by Global Sport Podcast Network.