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Beyond the Pitch Episode 82: Catching up with the news
13 Plays9 days ago
Beyond the Pitch Episode 82
Join Catherine and Cate as they catch up with the world of women's football with headlines from over the festive period.
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Transcript
Introduction and Agenda Overview
00:00:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Welcome back. We are welcoming you back to Beyond the Pitch, a daily women's football podcast brought to you by the Global Sports Podcast Network. I'm Catherine and I'm here today with my favourite Italian.
00:00:21
Cate
Yes, it's me!
00:00:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah We've got quite a few things to talk about today, but we're going to start with a brief catch up about headlines over the last kind of week or so that we would have missed talking about. I want to talk, ah well,
00:00:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
I say talk rant a bit about Manchester United and how they treat their women's team. Um, again, maybe we should make this a weekly feature of the podcast, just a rant about Manchester United.
Holiday Reflections and Listener Appreciation
00:00:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Um, and we're going to end up talking about the euros draw, which is quite spicy. I would say is the word for me.
00:00:58
Cate
Yeah, I like that, spicy. Yeah, nice.
00:00:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Um,
00:01:01
Cate
Like the food I had during my Christmas holidays.
00:01:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh yeah. Spicy.
00:01:06
Cate
Yes.
00:01:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, I don't know, pigs in blankets?
00:01:11
Cate
I had spicy pinks in blanket.
00:01:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, excellent. I like it. I like the the sound of it. Have you been ah watching any men's football over the festive period?
00:01:23
Cate
ah Right, so I haven't actually. First of all, welcome back everybody. This is our first podcast of the year. And you have the two loud cat and cat with you. So thanks for staying with us. ah um And we hope also you had a
Football Updates and Rumors
00:01:40
Cate
fantastic time. Great New Year's Eve, great Christmas and everything. um No, I haven't actually. I work at the Tottenham Stadium, so I watch it when I'm there.
00:01:50
Cate
But I didn't go to, but we we don't want to talk about that. i but so But I haven't gone to the extent of actually sitting down and watching again, not at all. I know there's quite a few of our co-hosts as well, they went on football binge throughout the holiday season, etc. I followed, I followed the result, etc. But I think there's been quite a lot of interesting news, which we are going to chat some of them about as well, about the Euros, about, you know, about some stuff happening, not only here, but in Australia as well.
Focus on Women's Football
00:02:27
Cate
ah You know, the Europa League, ah there's so many things that happen, some love,
00:02:33
Cate
rumors as well, which is not rumor anymore. So yeah, a lot of very exciting and less exciting things. So ah yeah, I don't really have as much time for
Lucy Bronze's Popularity and Relationship News
00:02:43
Cate
the boys. There's a lot of people that look after them already.
00:02:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, exactly, I agree with you.
00:02:46
Cate
Yeah. That's it. And I volunteered a lot. I tend to volunteer a lot during the Christmas time. So when I don't do that, I just really like to switch off.
00:02:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Excellent, I agree.
00:02:58
Cate
Yeah. yeah
00:03:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
um So you suggested to me that we talk about Lucy Bronn's gossip and I don't know what the gossip is, like what is the Lucy Bronn gossip?
00:03:07
Cate
I didn't say gossip. Sorry, Lucy. if youre hear If you're listening to my podcast, I know it'll never happen, but you never know. and
00:03:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hey, she listens to podcasts. I'm sure I've heard her say somewhere before that she's listened to a podcast.
00:03:26
Cate
i Well, I don't know if she's listening to our podcast or not, but So basically, ah well, I'm going to have to say, Lucy is probably, I'd say in the England squad, in the Lion, in the current Lioness squad, she's probably one of the top players that everybody loves.
00:03:47
Cate
And you can hear, like, when, when you go to watch the Lionesses, doesn't matter where you are, you know, when they, you know, when they start to say number one, Mary Epps, number two, Lucy Bronz, the whole stadium erupts.
00:03:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:04:02
Cate
And I think we love her as a player. We love her because, you know, she's a senior player. You can see she's so nice with you other the other teammates as well, always helping.
00:04:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
I love, ah can I just interrupt for one second? What I love most about her is her sense of humor. Have you seen, ah there's two videos from December, one where they're talking about their ah nicknames that the team called them gay joe ah Gabby Gabby George says, I get called Gabby George. And then Lucy lucy says Gabby Gabby. And then the other one is when she said Serena doesn't have any friends.
00:04:38
Cate
yeah No, she doesn't say that again. Let's not quote the difference. She doesn't say that. I think she said something like, oh, I didn't know she had any friends. it was more It was more like, it was a sweeter way.
00:04:52
Cate
I think she kind of like said it in a way of saying like, oh, ah nine ah it's nice.
00:04:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh yeah, it's a clo it was a real joke. it was But I think it shows that the comfort level of their relationship, um which is really nice.
00:04:58
Cate
Yeah.
00:05:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Anyway, carry on.
00:05:07
Cate
Oh my God. No, for sure. And I think, I think this is why he's one of the most loved football players, right? One of the most loved lionesses. She's very real as well. She is what, yeah what you see is what you get in so many other ways, et cetera. But of course there's been like tons of rumors about maybe her having a love story with, um you know, someone. and It
Bayern Munich Updates and Player Developments
00:05:33
Cate
was someone else before and then, you know, she moved to Barcelona, something happened in there. And then it was really cute because a couple of days ago, ah you know, I guess they decided to not care about it anymore and to go public. So she puts a photo, well, a lot, a series of photo of her and her partner, who is also a football player.
00:05:55
Cate
in um in Paris, and yeah, I think the internet just went mad. mad because people have been, you know, like, ah you know, we are very good detectives in that type of way. And yeah, I mean, people have been supporting little sign, you know, little different things that how you behave with different teammates compared to that, you know, the way they would look at each other, that type of thing. And for me, that I am a romantic and absolutely, you know,
00:06:28
Cate
I die for the type of stories. um It's been beautiful and I'm very happy for them. I lie them together and I wish them all the best really. I think it's i think it's nice when you have someone and you feel you know, you reach a point where you feel comfortable and you say, okay, now I can post about it. I can say things about like, you know, I just want to leave my relationship in, you know, in a, I want to say in a, in a more traditional way instead of hiding from it. And so yeah, I want to wish them all the best. It's just been really nice. I love love stories. I think, you know, uh, women's, uh, footballers are less
00:07:09
Cate
ashamed maybe let's call it this way they really go out there and you know they declare their law for their partners and i i just really like it so that's it that's why i wanted to compliment them congratulate them not compliment them sorry congratulate them more than gossip about them but yeah let's move on to yes exactly
00:07:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'll just say here, here to that.
00:07:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
um The next thing I wanted to talk about was excellent news from coming out of Bayern Munich. Marla's okay. She had a successful surgery.
00:07:45
Cate
Yeah.
00:07:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah He put a post up on Instagram with pictures of a few of her teammates visiting her in hospital. ah She's going to be back in training with the team possibly in January, which is just amazing. I mean, to go from, it was only October when the news came out that she'd been diagnosed ah with a malignant tumor. And two months later to possibly be back in training. It's incredible. So we're very happy to have her back.
00:08:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Um, yeah, just a big, big plus story. I also wanted to touch on also from Bayern Munich. Uh, Georgia Stanway made a few comments that she, it was after all the big awards. I don't follow the awards that much, but she didn't get a nomination for any of the awards saying that she maybe feels a bit unappreciated by the awards people. Um, but that her teammates and coaches do appreciate her, which is the most important. And like I just want
Growth of Women's Football in England
00:08:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
to say, yeah, I mean, i she she's my favourite England player, so I'm going to say absolutely yes anyway. But I mean, what do you think? Do you think she's been kind of like undervalued?
00:09:02
Cate
I mean, i I think a little bit like Lauren hemp, they are two players that, but to be honest, also Kira Walsh. I mean, come on.
00:09:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Oh, hugely.
00:09:13
Cate
Like I love Georgia. I think she's funny. What I love about her is that also she's very open about so many things. She's now a tattoo artist as well. Like I love all of that.
00:09:24
Cate
You know, like la Lauren is mad about Lego and You know, they're all artists. I like that side of them as well. But if you want to talk about like a proper underrated and under-recognized player, for me as a lioness, as in the women, oh, my God, totally Kirill Walsh.
00:09:42
Cate
But Georgia is is another player that both in her team and in the national team, when she's not there, you feel it.
00:09:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:09:49
Cate
Actually, actually, maybe maybe the opposite. I think you feel it when she is there. You see, you feel it. And I will never forget, I said it many times in our podcast, I will never forget, you know, when we were losing last year ah with the Netherlands at Wembley, just the way she was.
00:10:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh god, that game.
00:10:09
Cate
fighting and wanted to score and she scored the goal and straight away went straight into the goalie, picked up the ball, went back into, you know, in the middle of the field and just go like, come on more, more like we need to come on.
00:10:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:10:22
Cate
Okay. I scored one. Let's go. One more, one more. Let's go. We have a job to do.
00:10:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Actually.
00:10:25
Cate
I like that. I think she has an incredible work ethic on, on football.
00:10:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:10:30
Cate
And, and yeah, I understand that because when you are like that, when you know your value, when you know what you can, you know, what what you contribute to, et cetera.
00:10:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:10:39
Cate
And you also don't get recognized by your peers, especially. Maybe like journalist or things like that. You're just like, yeah, whatever, you know, you have your favorites and it's fine. I don't speak to you. So I get it.
00:10:50
Cate
But your peers, really, I think that I understand why she's a bit hurt. And, you know, I hope she will get more recognition moving forward.
00:10:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:10:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Me too. I was just thinking when you were talking about the Netherlands game actually that Georgia has seems to have a habit of when England ah losing or struggling, because she's the one who gets us back into it.
00:11:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Think about the Spain game in the Euros.
00:11:13
Cate
Absolutely.
00:11:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
um She scored that banger and kind of turned the game around against Germany. She was immense. um And again, kind of turn the game around.
00:11:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
God, this what was it? 3-0 down at 25 minutes. What an insane game that was. ah But anyway, yes, we love you, Georgia. I know, again, you're probably not listening. Maybe you are, but we love you.
00:11:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
um So, yeah. Some positive bits of news. 77% of schools, so that's over three quarters, now offer equal access to football for girls in England, which, yay, amazing.
00:11:49
Cate
Yes, yes. Yeah, that was a fantastic news that I read. Thank you to our co-host Nat, who also works in a school
Historic All-Female Referee Team in Australia
00:11:59
Cate
and works towards, you know, raising the numbers and more and more. um Yeah, she showed it this morning and it was very exciting. I was very, very, very happy about it. I think we still have a long way to go, but I mean, 77, it's a really great number. If we go back a few years ago,
00:12:19
Cate
um I don't want to say we didn't think it was going to happen but maybe it happened a little bit faster than and it's fantastic and this this doesn't this doesn't really mean about ah what I want to clarify is like this doesn't really mean that you know the same amount of girls play football as boys in the school but it's just that if before there was not even an option to put on like a girls football club or something from the schools, now there is. And you know, what does that mean? Is that the more we're going to carry on, you know, the higher, the highest the number will become. What does that mean? That then, you know, the pathway is fed constantly with more players, but also players will want to go and watch the games. And so we will have more funds and everything will grow. um I mean,
00:13:12
Cate
ah in in the same post i share with you there's also a couple of other starts that i would like to quickly also peek on which is since two thousand and twenty so this is not just the euro effect this is actually for me and that happened to me as well my passion for women's football grew higher after the France 2019 World Cup. But yes, since 2020, 56% increase in the number of women girls playing football. If we think about the fact that we had two years of pandemic, I think this is an astonishing number. And another number that I'm very excited about, and I think it also linked to something we are going to talk in a second,
00:13:56
Cate
is that there's ah over 500 new female coaches and referees so the number in there is also you know going higher and I i appreciate the fact that both local authorities or London e FA, counties FA and the national affairs are really pushing to put on more affordable courses and then let's not forget the powerhouse you know i love them what they're doing to really bring more female coaches into UEFA C but also UEFA B so highest level of coaching and how they engage other women cultures to come
00:14:35
Cate
and to teach, it's really great. Really, really great numbers and start. Very happy to start the new year with these really good numbers.
00:14:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Amazing. ah Again, I would just say here, here, um because I agree.
00:14:46
Cate
Yeah.
00:14:50
Cate
Yeah. Yeah.
00:14:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Amazing. um In Australia, for the first time, a female referee will take charge of an A-League men's game on New Year's Day. hurrah.
00:15:00
Cate
Yeah, I know. That's very exciting. So our podcast is going to go out on that day. So it would be that it would be nearly as exciting as that game, I guess.
00:15:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes, so it's today.
00:15:13
Cate
But if I'm not if I'm not wrong, I think it is. um I don't think it's just the referee. I think it's a whole ah like all of the officials are women, if I'm not wrong.
00:15:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
you
00:15:25
Cate
But don't don't quote me crazy on that. I think so.
00:15:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Amazing. I know the same thing happened in the Netherlands not long ago.
00:15:31
Cate
Yeah. Yeah, actually just, yeah, I just double check it and it is in fact, an all female referee team. So that means yes, all teams of six female official will be in charge of Western Sydney, New Year's day clash, uh, with Mark after FC.
00:15:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Wow.
00:15:49
Cate
So that is fantastic.
00:15:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Amazing.
00:15:51
Cate
Yeah.
00:15:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think that's brilliant as well, because a lot of the, whenever people talk about like, could Emma Hayes or Serena Reagman be a coach for a men's team? A lot of men say, yeah, but would people and players in the dressing room really listen to them?
00:16:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
And like, well, they're being, and if a referee, female referees are taking charge of these games, they will be having to listen to them and being forced to look at them like, you're professionals, you're in the game.
00:16:18
Cate
Yeah, I don't
Challenges for Female Coaches in Men's Football
00:16:19
Cate
know. i think it's Yes, I see your point of view, absolutely. i think there is a I think there is still a bit more work to do because the referee is in charge of your game for 90 minutes.
00:16:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:16:35
Cate
It's very different. The referee doesn't need to be as tactical, as knowledgeable with regard to physicality. There is so much more involving to being actually, you know, the head coach or the manager, however you want to call it, or the team.
00:16:50
Cate
I think we'll get there the same way we got in there for so many other things but I think it will still take a little bit of time also because there are so many other um sorry head coaches that are males that are also incredible and very talented and so I think this is will be seen also kind of like making a point instead of picking the best
00:17:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:17:16
Cate
person for the job, whilst in refereeing, especially when you're not talking about, I don't know, the final of the of the world cup, like the top of the top of the top of the game.
00:17:28
Cate
I think everybody's quite flexible. I'm just going like, whatever. I mean, I used to referee and volleyball games, men, you know, female, male, men, women, it just really matter.
00:17:40
Cate
No one was bothered as long as you were a good referee.
00:17:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think it's to me it's kind of about the visibility it's having women being visible in a professional men's context.
00:17:43
Cate
That's it. I think
00:17:49
Cate
Oh my God. Absolutely. But what I'm saying is that I think the reaction is different. It's like, okay, we have an all female, you know, referee team is fine. We are all boys and we have an all-female technical staff, our coach, our manager, everybody. I think it's i think it is it will get there, but it will take a bit of time. What needs to happen is that, as usual, we need to start at the you know bottom of the pyramid, so grassroots. And then, of course, like the boys will be like a coach is a coach. The same as what the girls do now, right? So for us,
00:18:26
Cate
You go and play in a team and it's like, this is your coach. You don't know what you expect. Is he a man? Is he a female? It doesn't really matter. He's my coach, right? And I think it will happen more and more with the boys as well. And so for them, it will become like.
00:18:39
Cate
just a normal thing as in like okay so when i was six my coach was a woman now i'm 20 my coach is a woman fine i don't care it's we're still not there refereeing is different because at every level you have male and female referee okay on the highest level of all premier league and you know premier leagues around the world a little bit less but when you work on grassroots and you start out doesn't matter you've got you know male and females referee so it's something you're already used to I think it will just take a little bit of time, that's it.
00:19:11
Cate
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Critique of Manchester United Women's Team Management
00:19:15
Cate
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00:19:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, um so for a slightly less optimistic the second section.
00:19:40
Cate
Rant, rant, rant, rant moment.
00:19:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Rant alert! Okay, do you want me to just rant and then you can jump in?
00:19:48
Cate
Please rant. I can't wait for you to rant about United.
00:19:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay.
00:19:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, ah so basically Charlotte Harper of The Athletic, I really like her her writing. I think she's a really good journalist. She's written about Manchester United women's team before. um She's got a new article in The Athletic about Ineos, Sir Jim Radcliffe and his approach to Manchester United women's team because it has been a year now that he's been in charge. He took charge Christmas Eve, 2023, so it's been a year.
00:20:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
And as Charlotte points out, I think the big thing for me is there have been no specific steps taken for the women's team. I mean, the one good act for the women's team, apparently, is hiring Omar Barada because, you know, he was instrumental in building up Manchester City's women's team, but we haven't really seen much of the benefits of that. I do think we had a decent summer transfer window. im quite surprised that we managed to bring in players like Dominique Janssen and Elizabeth Turland and quite surprised frankly that they would want to come to us. But anyway for my rant, I mean Radcliffe is just, he needs help with his comms because I mean a lot of what he says I don't think people have massive massive issues with. It's the way that he says it. He
00:21:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
basically has said still a year on from taking over Manchester United that he's not concerned about the women's team. He said, they have good facilities. They have a good coaching staff. Everything's fine. You know, they can just take along whilst I focus on the big problem, the main problem, which is the men. And like, first of all, Manchester United women's team are not in a brilliant place because we are consistently kind of finishing fourth or fifth.
00:21:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
We can't keep up with the Manchester cities, with the Chelsea's, with the Arsenal's. We are very much in danger, I feel, of being kind of usurped by a Spurs. I think so. um And it's like you can't just say it's fine as it is and not want to push something on.
00:22:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Women's football isn't in that place where you can say that. You have to still be willing to to push it on and to want more from them. If you're like some of these players listening to that, you're just like, oh, okay, well, okay, fine. Let's just keep plodding on. Very demotivating. I won't talk about Mark Skinner because, you know, I don't like talking about managers that much.
00:22:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
um but i mean the fact that okay they've said that they want the women's team to win the wsl by 2028 or in 2028 how are they going to do that there's no plans that's literally three years away now so that's two and a half seasons away there's no plans there's nothing in place for that the fact that the women's team have actually gone and devised their own motto of
00:22:39
Cate
Mm hmm.
00:22:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
the back of this and with the health of a psychologist uh so they're going and doing their own thing they're just ignoring what what else is said it's just yeah any ah sorry i feel very demoralized about Manchester United women and if i feel that way as a fan like i ah just don't want to think about how the impact that it could have on the players like knowing that you're the owner of your club doesn't see you as a priority that sees you as an opportunity is what he said that sees you as kind of something that isn't really to be invested in knowing that it's like how are you motivated yeah you can talk but sorry i'm just i'm just so
00:23:39
Cate
My turn? Are you sure?
00:23:44
Cate
I'm like, you go girl, go for your monologue. I did my Lucy Bronze monologue before you go for it. Now, I mean, we chatted about that already, right?
00:23:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:23:54
Cate
um Different opinion, different thing. ah always easy to see things from the outside in a certain way I really would love to speak to someone and I'm not saying we have to I'm just saying I would love to speak to someone who is actually part of that team who knows
00:23:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:24:13
Cate
the inside out a bit better. And I'm not saying because it would be completely different. I just would love to have, you know, and um and how can I say, a view from the inside, like from someone who really is from the inside and not just one person, but you know, maybe three, four different people.
00:24:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:24:33
Cate
Is it really like that? you know Is it really that bad, et cetera?
00:24:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
We should do a survey.
00:24:37
Cate
So I think Omar used to be the COO of the city group. I said that already before. And I think he's done an amazing job. And I just think he stepped back.
00:24:50
Cate
Manchester City started to have a bit of a problem. I don't know if it's a coincidence. It might be. It might not be. I just said to you that when I met him, he blew my mind away.
00:25:02
Cate
from you know the way he talks. I am very strategic as a person and I think his strategic mind is incredible.
00:25:14
Cate
like For months after that, I really thought like, wow, this was my chance to just say to him, mate, I just want to work with you because I heard it literally on a one-to-one. And and anyway, it will come back maybe, ah but also I wasn't really particularly excited about joining CT group. But anyway, um that's a whole different topic. I think if he says, if he is happy to state You know, Hey, women's super league winners by 2028. It's because there is a plan. It might not be spoken. They might have not really started to implement it right now, but I wouldn't think that someone like that would say something like that.
00:25:56
Cate
Or, or they just saying it for the sake of it. So the people get off their back, either. That's why I would like to speak to someone who is inside and say, Hey, what's going on? Like, what is happening? Also, let's not forget that for a certain amount of time, United has dominated everything. And I'm not talking just about Manchester United. I'm not talking just about, uh, you know, Salah, ex Fergus and Ira where they won.
00:26:24
Cate
you know, the triple and and they used to win everything. But, you know, sorry.
00:26:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
But the proper treble, can I just say, the proper treble
00:26:32
Cate
Yeah, yeah, yeah, the proper one. ah But what I'm saying is that, you know, they used to be the team where, you know, everybody would come to Manchester. No one cared about city. They would want to go and watch a game at the old truffle.
00:26:44
Cate
They would buy stuff from Manchester United. They have so many fans around the world. They like, I mean, they were united. you know and they lost a lot of that which means that's a big cut of money that doesn't come into your um your side and goes somewhere else so I think they also need to fix that and what I think then when you know this gentleman um Ratcliffe uh talks about that that's what they need to fix first they need to really make the balance sheet look great again and then maybe take it from there and start
00:27:21
Cate
and i i'm
00:27:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Makes the balance sheet great again.
00:27:25
Cate
Yes.
00:27:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Get that on a hat.
00:27:27
Cate
Yes, I mean, but but it's true. You know, I love the business side of football and, you know, as soon as I heard that Omar was passing from one side to another, I was like, oh, I see.
00:27:38
Cate
I understand where they want to go. And that is going to take a few years of work. And I really hope that, you know, by next season, they will make us go like, ah, this was the plan all along for the girls. Okay. That's fine. That's great. I really hope for them. And I said to you two things about the girls, uh, the players and the whole, you know, women team, one.
00:28:00
Cate
ah you know, stick two fingers up and just say, okay, you don't care about us. We don't care about you. Bye bye. And the second one is, okay, you don't particularly care about us, but we care about us. So we want to win for o ourselves. We don't want to win just for you. We want to do things for ourselves and they become more feisty and fighters. Two ways.
00:28:23
Cate
I don't know. I mean, anyway, it's never a good situation when, you know, the press is out to get you in that sort of way. And, you know, from, you know, the whole world outside things that you really don't support at all, your women's team
Excitement for 2025 Euros Draw
00:28:39
Cate
and you don't care. It's not really great. Well, I hope it will evolve in a, with a different finale. Let's put it this way.
00:28:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Here at the Global Sports Podcast Network, we spent a lot of time selecting our delivery platform. Zencaster came out the clear winner. With 4K video recording from your phone and AI editing that automatically removes all those ums and ahs, it's super easy to start a podcast that sounds great and is delivered efficiently. So if you're ready to tell your story, check out the link in the show description to learn more about Zencaster.
00:29:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, the last topic I wanted to talk about today is the Euros, the groups.
00:29:18
Cate
Okay.
00:29:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm so excited about these Euros groups. Loads of people in England have kind of gone way over the top with their reaction, ah saying that England are in the grief of death. There's no way we're going to get out of that group. And I would just say, A, they said that about the qualifying groups. We got out of that group. B, it's such an exciting group.
00:29:39
Cate
Who is saying we are not going out of that group? Who is saying that?
00:29:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, I mean, just go online. Go under on Instagram comments on X.
00:29:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know
00:29:50
Cate
I mean, i I saw the group and I just went like, oh, okay, we got a bit of a hard one.
00:29:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
I know.
00:29:56
Cate
I'm not saying no. For me, actually what makes me sad is that I think, oh, two of these teams are not going to go forward and it's a shame.
00:30:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's exactly what I keep thinking, is that...
00:30:06
Cate
But never I thought we ain't going forward. I booked my whole month in Switzerland.
00:30:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
No.
00:30:12
Cate
Oh, well, whole month. Okay. The three weeks, whatever. So they but they better stay there a little bit longer.
00:30:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. I've got tickets for the quarter final. Yeah, um I did want to touch on there are so many kind of couples going up against each other in the groups, which, which makes me kind of happy and sad at the same time.
00:30:32
Cate
Okay. Who, who, who. Obviously I know of, um, that Mead and Vivian.
00:30:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, England, Netherlands, you got Magda, Erickson and Peniel Harder as well.
00:30:40
Cate
Yeah.
00:30:45
Cate
Really?
00:30:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I'm sure they're going off against each other.
00:30:49
Cate
Okay. And then.
00:30:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah There were some others, but I haven't written them down, so I can't remember.
00:30:55
Cate
Okay. Well, we can chat about it next time you want to go save them.
00:30:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:31:00
Cate
law
00:31:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Also, neighborly rivalries. like I actually think there's only one easy group, which is Group A. And even that's not going to be that easy, because you have quite a few teams who are around similar levels.
00:31:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
the
00:31:15
Cate
I mean, the group A really, if they had Denmark in the group, that would have been like the Northern Cup. It's right yeah i knowt we from abda he's like, It's like, who's picked this?
00:31:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. ah you Apart from Switzerland.
00:31:29
Cate
No, I said if he wasn't Switzerland, if he was Denmark instead of Switzerland, okay, very similar, very similar flag.
00:31:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. It would just be, yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:31:36
Cate
Let's put it that way. It's just weird.
00:31:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
The northern. then
00:31:40
Cate
Yeah, and then you have like the group, um sorry, group B with Italy, which is like the Mediterranean Cup.
00:31:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm hmm.
00:31:47
Cate
Okay, Belgium has gotten in India somehow.
00:31:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
By the way, that is a really tough group. I actually looked at that and went, oh, because.
00:31:52
Cate
Yeah. Yeah, it is a tough group. but It is a very tough group. um It won't be easy for Italy to make it through the next stages. I'm not saying they won't, especially after you know winning with Germany and everything.
00:32:06
Cate
Maybe they're super confident. ah To be honest, I personally don't think there is actually any easy group.
00:32:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:32:12
Cate
Yeah, maybe the softer one, like you said, is group A. But to be honest, all the others, I feel pretty competitive. I told you that for me, the one to watch I don't know if you remember, I said it many times, the one to watch next year at the Euro, well, actually this year, because this podcast is going to go out on the 1st of January, is Poland.
00:32:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm. Hmm.
00:32:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I'm excited to see, to see Poland.
00:32:39
Cate
A hundred percent.
00:32:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:32:41
Cate
A hundred percent. And I mean, I'm going to have my face painting, which is ah white and red anyway. I can use it.
00:32:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Ah!
00:32:50
Cate
I can use it. It's like, yeah. But anyway, no, I think it would be very exciting and just for anyone who's listening and maybe doesn't have it in front of them.
00:33:00
Cate
I'm just going to run through the group quickly before we close our podcast. So group A is Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Finland. Group B is Spain, Portugal, Belgium, and Italy. Group C, Germany, Poland, Denmark, and Sweden. And Group D, apparently the death group. France, England, Wales, and Netherlands. Very excited for Wales. I'm sorry they have us in their group. I actually was hoping for them to be in another group, but it is what it is. um Very excited, very excited for them.
00:33:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I think it's an exciting tournament all around. And like some tournaments you start off with these games that are kind of like, but this time it's straight into it, like straight into massive games on the first day.
00:33:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's ah yeah, it's gonna be great. And come on England, I have quarterfinal tickets.
00:33:56
Cate
Yeah, what tickets did you get?
00:33:59
Cate
Okay.
00:34:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
um
00:34:02
Cate
Where? Where?
00:34:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
So,
00:34:03
Cate
Which one?
00:34:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
all of them, all four quarterfinals because I didn't know which group England would be in so I just got the tickets for all four quarterfinals and I'm just going to go to all of them because I want to see other countries too.
00:34:06
Cate
Oh, okay. Okay, so you're going to...
00:34:17
Cate
Yeah, it's going to be exciting and then we will be able to travel around Switzerland for free. It's just, I think it's going to be incredible.
00:34:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes.
00:34:25
Cate
Uh, yeah, just really, really, really, really good. Anyway.
00:34:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, just before we close, I want to point out one thing. I want everyone to look at photos from the Euro's draw. It is so funny because they had all of the managers from the different groups standing next to the trophy and they've got Serena and the Netherlands coach Andre stood next to each other.
00:34:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
they look like secret service agents. I'm not kidding. They look like they're protecting the president. They're both stood there in like suits with their arms in front of themselves.
00:34:54
Cate
yeah
00:34:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'll send you the picture, but people look for their picture because it's so funny. They look like they're protecting the president, their secret service agents, like en route to protecting the president.
00:35:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. On that note, let's go protect our own presidents. ah That's all from us today. So thank you for joining us. ah We're looking forward to a great 2025, so goodbye from me.
00:35:21
Cate
And
Episode Conclusion and New Year Greetings
00:35:22
Cate
ciao ciao and Happy New Year to all of you.
00:35:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Ciao ciao! Bye!