Episode 1 The Women's Football Show


Episode 1

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Good evening and welcome to a new series of the Women's Football Show.

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Manchester City were crowned WSL champions for the first time in

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their history last season. Will they want again be the team to beat

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domestically and in Europe? -- will Baby once again the team to beat?

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Yes, Manchester City aiming to prove unstoppable as they chase a travel

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Champions League, FA Cup and the Spring Series. A one-off competition

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created to bridge the gap between seasons as the WSL transitions from

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a summer league to a more traditional football calendar. We

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have got our on unstoppable forces denied, Alex Scott and Rachel. We

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will be checking in with Manchester City shortly, but we begin with the

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news that on Friday morning Notts County Ladies players and staff were

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told the club were financially unable to stay afloat and would fold

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on the eve of the new season. Having only come into existence

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three years ago after relocating from Lincoln, local businessman Alan

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Hardy, who purchased Notts County's men's and women's clubs November,

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has reluctantly admitted defeat in his bid to restructure the 6-figure

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debt incurred by the previous owner. In March, a winding-up petition was

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adjourned for a second time, giving Notts County until July three to pay

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debts owed to inland revenue and Customs. With projected revenue from

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attendances and sponsorship are set against operating costs of

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approximately half ?1 million, Hardy said continuing would have been

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little short of financial suicide. It is a very sad day for me

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financially, he said, and supporters should rest assured I left no stone

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unturned in my quest to save the club.

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It doesn't seem real. Yesterday we were training. We were looking

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forward to playing Arsenal on Sunday. Today the club does not

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exist any more. People were upset. Livelihoods have been ruined. It is

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pretty heartbreaking. We are all kind of left in a boat that is

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sinking very quickly. Speculation emerged that two Premier

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League clubs were interested in buying the WSL license but the FA

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responded with the following statement.

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Notts County have officially withdrawn from the Spring Series,

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which will be contested by the nine remaining teams, with an

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announcement about their replacement for 2017-18 to follow at a later

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date. Of more immediate concern is the uncertain future faced by the

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staff and the players from Notts County.

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Devastating news for everybody involved. A big blow for women's

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football. The FA say their priority of the players and they will work

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closely with them, the PFA and wider stakeholders to support them through

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this time, the most important thing being the players and staff. What is

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your reaction, Rachel? The timing seems to be the key thing. A lot of

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people shocked at it happening two days before the start of the Spring

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Series? It seems crazy. Few months before a number of these players

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will be stepping out to play for England in biggest tournament coming

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up. Alan Hardy, the chairman, didn't even tell the players themselves.

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They found out five minutes before it went public. So many things were

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wrong about the announcement, yet alone -- let alone the consequence,

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which means Notts County are no longer in existence. A lot of anger

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on social media. Alex, you were supposed to play in Notts County.

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Have you spoken to the players? What can you say, you can only show

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empathy of what they are going through. It is the hard situation.

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One moment they are preparing to play us and then their lives are

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turned around. They are left without a job, some are homeless and they

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are preparing for the European Championships, some of them. The PFA

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say they are hopeful players will be granted special dispensation to move

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outside of the transfer window, but it is a fluent situation because

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liquidators need to assess assets. It is complicated and it could take

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some time. The players of any professional clubs are assets. When

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liquidators come in, they worked out what the acids are and what they are

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worth. Who knows how long that process will take? Until that

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happens, players can't Mike Sherman -- players can't move on. Where did

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they move to due clubs have already budgeted for the next year. Do they

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have room in their squad? Do they have money left to pay these

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players? Summoning unanswered questions. This is a unique

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position. I just hope the welfare of the players is paramount. That these

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players can find a club and get back on the training pitch. It does sound

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like they are the priority. But going back to the money, if you look

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at the projected revenues, ?28,000 coming in but half ?1 million in

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operating costs. The figures don't add up. What does this mean in terms

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of progress? In terms of ticket sales, yes. We want the game to be

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open to families. It is different to the men's game. With that, you will

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not generate a lot of revenue from ticket sales. Where clubs need to be

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smart, where they need to generate income, you will use the girls as

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commercial assets, market them and use them in the wider community to

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generate money from a different strain. An extremely difficult time

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for everybody involved. We wish them all the best. Manchester City have

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signalled their intent to secure more silverware with the signing of

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Carli Lloyd on a short-term deal from Houston. Ahead of city's

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Champions League semifinal tie against Lyon, Sue Smith sat down

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with her. She has won two Fifa player of the year awards, two

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Olympic medals, and a hat-trick in the World Cup final in Vancouver.

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It was one of those -- those moments where I was in the zone, I was super

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focus, I wanted to win. You dream of doing something like that.

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What a goal! Carli Lloyd has a hat-trick inside 16 minutes.

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It brings chills to my arms still thinking about it. I was waiting and

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waiting and waiting and when it went in I was like, oh my gosh. I ran

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back to hope and she has our arms around me and she said, are you even

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human? Are you superhuman? No. It's called just working extremely,

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extremely hard. My life changed completely after the

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2015 World Cup, which was great. It took some getting used to. President

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Obama, what was he saying to you when he was holding your hand?

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Everybody seems to be laughing. He was talking about the moment I

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scored the third goal. I remember he asked what I ate for breakfast that

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morning. If you had to pick three words to sum yourself up, what would

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they be? I would probably say relentless, professional and German.

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I don't ever switch off. It is one of those things where, if the

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football aspect of your life is going well, the rest of your life is

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going well. But if the football isn't going well, it drives me

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insane off the pitch. I look at all these moments and

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these are all glorious moments. What isn't up here is the hard, tough

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moments that I had to go through, the struggles, the obstacles. Those

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moments have helped me propellant to the biggest stage. -- propel onto.

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You nearly turned your back on the game in 2004? I was cut from the

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under 21 national team by Mike coach and I figured I would quit because I

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didn't know how to overcome that. I was going to finish out my

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collegiate career. That is when my dad reached out to James and said,

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my daughter really needs somebody to work with. Can you train her?

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James, my trainer, he is the wizard, the brains behind how fit I am, how

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strong I am, how I deal with certain situations. If it weren't for him, I

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wouldn't be standing here. I would never have accomplished all of this.

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I think what's amazing about James is he never had announce of doubt. I

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had some doubt. I asked my self over and over, can I really become the

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best player in the world? Is it really going to happen? When is it

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could happen? If I had to do it all over again, and weighed 13 years to

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stand on that stage receiving my trophy as Fifa's best player in the

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world, I would probably do it the same way. It takes is that much

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sweeter that you had to work so hard to reach a point like that. I was

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probably more nervous at that moment wedding to have my name called and I

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was in the world Cup final. I was super nervous because you can

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control what you do on the pitch. But this, it is voting. You just

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don't know. I obviously train to win team events, but for an individual,

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this is something I was going after for some time. Who is the best

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player you have played with? With? You know, Kelly Smith. I actually

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got to play with her when I was young, in my high school days. She

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was someone I thought to myself, wow, she is great. You still as

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hungry for success? I am. There are still people out there and look at

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my age and say, she is 34. But bring it on. People have died of me ever

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since I started and I have made them eat their words and I will continue

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doing that. I still have a lot in me and I think my best is yet to come.

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It has been amazing. The girls have been amazing. Great. Lots of

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characters. Weird acts and is? May be the Scouse accent! -- accents.

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They speak a different language, that is for sure. When they are

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speaking with one another I'm like, what did you guys say? I don't know

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if it is something I will ever learn. Some of your team-mates have

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come across as well. Heather O'Reilly, Crystal Dawn. Karen Hauer

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league get to the level it is in America, a world-class league? I

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definitely think so. The biggest thing is the funding. At Manchester

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City they treat the men world-class and they treat the women world-class

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as well. I have been impressed. There are some great players. We

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play really good soccer, or football. It's great. Do you think

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you may come back to women's Super League or finish in America? I don't

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know. It is a really good question. That is the first question I have

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been asked as far as that. I'm not sure. I'm open to all possibilities.

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As we get closer to the 2019 World Cup and the 2020 Olympics, that will

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pretty much, if all goes well, be the end of my career. But I'm just

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taking it as it comes right now. I am really loving it. Is there a

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possibility of coming back and re-signing? Absolutely? The

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Champions League, is that one of the main reasons why you came to

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Manchester City? Yes. With Nick reaching out, that was one of the

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big draws. He wanted someone of my stature who could help with the

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experience. Just be a good role model here. Do you think you will go

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in against Lyon and take the game to them? What I have always done with

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my career is it is not about the opponent, it is not about any one

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particular player. Yes, Alex Morgan is on that team. But at the end of

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the day I'm competing against myself. And I'm competing against

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being better than I was in previous games. It will be tough. France has

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some amazing players who play for Lyon. At the end of the day we just

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have too worry about us and what we can do and what we control. We will

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be OK. Kylie Leuluai was in the starting

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line-up at the academy Stadium on Saturday afternoon, where City phase

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told as Lyon in the first leg of their Champions League semifinal.

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COMMENTATOR: Swung in and headed off the line by

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Tenor stokes was that a handball? Yes it was. Lyon have a penalty. The

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arm was raised from the USA captain. Against Bardsley, and scores. The

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worst possible start for Manchester City. Lyon take the lead from the

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spot. Bardsley going the wrong way. Dispossessed by Walsh.

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Birgen fans. Equalisers for Manchester City. Eight minutes after

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Lyon take the lead comedy Sweden international makes it 1-1. Uses her

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pace to drive away. Good finish as well. Asllani gets a foot in. Morgan

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retains possession. Most touch, lasered off. Lyon retake the lead

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and it is an excellent team gold. Bardsley was now chance. Lyon coming

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forward again. Looking for Morgan. Bardsley out well to smother. Again,

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Lyon showing plenty of verve and vigour attacking the Manchester City

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penalty area. The England goalkeeper does well. The ball in, looking for

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Le Sommer. Lyon take real control in this tie. Eugenie Le Sommer shows

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her quality with a cracking finish. Can Manchester City haul themselves

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back into this game? It is off the post, the initial effort from

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McManus. Christians and will try to play this on. It goes behind and it

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will be a mountain the Manchester City to climb in the second leg in

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France -- Christiansen. We heard Carly telling some part of the major

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attraction for moving to Manchester City was playing in the Champions

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League, so I can only imagine she would have been really unhappy to

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concede a penalty in the first few minutes without handball. It wasn't

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the ideal start. Whether she was a bit hyped up, she has been in

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high-pressure situations before. She does have her arm raised as the ball

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was played and it hits her arm in a none position. The referee has no

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option other than to give a penalty. Not a great start for City at all.

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But we see for the second goal, Maroszan, Carly Booth is best to be

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marking her. -- Carly Lloyd ASBOs to be marking

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her. She would be disappointed. Lyon have won three in the Champions

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League. Alex, your team were the last British team to make a European

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final decade ago, were you playing them? A decade ago! Showing my age!

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It will be a huge task for them to climb, not a start they wanted, but

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it has taken a team of Lyon's calibre to exploit the City defence

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because we haven't seen that in the WSL. I would like them to show they

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have nothing to lose was the batting lower spaces in Lyon's defence,

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which result from the girl. How important is the presence of Carli

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Lloyd, not only of the pitch but on the pitch as well, where she heard

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her described herself as relentless, professional, driven. I loved that

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interview with Carli Lloyd. The words she uses, for every young

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female and male players watching that interview, it is not about

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talent, you need more than talent, it gets you through the door but it

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is not enough to stay there, it is about your mentality and drive to

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stay there and do it consistently. Like she said, it has taken her 13

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years to become the best player in the world and jackets working and

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she wants more. And to think she nearly gave it all up at one point.

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That was the turning point. That switch. That is robust calibre of

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player brings to the WSL, because she has won World Cups, she has

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captain, bringing other players over, the likes of crystal done,

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Heather O'Reilly. Coming back to the WSL, but those US national women's

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team players they are winners, that is something England players don't

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have and can learn from. Despite defeat to Lyon, there was some good

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news for Manchester City after Lucy Cammack were bronze was named

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women's players Player of the Year for the second time. -- Lucy Bronze.

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Deserving of that win? Absolutely. She has been phenomenal for both

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club and country. Alex has a great knowledge of what it takes to be a

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wonderful right back. Lucy has good defensive quality. It is her

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attacking prowess that makes her stand out and has probably won her

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the representation from her fellow players. She sees the space, the

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12s. That was the blueprint that Manchester City had all last year

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and was really why I believe they won the league and have been so

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successful. She just exploit space over and over. That attacking tactic

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was why there were so good. She really does live up to her middle

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name, Tough. Did you vote for her? She was another one, yesterday when

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I was speaking to her, but like Carli Lloyd, it occur 13 years, but

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I told her she needs to do that and have the time because I believe

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Lucie Kankova on to be one of the best players in the world. A good

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night the full-backs with just Carter named young Player of the

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Year after a superb debut season in 2016. We can have a look at the tomb

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of the year as well. Rachel, do you think there's anyone missing from

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that list? We were debating this before. Kira Walsh with Man City was

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excellent. I think Nikita Parris had a fabulous season for Man City. She

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broke into the senior side. She is tenacious and her play. She might

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feel hard done by that she is not on that list. Kelly Smith gets a second

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shout out. Carli Lloyd says she is the best pleasures are played

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against Antonacci has won a special achievement award. Rightly so. 117

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caps, her career spans longer than probably most people. Phenomenal

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player. When you have players like Lucy Bronze saying it was her dream

:23:47.:23:49.

come true just to be on the same pitch as Kelly Smith, it shows how

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much Kelly Smith has been such a role model for the young players

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coming through. Caroline Weir made it into the tomb of the year. She

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was involved for Liverpool as the spring series got underway. They

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face newly promoted your Poole Town, aiming to build upon glasses and's

:24:06.:24:10.

extraordinary achievements. Jamie Sherwood's side fired expectations

:24:11.:24:17.

in 2016, in front of a record crowd on the final day of the season they

:24:18.:24:23.

beat Sheffield FC to beat local rivals Bristol City WSL title. We

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all do this part time, we are not here for the money, it is true

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determination, true character, it is all about family and that is what we

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are, we have come a long way and we deserve it. Yeovil Town will need to

:24:37.:24:40.

draw on that unity as the club aim to compensate for having one of the

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more modest budgets in the Super League, so could the Lady make an

:24:45.:24:48.

immediate impact when they kicked off the made in top-flight campaign

:24:49.:24:54.

against Liverpool? COMMENTATOR: An historic day for Yeovil Town, their

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first match of the top flight of women's football after winning

:24:58.:25:01.

promotion as champions from WSL2 glasses on. They have already played

:25:02.:25:06.

once. They were knocked out of the FA Cup in the last 62. The big team

:25:07.:25:11.

news, the return of striker Sarah Wiltshire, she gave birth to her

:25:12.:25:14.

daughter Alexa in February and after a short loan spell at Cambridge

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United she is back in the Yeovil Town squad and named on the bench

:25:18.:25:20.

will stop Nicola cousins returns in the fence. Liverpool were knocked

:25:21.:25:26.

out of the FA Cup semifinals by Manchester City last weekend, two

:25:27.:25:31.

judges for them. Casey Stoney is out so Sophie Inglot lobsters at the

:25:32.:25:35.

heart. Caroline Weir comes in and Laura clones, who signed permanently

:25:36.:25:40.

for Chelsea after a successful loan spell last season, also starts. The

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head of kick a bit of a mix-up with the Liverpool kit. It didn't arrive

:25:45.:25:51.

in Somerset, so Liverpool will be playing in your Poole Town's away

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strip, not their traditional red. -- Yeovil will be playing. Here,

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Liverpool, played out the Hodgson. A bit of a clash. It will be a free

:26:05.:26:15.

kick to Liverpool. Nicola Cousins on Caroline Weir. Alex Greenwood with

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the delivery. Might fall here for Harding. Saved and off the line by

:26:24.:26:31.

blizzard. -- by Blezard. Really good opportunity, this, for Liverpool.

:26:32.:26:41.

Yeovil survived. Chance for Liverpool. Very close, can they get

:26:42.:26:46.

the follow-up? Handball and it will be a penalty kick. Yeovil look at

:26:47.:26:55.

salute Lee devastated with that. It was her son who had her hand in an

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amateur opposition. -- Heatherson. Here is Greenwood. Really good

:27:05.:27:12.

penalty. Haynes went the right way. 1-0 to Liverpool. She was not far

:27:13.:27:23.

away from that, Charlotte Haynes. Van de Sanden with a nice ball

:27:24.:27:27.

forward. Having forced wide. Lovely nutmeg by Harding. Oh so close!

:27:28.:27:34.

Inches wide. Vital touch by Haynes to prevent Harding from making it

:27:35.:27:41.

2-0. Into stoppage time. Yeovil made to stand strong. That is another way

:27:42.:27:45.

through and that is a really poor bit of defensive work from Yeovil.

:27:46.:27:54.

Jim Obama has got the decisive touch -- Gemma Bonner. She has made it 2-0

:27:55.:28:03.

to Liverpool Ladies. Liverpool just try and pile on the misery before

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the referee blows for half term. It is a shame because Yeovil have

:28:10.:28:11.

looked better. That is really poor once again. Good saved by Haynes.

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Will it be an own goal? Just cleared off the line. A decisive bit of

:28:19.:28:28.

work. A chance for Yeovil to swing one in. You want a penalty. It was

:28:29.:28:38.

cousins who went down. The referee unmoved. A nudge in the back there.

:28:39.:28:49.

Zelem comes into the ball. Van de Sanden. She squares it, here's

:28:50.:28:56.

Zelem. It will trickle over the line. Katie Zelem makes it 3-0 to

:28:57.:29:05.

Liverpool. On target, and Haynes just couldn't give it out. Liverpool

:29:06.:29:10.

heading for a very comfortable victory here. Picked up by Clark.

:29:11.:29:19.

Harding. Van de Sanden with a little bit of pace. Shanice van de Sanden.

:29:20.:29:26.

It might fall here for Zelem again and it is four. Two for Katie Zelem,

:29:27.:29:36.

on as a substitute, and Liverpool now on their way to a very

:29:37.:29:38.

comfortable victory. Here comes Sarah Wiltshire. Can she

:29:39.:29:49.

give Yeovil fans something to cheer about? Not a bad delivery. Just

:29:50.:29:58.

about gathered by Chamberlain. A bit over afters between Jones and Sophie

:29:59.:30:02.

Ingle. It appears the referee has given a penalty kick. It is for this

:30:03.:30:08.

altercation. Sarah Wiltshire on her return to Yeovil Town. She buries

:30:09.:30:15.

it. She sends Chamberlain the wrong way. Yeovil fans have something to

:30:16.:30:25.

cheer about. A good header. Jones! Not far away.

:30:26.:30:34.

A comprehensive win. How pleased I you with the performance? We are

:30:35.:30:42.

delighted. We knew it would be a tough place to come. Yeovil are

:30:43.:30:48.

riding high. We knew they would be up for this. They made a big deal

:30:49.:30:52.

out of it. We knew it would be a great occasion and one we had to

:30:53.:30:57.

turn hold in. The game was there for the taking at 2-0. I do believe

:30:58.:31:01.

there was a slight push in the back, potential penalty. We have to take

:31:02.:31:08.

baby steps. We have to learn and enjoy what we have done today but

:31:09.:31:13.

move forward quickly and learn. You played in Yeovil Town's away kit.

:31:14.:31:18.

What actually happened? I thought we looked good in it. I thought we

:31:19.:31:22.

played really well in it. There is no real comment on that.

:31:23.:31:27.

It is one of them. Wrong kit. A bit like yours, but the wrong -- right

:31:28.:31:38.

result? Jamie Sherwood says you get punished at this level for the

:31:39.:31:43.

mistakes you make. Yes. Sunderland hit the ground running when they

:31:44.:31:46.

came up. The Oval, simple stuff. In defence

:31:47.:31:55.

they didn't track their markers. Sophie Ingle is free. Gemma Bonner

:31:56.:32:00.

slots home. It is way too simple. Player takes her eye off and it is

:32:01.:32:06.

an easy tap in. You get punished in the second division but in the first

:32:07.:32:11.

division, you will find it difficult to get back into the game. This is

:32:12.:32:16.

the third goal. Defenders looking at the ball, not the players. Katie

:32:17.:32:22.

Zelem under no pressure slots home. Way too easy. The final one, the

:32:23.:32:29.

fourth goal. Another run, no pressure on the ball. Katie Zelem

:32:30.:32:37.

has time to have a touch. The keeper has to be forward so she is balanced

:32:38.:32:41.

and can make a dive. Yeovil one of the to part-time teams

:32:42.:32:47.

in the WSL. A crucial point in the game. Should they have had a

:32:48.:32:54.

penalty? Absolutely. Yeovil can feel slightly aggrieved. Kate Longhurst

:32:55.:32:58.

has actually lost our marker. Instead of going for the ball she

:32:59.:33:01.

has gone straight through the player. That is a clear penalty.

:33:02.:33:07.

Whether the player would have made contact with the ball is debatable.

:33:08.:33:13.

But yeah, simple. It is a penalty. Even if they get the penalty, after

:33:14.:33:17.

30 minutes you could see the difference in the fitness levels.

:33:18.:33:21.

Liverpool were always going to win. Last season Liverpool finished

:33:22.:33:24.

mid-table. What do you make of their recruitment? I have been impressed.

:33:25.:33:29.

Casey Stoney was a fantastic signing. She is a leader at the back

:33:30.:33:32.

and has partnered Gemma Bonner really well. Bringing in Jess Clarke

:33:33.:33:39.

as a late signing has been fabulous. What they do have a fairly small

:33:40.:33:46.

squad. Just thinking about Man City last season, they had the smallest

:33:47.:33:52.

woman in the league and went on to be invincible.

:33:53.:33:59.

Two more matches to catch up on. Bristol City Ladies took the field

:34:00.:34:04.

shortly after the men. They face Reading ladies.

:34:05.:34:11.

The opening fixture of the Spring Series saw newly promoted Bristol

:34:12.:34:16.

City take on Reading in front of more than a thousand fans. They

:34:17.:34:21.

almost got the perfect start, denied by the post. The teams went in level

:34:22.:34:28.

at half-time. Two minutes after the break Rachel Furness gave the

:34:29.:34:34.

visitors the lead. With only one win in the WSL campaign last season,

:34:35.:34:37.

Reading were well on their way to matching the tally in their opening

:34:38.:34:48.

game. Bristol City were left stunned when a quickfire third by Melissa

:34:49.:34:54.

Fletcher put the game beyond doubt. Bristol will probably want to forget

:34:55.:34:57.

the mix-up between defender and goalkeeper. Bristol did get a

:34:58.:35:05.

consolation late on with arguably the goal of the match. Lauren Hemp

:35:06.:35:17.

capped off a fluid move. A class between two new managers as

:35:18.:35:23.

Marc Skinner's Birmingham took on Sunderland. It has been a solid

:35:24.:35:27.

start for Skinner who has guided the blues to a first FA Cup final in

:35:28.:35:31.

five years. Charlie Wellings headed over. Last season's strugglers

:35:32.:35:43.

Sunderland had to stand strong against Birmingham pressure. White

:35:44.:35:53.

came close to opening the scoring. This free kick was the closest

:35:54.:35:56.

Sunderland came to scoring. No doubt Melissa Ray will be held the light

:35:57.:36:03.

-- will have been delighted by the efforts of our team. The point could

:36:04.:36:09.

prove precious for Sunderland. Very early days, of course. This is

:36:10.:36:18.

how the Spring Series table looks. Man city and Chelsea not in action

:36:19.:36:20.

because of city's European commitments.

:36:21.:36:27.

No relegation and no promotion. Birmingham struggled with goals in

:36:28.:36:34.

the early part of last season. Goldust today. How do you think they

:36:35.:36:42.

will progress? They had a great season last year. I think they made

:36:43.:36:45.

some wonderful signings in the transfer window. They brought in the

:36:46.:36:51.

likes of the goalkeeper, Berger, and they have done the same in the

:36:52.:36:54.

off-season. They seem to be ambitious. Bringing in Ellen White

:36:55.:37:03.

was a fantastic signing. Page Williams as well. Really solid

:37:04.:37:07.

signings. They are building on their progress. Onwards and upwards, along

:37:08.:37:12.

with a new manager, Marc Skinner, a young, fresh attitude. Earning are

:37:13.:37:16.

looking totally different outfit. They have an FA Cup final to look

:37:17.:37:21.

forward to. -- Birmingham are looking totally different outfits.

:37:22.:37:25.

Arsenal were supposed to play today against Notts County. I have still

:37:26.:37:30.

been in training today! We have brought in new players. We lost a

:37:31.:37:36.

lot of senior players. We need a core group of players. We don't want

:37:37.:37:40.

an influx every season. It is a chance to give the younger players a

:37:41.:37:44.

chance to see and they are capable of playing at this level. With no

:37:45.:37:50.

relegation or promotion, will teams be more experimental? I do,

:37:51.:37:54.

definitely. There is nothing to lose. It gives them the opportunity

:37:55.:38:00.

to possibly bring players in ahead of the new season in August,

:38:01.:38:04.

September. So yeah, it is an opportunity for young players. They

:38:05.:38:09.

can really make their mark, impressed their managers and

:38:10.:38:13.

possibly get those contracts. Going into every game, you want to win it.

:38:14.:38:17.

Newly promoted teams get to play a lot of games? They do. They get to

:38:18.:38:24.

see what they are going to be up against. Newly promoted teams like

:38:25.:38:27.

the will have nothing to lose. They will learn a lot of lessons. It

:38:28.:38:32.

was St George's Day yesterday. We have got just enough time to focus

:38:33.:38:38.

on England's Lionesses. Mark Sampson made the unconventional decision to

:38:39.:38:42.

announce which 23 players would be requiring their passports for the

:38:43.:38:44.

European Championships this summer, three months ahead of the

:38:45.:38:45.

tournament. I think there were probably a few

:38:46.:38:57.

people thinking it was a good coal and other people thinking, what is

:38:58.:39:01.

this Wally doing? Is important we make the big calls at the big -- big

:39:02.:39:07.

times. We are the best prepared team in Europe and we can focus on the

:39:08.:39:11.

things we can improve on and make sure that every areas covered by the

:39:12.:39:17.

first game. It takes away dead. It gives us togetherness to build on

:39:18.:39:20.

the plans and the game plans, our structure. The reason we named the

:39:21.:39:26.

squad early as the players will get some clear plans and guidelines

:39:27.:39:30.

about where they need to be come July. We are now in a place where

:39:31.:39:35.

this team is ready to win. We are going to this tournament expecting

:39:36.:39:39.

to go all the way. Even personally speaking, I feel a lot more

:39:40.:39:43.

confident going into this tournament than the World Cup. There are not

:39:44.:39:46.

many things that will be thrown at us in the summer that we have an

:39:47.:39:49.

experience. Particularly if we look at the teams in our group, Scotland,

:39:50.:39:53.

first major championship, Portugal the same, a Spanish team that's

:39:54.:39:59.

traditionally disappointed major championships. We have been there,

:40:00.:40:02.

we have done it, we have won on the biggest stage and we know what it

:40:03.:40:08.

takes. We can definitely be confident.

:40:09.:40:20.

Alex, you have made the squad, good news! Mark Sampson talked about

:40:21.:40:28.

making the big calls at the right time. Does the decision to announce

:40:29.:40:32.

that the squad early create unity and security for the players?

:40:33.:40:38.

It is easy for me to say it is the right decision and I understand why

:40:39.:40:41.

people have been debated it, but I know there are plans already in

:40:42.:40:45.

place. We're working on fitness, game plan tactics, and things away

:40:46.:40:49.

from the field. It gives players like Casey Stoner, who has a family,

:40:50.:40:55.

time to put plans in place. I get the debate. People are saying that

:40:56.:40:58.

players who have been picked may take their foot off the gas in the

:40:59.:41:04.

WSL. That is not the case. We don't want to embarrass ourselves. We have

:41:05.:41:07.

even more work to do to show everyone we deserve our place.

:41:08.:41:12.

Expectations are very high. Interesting that Mark said form is

:41:13.:41:18.

not that important. I think sometimes Mark throws things out

:41:19.:41:23.

there. I wouldn't say it is for a fact but he has these buzzwords.

:41:24.:41:29.

Maybe that is one of his buzzwords. I think he will look at form.

:41:30.:41:33.

Players will want to impress and they will want to be absolutely

:41:34.:41:36.

flying. They will not take their foot off the pedal. I'm sure all of

:41:37.:41:41.

the players will be fine and be on form. Four of those players from

:41:42.:41:47.

Notts County are in the squad as well? That is massively unfortunate.

:41:48.:41:53.

I hope they can find clubs soon as soon as possible. They are losing

:41:54.:41:57.

days right now not having a club and team-mates to train with, will not

:41:58.:42:01.

been able to build on the tactical building blocks. All these things

:42:02.:42:07.

Alex was talking about. They are not getting the day-to-day contact time.

:42:08.:42:12.

I am sure they will have -- will be trying to bridge that gap.

:42:13.:42:17.

Let's look at the fixtures. Are you looking forward to England and

:42:18.:42:22.

Scotland? Already smiling. Everybody wanted to see this happen. As soon

:42:23.:42:25.

as Scotland qualified, everybody was wishing for this fixture. This is

:42:26.:42:29.

where rankings go out the window. We know this is more than England

:42:30.:42:34.

versus Scotland. It is that rivalry. An exciting way to get the

:42:35.:42:40.

championships way. Portugal and Spain also in the group? Spain have

:42:41.:42:45.

improved year-on-year. Some of the players who outplayed for Barcelona

:42:46.:42:49.

are outstanding. They are the rise. Portugal is their first tournament.

:42:50.:42:53.

You don't know what to expect. They don't know what to expect. It will

:42:54.:43:00.

be exciting. European teams play the same and are hard to break down.

:43:01.:43:05.

Given England's World Cup finish, third, what are your predictions?

:43:06.:43:13.

Not this bit! In England. I'd like to go out with a win, of course.

:43:14.:43:18.

There will be full coverage of the European Championships in Holland.

:43:19.:43:31.

We will be back next Sunday night talking all things Arsenal and

:43:32.:43:39.

Scotland with Kim Little. Thank you to our guests, Rachel Brown-Finnis

:43:40.:43:45.

and Alex Scott. The WSL is back and Liverpool started the new series --

:43:46.:43:49.

series with a spring in their step. Bye for now.

:43:50.:44:07.

MUSIC: Pure And Simple by Hear'Say It's like old times!

:44:08.:44:12.

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