Manchester City do the double and Jill Scott joins the pod – Women’s Football Weekly

20:51Suzy Wrack:Welcome back to part two of the Guardian Women's Football Weekly. With the domestic campaign complete, attention now turns to the final international break of the campaign, where there is a lot at stake as World Cup qualifying for European teams comes to a close. The England v Spain rivalry is set for another chapter as the Lionesses travel to Mallorca on Friday, knowing that just a point will secure them an automatic spot at next year's World Cup in Brazil. Another compelling encounter ahead between the two, Tom. England's got the better of Spain at Wembley in April and remain the only team in qualifying to have a 100 % win rate.

21:22Suzy Wrack:How confident will they be going into this one? They have very good reasons to go there and be confident because of how well they played in the encounter at Wembley. I think this is still the toughest game in international women's football to go away to play Spain. I still think that is by far the hardest fixture you can have. So, you know, we should not be coming in here slamming England if they go and lose on Friday night. I think losing there is the path of the course, actually. These are the world champions and still the best technical team in the world. We have difficult news for England this weekend that we have a big question mark about Lauren James' fitness.

22:00We don't know how she's doing after picking up a knock at World Sevens. There's no Leah Williamson, of course, we've learned in the last 24 hours for this one. So not going to be an easy thing for England at all to go there. There'll be some players that will be tired after the cup final exploits. It's not easy. It's been a long, long season. And we've seen before, haven't we, Susie, that for all countries, the June international window matches have sometimes been a struggle. They've sometimes been a lot of lethargic people out there They're tired after a gruelling season. That said, I fancied them to nick a point.

22:39I really fancied them to nick a point. And I think that would be such a good achievement to go and qualify automatically above Spain in the group. So looking forward to it immensely. The two best teams in Europe having another go at it. And yeah, it should be really good. But got to watch out for Spain because they're so strong, aren't they? They're so good on the ball. And what do you guys think? I'm looking forward to it so much.

23:07Suzy Wrack:Having watched the Women's Champions League final and the way Barcelona's players are able to turn it on, even when the game isn't necessarily totally going their way in the way that they want, even if England have a really strong game, you know that any one of those players can step up in that moment and deliver something right. So it's going to be a really, really big ask. You mentioned, Tom, that Serena Wigman's main concern and is potentially in defence with Leah Williamson having to withdraw with a hamstring injury, which, you know, if she'd been on the same open top bus as Ben White, I probably would have said would be his fault.

23:43Suzy Wrack:How worried should she be not to have a captain for this really significant fixture, Emily? As a player, obviously, we know how good Leah is, but I think England have learned how to cover her absence on the pitch. I think they've figured out, in a way, who they would have as their centre-back pairing without her. Obviously, I know Serena's rotated a fair bit, trying to find a good partnership when Leah's not been available. But over the past year and then going back to sort of 2023, 2024, Leah wasn't available for the England team. So with her injuries, the team have probably figured out a way to minimise the impact of her not being on the pitch has on that squad.

24:22But I think not having her as a captain in the dressing room on a really big game like this is probably a bigger miss than having her on the pitch. and that's not to knock the quality that she has but that's to knock that sort of presence and that leadership that she brings to this team and we've seen what she's done with the Euros titles you know, she is an incredible leader and especially in a game like this when there's automatic qualification on the line it's against Spain you want all of your leaders you want everyone together sort of on the same page and she's one of the players that Serena would have looked to to really make sure that one, the players are okay they understand what they need to do that they're sort of being able to manage that moment of the occasion, sort of leading to the similar thing with the FA Cup, sort of managing the occasion versus the game.

25:05And she's obviously not going to be there to do that. And obviously with Millie Bright having retired last year, I think there probably is a lack of a couple of leaders in that team. And that's probably a slightly bigger concern for Serena ahead of these games than her not being available on the pitch because she hasn't really been available much of this season, really. So I think in terms of figuring out a partnership, we'll probably see someone a partnership that we've seen before this season but yeah I think it's going to be a big miss just not having her around the squad in the build up to these two games

25:35Suzy Wrack:And obviously the main change for Spain is the return of Itana Bonmati just a little one from injury How much of a boost will that give them Amy? They know they must win both of their final fixtures if they want to pip England and qualify automatically Yeah it'll be interesting to see what Spain doing with Bonmati because I know that obviously Barcelona she came back about a month ago but she didn't start the Champions League final it was kind of like a really slow, which is understandable really. You spend that much time on the sidelines, you don't want to do any real damage. But yeah, it'd be interesting to see how fit she is, like how much they use her in this game.

26:09I'm really interested to see how England approach it really when we talk about they just need a point. But obviously, if you go there and you try and settle for a point, like we just talked about how good the Spain team and all the players they've got that can hurt you, then maybe you kind of shoot yourself in the foot a little bit, you concede and then suddenly you have to change all your game plan. But they've got to find that right balance of trying to nick a win so that they kind of aren't too set back if Spain do score. I think it's such a fascinating game because of that kind of what both teams need.

26:43And yeah, I mean, Spain will be so desperate to win considering the defeat at Wembley and probably still a little bit hurt from defeating the Euros last summer as well. So, honestly, I think it's such a fascinating game, just from a how do you set up, how do you approach it? And as the kind of goals go in, assuming goals do go in, how do you adjust and how does that change? Yeah, I think it's going to be one of those that's just really... You know when it's such a high-quality game and it's really tense and it's sort of like maybe it's nil-nil, but you're like, this is such a great, high-quality, interesting game.

27:17Like Tom said, I think to lose would be no disgrace and no slamming England. But if they do lose, they've got to keep it tight anyway. We talk about that goal difference and things like that. So there's so many factors in it that make it so fascinating.

27:33Suzy Wrack:The expectations are high. I hope it delivers. Elsewhere, Wales play Montenegro and Chechia and Scotland have a double header against Israel. Northern Ireland face Turkey and Switzerland too. They are all in League B, so jostling for that best position ahead of the playoffs. World Sevens, the latest edition took place in London last week, starring an all-WSL cast. There were Oscar-worthy walkouts, goals galore in the Seven-A-Side tournament as Chelsea got their hands on the trophy. You were in Brentford all week, Tom. What did you make of the occasion? I genuinely think this was the perfect antidote to how serious modern football has become.

28:13I loved it. It was great fun. The players were really, really enjoying themselves. You could see that all the way through. The fans were loving it too. And we saw some very entertaining football. We saw so many goals. We saw players like Melvin Mallard really thrive in the 7v7 format. Jess Park, Agui Biver Jones was in electric form, genuinely brilliant. We saw some young players given a chance by Spurs and Chelsea. we saw the walkouts that you mentioned which were quite hideously ridiculous at times but also random and wonderful and hilarious it was entertainment in its purest form and I think for that reason it will continue to be a success there the downside which could happen this could happen anywhere this could happen in training we did see the sad news of an ACL injury suffered by Tuva Hanson, who was playing really well.

29:11And that's awful news for her. We've seen Fallon Tullis-Joyce just have to pull out the US Women's National Team camp for this week and their matches with an injury she picked up. LJ's got a knot for England, we know. So there might be a few international managers who are a bit disappointed. You're taking that risk any time you play sport, I suppose, sadly. And as a product, I do think the women's game is on to something quite special here. The viral clips and the walkouts have done probably wonders for the broadcasters who got the rights. But separately to that, the fans who were there saw up close and personal their stars playing some great fun football, like stepovers, backflip, and the players were loving it.

29:58So I think it will continue to grow and looking forward to seeing where it goes next.

30:04Suzy Wrack:Last item on our agenda before any other business. The Comic Relief is back with a sports relief challenge. This year, former INS Jill Scott is cycling and running from Wembley to Sunderland via all the key clubs that she's played at and various community clubs and groups. And Faye and I caught up with Jill to talk about the challenge. Absolutely delighted that we've got Jill Scott on the podcast with us today. Rival podcast host normally, but we love your pod. So I think we make an exception for you, don't we, Susie? always always only for jill though how are you jill yeah i'm all good thank you yes all good and keep up the good work with the podcast as well oh thank you uh likewise with yours it's such great fun you and karen carney um listen the reason you're with us and we're lucky to have you with us is that you're announcing about this epic 400 mile cycle and marathon challenge for sport relief.

31:03Suzy Wrack:You must be absolutely shattered. How's it going? Yeah, well, I've been doing a bit of training the past couple of months, but you'll know, I think sometimes trying to fit in training with work and stuff like that, it can get quite difficult. But yeah, as soon as sport relief asked us, I felt honoured really. Obviously, the main thing is that we're going to try and raise as much money for sport relief as possible. So I think my answer was going to be yes. And then I seen the challenge I was like 400 miles Wembley Stadium to Sunderland I was like in a car they're like no it's gonna be running and cycling so yeah I think the first day we're doing 120 miles so basically it'll stop at all the clubs that I've played for so it'll go Wembley to Villa and then we will cycle to Everton then run 37 miles to Man City and then cycle 100 miles and then do a marathon to end with to Sunderland so hopefully I make it oh my god with any stopping in between or is it like solid 37 miles running yeah I think I'll be able to take breaks but I need to try and get through as much as possible but but you know what I think sometimes people look at it and they think well you've been an athlete but as a footballer if we ever did like so say for example well I had to do a top-up session in the week you would usually go out and do like a 5k run and this was going back there I could then I could probably do it in 20 minutes I couldn't do that now but I've never really like ran long distances you know in terms of like going out for a long run because we're football training so I've had to really try and kind of like build that up and now I'm carrying a few old football injuries so it's been quite difficult.

32:50Suzy Wrack:You've got a background of it though haven't you when you were a kid you did a bit of long distance running do you think you've do you think you've still got it in you but even then when I speak about doing running when I was younger I only ever ran 1500 meters that that was my race and people go well you won the London Mini Marathon but I think it was like three miles so this is just a completely different world so yeah I think it's going to be one of them just try and get myself fit and then it's just going to be mentality but since retiring four years ago I've never got myself in like a good routine neither like I'll speak to say Ellen White, Steph Houghton, Izzy Christensen and they still like probably train every single week whereas I was just like oh I'll have a bit of time off and people would go yeah but you deserve it you know you had a long career and I'm like I can't say that four years later I don't deserve it four years later.

33:47Suzy Wrack:Do you know what though I think you've been pretty busy you've had quite a lot on your plate we've seen you on the telly box quite a lot and so much going on as well with with your business you mentioned some of the clubs that you're kind of stopping off at Villa Everton Man City Sunderland of course where it all started does it feel exciting to be going down a kind of memory lane trip if you like yeah it really does it really does like each of them clubs mean so much to me even like my I only had five months at filler but without that five months of filler I would never have made that Euros squad so I owe them so much I really do and they looked after us really well as well and I think sometimes people see these amazing stadiums these amazing clubs and they just think that's how it's always been and obviously you know more than more than anyone like that's not how it started and I think back to being a young girl and I think about all the people I had to rely on like just a coach I could trust when I was like nine years old, a teacher.

34:50And I really had a sense of community up in Sunderland. And as a young girl, it gives us a sense of belonging. And there's just so many kids out there that don't have that start in life. And they feel lonely, they feel disconnected. And I think back and I just want to use this challenge to say a massive thank you to the community that kind of got me through my journey and got me to live out my wildest dreams. and I would like every child to be given that opportunity. And I recently went and visited a community hub that was right next to my mum's house. It's called SNIP. I wrote it down, Southwick Neighbourhood Youth Project, just so I got it right.

35:28And basically the work they do, they have like 50 kids playing football on a night and when the kids go away, the family come and they get food and stuff like that. And you just don't even know that there's so many people that are struggling to put food on the table for the family. So sport relief really helped with that. And as I say, that's the main reason I'm doing this. Yeah, OK, I might be in pain for five days, but if we can help families, help young kids, it'll mean the world.

35:57Suzy Wrack:It's a beautiful thing. And obviously one of the stops is the Joy Stadium back at City. You were part of the City side that lifted the first WSL title for the club in 2016, wasn't it? So it's been 10 year wait for the second. How impressed were you with the way City have done it this season? I mean, I'm sure like many of us, you didn't think it would take that long to get that second. No, I didn't at all. And I feel like the girls have deserved that title in terms of, I think they've been really consistent with the way that they've played over the years, but just haven't been able to get it over the line.

36:34But no, just so happy for them, like seeing Alex Greenwood, Brunny Shaw, Lauren Hemp, And obviously, Coombsie's retiring as well. We had her on our podcast recently and I was like, how old are you? I still think she's like 25. But yeah, 10 years later, they get that trophy. But I think it's thoroughly deserved. And yeah, just so happy for them. And you know what? It's mad how things happen in your life because they probably didn't think they were going to win it watching the Arsenal game, you know, when they all went and watched the Arsenal game. and ironically so it was 10 years later that night that they won it me and Steph Houghton was at a neo concert and she was like City's just won the league and I was like I hadn't seen her for a few months and I was like how mad that we're here like next door to the Etihad at this moment exactly 10 years later so yeah we were just absolutely buzzing for them and I know Steph's obviously very heavily involved with Manchester City and yeah just just so so happy and very well deserved

37:40Suzy Wrack:and when this comes out we're going to be a few days out from England's critical World Cup qualifying group game so tongue twister against Spain do you think they've got what it takes to get a result in Mallorca away from home and get that top spot in the group yeah I definitely do I was I was really impressed with them in the previous fixture but yeah I think they just seem to be going from strength to strength. And, you know, when you look at the squad, I think the squad has just been announced, hasn't it? I know this might not go out in the same time, but you look at the names and the squad, you speak about squad depth, it's just amazing.

38:19And Serena's so good as well about, like, kind of bringing the younger players through as well. And she just gets it. I can't speak highly enough of her. I think that is one of the main things. like she just gets it and she seems to get it right every single time. So, yeah, I definitely do think that they can. And yeah, how exciting that is going to, I'm going to say it, they're going to be at the World Cup next year, aren't they?

38:44Suzy Wrack:Well, it's vital, isn't it, that they avoid that extra round of playoffs, that's for sure. But you mentioned some of the new players coming in and it has been really exciting watching the next generation starting to get their chance. What have you made of their progress so far and the future going into the World Cup? Yeah, no, I think it's great. I think sometimes as a younger player, I think people used to say to me when I was younger, I think I made my debut 2006 and then I got thrown into a World Cup 2007. Was I ready? Probably not. Suddenly I've got like four caps to my name. I'm playing against Berger Prince, Gareth Frakers, Carly Lloyd, like all these amazing players.

39:28but you know what it was so difficult but suddenly I was like right this is the level this is how hard I have to work to stay at this level and I think you've seen that if you if you look at players who are now kind of well cemented in that squad like you Lauren James even like a young Georgia Stanway like they probably got thrown in a little bit but I think suddenly they realized that was the level and now you see them performing week in week out and sometimes with anything it doesn't have to be sport doesn't have to be football sometimes you just need an opportunity and yeah as I say I think Serena does get it right she's not afraid to give opportunity and that's why you see kind of these younger players then then fly in later down the line.

40:14Suzy Wrack:That opportunity starts at the absolute bottom doesn't it and obviously we know there's an explosion of girls interested in football after the Euros in 22 again last summer after 25 you're stopping at Bishop Auckland before you head on to Stadium Olight. Why was it important to incorporate the grassroots game into sort of your journey up the country? Yeah, I think just going back to kind of where it all started, I absolutely loved grassroots football and there'll be a video coming out and featured in it is my first coach from a girls team, Paul Smith. He was at Bolden Girls. He's still there now, volunteered for the last 40 years at this team.

40:54I remember turning up at this grassroots team. I'd just been told I couldn't play with the boys anymore. I was nine years old. I was in tears. I found him. I found this team. And honestly, it's still the best memories of my life. We used to travel around England, would play different grassroots teams. And I even bumped into someone the other day. I was shopping and she was like, do you remember me? And I was like, no. And she was like, you used to kick me so much when I played for Kader and it was it was Bolden Girls versus Kader was like the biggest game ever and I still remember it now and when he turned up the other day he brought this scrapbook with him and he's collected these photos off over the years and it was funny how some things never changed because it was Jill Scott age nine yellow card for aggressive tackle in the middle of the pitch and I think a little bit of dissent which I fast forward to 2022 on the pitch at Wembley and I was like maybe that was just dinners from a young kid but you know what without them memories without them times like that was when I fell in love with football I really did and that's when I realised I want to do this forever so them stops are going to be so so important.

42:09Suzy Wrack:So special and And obviously, you know, the impact that you're going to have doing this incredible challenge is going to be immense. What are you hoping to achieve during this 400 miles? And tell people how they can donate. Yeah, so obviously the biggest thing is just raise as much money as possible. And I don't mean people have to donate massive sums of money, just anything that they can afford. If it's five pounds, you can provide hot meal for a child. if it's say£15 I think that kind of gives a child like a one-on-one kind of mentor which is so important nowadays you can donate through through sport relief but as I say just anything that people can donate it really really will make a difference so yeah I think they're going to have a few of maybe my former teammates along the way popping up and I've relied on them for so many years and when I played football being part of a team you never do anything on your own and I'm certainly not going to get through this on my own.

43:12So yeah, hopefully you'll see a few faces that you recognise. And yeah, just if anybody can give any support, I promise I'll give 100 % of this challenge and hopefully we can just give back to all the communities that have helped us on our journeys and hopefully can help generations for years to come. I've never known you give anything less than 100%.

43:34Suzy Wrack:Listen, I can't wait to see you do it and And good luck with the training as well, because I know, I'm sure that is absolutely wiping you out before you even start the challenge itself. It's been so lovely to have you on and we'll be following you across the country. And thanks both of you as well. Keep up the great work in women's football because I am always following you. And I know, same for you in the beginning, it was difficult. And I think you've always done women's football proud. So keep up the good work. Finally, there was some really disappointing news coming out of Plymouth Argyle on Sunday with it being revealed that the club has told nearly all their women's first team players that their contracts will not be renewed for the next season This follows on from the recent departure of Marie Hurahan as head coach A statement released by the players read Following the decision from the board to significantly reduce the team's budget and the understandable resignation of our manager nearly all players have been informed via email from the club that they will be released at the end of our contracts next month The decision was communicated through a cold and personal email providing us with no opportunity for open, honest or meaningful dialogue and preventing us from gaining clarity on the situation.

44:44Suzy Wrack:We feel the staff and players who have given everything for the badge this season should have been treated with greater care, respect and empathy. Last night, the club also released a statement. The football club has had to make some very tough decisions regarding the Argyle women's team and we would like to clarify the situation. We recognise the concerns regarding the way the news was communicated internally and externally and will review this. We remain committed to women's football and we will work on and share our vision for the next season and beyond in the coming weeks. As we prepare for another season of FANL Southern Premier Division football.

45:15Suzy Wrack:After a lengthy thorough review, we made the decision that from next season we would need to change our approach as regards to the women's team set up. Last season to get to a cup final and to a playoff game was a superb achievement, but it came at a cost, a higher financial cost than we had previously fought. Had we achieved promotion to the WSL2 and with a great deal of central funding to assist us, we would have been able to continue our backing at similar levels. Tom, you've been involved in this story and covering it. What can you tell us? How many times have we seen clubs who are maybe cutting back a little bit on how much they're spending do so on the women's team in a far more damaging way than what we see to their men's team?

45:54We've seen it so many times historically. The other interesting talking point here, I think, which may become more of a talking point over the summer and next season, is I believe there are quite a lot of clubs in the third tier who are finding the financial situation in that division a big challenge. Not least because there is next to no central income for playing in the Women's National League, but yet you're being asked to essentially fund quite close to sort of full-time environments to have a chance of promotion. Burnley went up this year playing full-time football. For example, Portsmouth have come down and said they're going to carry on in the full-time model.

46:28So if you want to compete with that, you're being asked to spend several hundreds of thousands of pounds as a loss, if you could call it that. And equally, the financial prize of promotion to WSL2 is also not life-changing either in terms of the money coming in from WSL2. So that's going to be a challenge. I don't think Flemific are going to be the last club to do this. But what Ney's reiterating is that the way the players were communicated with and the way they were treated, I think, is really poor. So I hope that all of them are able to find new teams now at short notice and generally wish them all really well for the summer because no one deserves to find out via an email like that that you're leaving the club.

47:09Suzy Wrack:A sobering cold shower to the end of the season puts it all in context a little bit. But another great season it's been overall. Tom, I look forward to seeing you really bleary-eyed after the earliest of flights out in Majorca. See you then, my friend. See you then. Emily, hope you have to not do any writing for the next couple of weeks as you recover that farm. Yeah, no, not a lot on my agenda for the next couple of weeks. I won't be doing the England Cup, unfortunately, but I will be on a hen do. So we'll see. We'll see how that goes. But yeah, thanks for having me back on. That feels like an absolute recipe for disaster.

47:51Suzy Wrack:But yeah, we'll check in and find out just how that went. Amy, hope you have a good week, a good day. What have you got planned? Nothing. I've got to go pick my car up from the garage. I've got to do some work and then pick my car up from the garage. So what a glorious check. Make sure it's not going to rain, you know. That's what I've got on my agenda today. And I've got to take my car into the garage. So, you know, we're doing a nice little swap over. You can keep having your say by sending your questions in via X or emailing us at womensfootballweekly at theguardian.com. Until then, this is also your regular reminder to sign up for our bi-weekly women's football newsletter.

48:30Suzy Wrack:All you need to do is search Moving the Goalposts, sign up. The Guardian Women's Football Weekly is produced by Sophie Downey and Silas Gray. Music composition was by Laura Iredale. Our executive producer is Danielle Stevens.

48:45Suzy Wrack:This is The Guardian.