Quotes from episode 21 of That Lionesses Podcast connected by EE, featuring Lauren Hemp and Aggie Beever-Jones.
Aggie talking about being in her first ever final
Harriet: You’re in the final of your first ever tournament
Aggie: I know it’s crazy
Harriet: that’s bonkers like how does that actually register like are you taking enough time to really be like I’m here and we’re in the final
Aggie: I don’t think it’s hit me no I think but that’s probably a good thing that I think we’re just riding the wave of obviously we literally have in the meeting room like the date and Basel haven’t we like every day we see it and it was always the task but I think we always knew it wasn’t going to be easy. Yeah my first tournament and obviously it’s been crazy but I’ve loved every minute of it and I think to see the likes of like Michelle coming to action I think what 6 months ago she wasn’t like even she was with the 23s and then to see her now completely smashing it on the world’s biggest stage it’s been such an incredible thing to see and i think we are just so delighted as a team that yeah we are in the final and I think Sarina’s record, I think this is her 5th final which is insane.
Lauren and Aggie talking about the togetherness to come back from 1-0 down
Harriet: Lauren, you fought and you fought and you fought in that game, I mean were their times when you thought this isn’t going to happen because by the look of your face it felt like no but
Lauren: Yeah I mean throughout the game obviously we were creating chances and they just weren’t going in but I feel like all of us were still pretty calm even when it got to like 90 minutes we were still kind of calm and I was like I still think we’ve got a goal in us and I mean yeah as the time was ticking down I started to get a bit nervy but I was like whatever you do try and get the ball in the box and like we’ve got people there who can make things happen and as soon as the ball fell to Michelle I knew that we had a good chance at scoring and once we did that I thought we’re going to do this like once we got that goal that we needed once we sort of broke that wall and broke it down I thought we’re going to go on and win this like we’ve got the fight and we’ve shown that before that we can run in the 120 minutes and yeah I don’t know how but I just got this another burst of energy in that extra time
Aggie: must’ve been the left back in her
Harriet: Yeah
Lauren: I started to get cramp towards the end of the game, and I thought I’m not going to be able to do this and then suddenly in the next 30 minutes I was up and down the pitch probably more than I was in the actual game so I don’t I honestly don’t know where that came from.
Harriet: Honestly, I just all I can say is keep it coming. It is really fun because having been with all you’ve put me through whilst I’ve been here, I believed that we were going to do it too. Like for me I was like it doesn’t matter if there’s two minutes left, or thirty seconds left it just feels like you guys have this drive and this fight and this togetherness as the 23 that is just so beautiful to watch. And it’s just amazing to see you both here and I’m so pleased that we’re both like we’re all here together and we’re still in it and it’s just so deserved I really think you guys have fought till the very end and I can’t wait for Sunday to be honest.
Aggie: I think also though it is crazy like even Maya sitting on the bench and we’re watching the game unfold and like me and Maya looked at each other even in like at half time she was like I’m not even worried like we know we’re going to do this and I think that it does show like we do look calm although obviously we are 1-0 down we will never give up and like you said as soon as like we just need one chance really the whole second half I could feel it, it was coming, and it was just you need just one chance of brilliance and credit to Michelle like being there, being able to put it away and then obviously Chloe standing up in the 119th minute
Harriet: unbelievable
Lauren: I couldn’t watch
Aggie: like honestly crazy
Aggie talking about her goal against Wales, being a senior Lioness, and playing with Michelle Agyemang
Harriet: And of course, Aggie as well you had your first tournament goal in the 6-1 with Wales, are you getting used to being a senior Lioness? Because I mean you’re it’s mad, it’s just so exciting and so wonderful to see the newer players coming in and taking their moment and holding their own and it’s really coming to show that the team as a whole is just so strong.
Aggie: Yeah I think for me I don’t ever feel like I’m like although I’ve been in the setup for maybe a year and a bit now for me I’m still like so honoured every time I come here and I think it’s credit to the girls like I remember my first camp coming in and everyone being so friendly and I’m quite lucky that I had a few of the Chelsea girls to kind of a put an arm round me but I think yeah it’s just part of being here, everyone is so friendly, everyone’s there for you, it is that togetherness and one nature but yeah getting the goal against Wales was obviously a massive highlight for me, it was something that I’ve dreamed of and to have my family there and yeah just a moment that I won’t forget but I wouldn’t be able to do it without the people around me that’s one thing and obviously having the trust from Sarina and Arjan it was absolutely incredible and a moment I definitely won’t forget but again I wouldn’t be able to do it without the girls around me.
Harriet: Yeah, you’re all amazing. Obviously, you mentioned Michelle I mean incredible scenes, what does it feel like to play with somebody who can come on and sort of create that chaos that we need in a game like Michelle can?
Aggie: yeah, I think Michelle is, for me she’s a player that she’s quite unique in the sense that
Lauren: absolutely
Aggie: she’s such a powerhouse like she has that physical presence and I think for her she has she’’s come in as a 19 year old with this confidence and it’s so nice to kind of see and I think it almost is kind of a bit of a breath of fresh air like she offers something a bit different, she’s a great target player for us and I think you can see that about her she’s ready, she wants to create an impact and obviously when we came on the other day we looked at each other and we were like we can do this like it’s not going to be about me and her it’s about the 11 players on the pitch and working through it and I think again you could see how happy and relieved everyone was when it went in. And for us, as soon as that went in, I just looked around and I was like this is it we’re going to get another one and we all have that feeling although we may not talk about it I think you can all see it and feel it and yeah we were able to do it again so.
Harriet: and it was incredible, and you all just showed such power and strength in that game.
Lauren talking about recovery ahead of the final against Spain, what she expects the game to bring, and experiencing her third final
Harriet: Right, now you’re back at base camp, in Zurich, preparations are well ahead for the final. Is the focus more shifting to the body, or is it intense training, how does it look or is it a balance of both?
Lauren: I mean, in the initial stages, it’s very recovery based, we’re doing whatever we can to make our body right for the final, but obviously as the leading gets closer and closer to the game, it’s more like, what are we going to do in the game to try and win, but still recovery focused at the moment because a lot of us are still getting over the very intense game, but just making sure our body is right and as soon as tomorrow hits, it’s like what are we going to do to beat Spain?
Harriet: Oh gosh, it’s so exciting. And as you’ve mentioned, we know it’s Spain that we’re facing, a repeat of the 2023 World Cup. What do you expect this game to bring? Obviously, Lauren, you were there, tell us a bit about what you expect the game to bring?
Lauren: I think in a final, everything is just so different, it’s just a one-off game, anything can happen, and I think it’s whoever turns up on the day and performs the best. I think we’ve shown different sides of us as England, we’ve shown how to fight, we’ve shown how to play really good football, we’ve put them both together and had some really good performances over the tournament, so it’s just bringing our best, however that looks and winning by any means possible, and we’ve had to do that this tournament and we’ve got to where we are, not through luck, but through grit and determination and I mean it is a one off game so we’re going to do whatever it takes to try and win that.
Harriet: Because a lot of the way through when we’ve chatted, and we’ve talked about the game, it’s been like ‘we’re going to play this like a final’, well now we’re here and we can literally play it like the final. Lauren, it’s your third major tournament and it’s a final. Is there a coincidence here? Lauren’s been here every single time and we’re at the final again? I don’t know, maybe. How does going through it three times, how does it feel getting to your third, is it any different or does it feel exactly the same as you did at every other final?
Lauren: I think it’s still just as exciting. It’s good having these experiences under my belt, because I kind of know what to expect going into a final, but it’s weird, like every tournament is completely different and I think it’s just looking back at the tournament and seeing how far we’ve come as a group. It’s so exciting to be part of my third major tournament final, so I can’t wait, and I think we all need to remember to just enjoy these moments because they don’t always happen. I’m very fortunate enough to have been in three, but it’s not particularly normal that people do that all the time, so I think I need to just remember to just go out there and enjoy it and i think obviously the new girls coming in to just soak up every moment because it’s not often enough that you can say that you’re in a final.
Harriet: Exactly and be proud of yourselves because it’s a huge moment.
Aggie and Lauren talking about the chance to make history again
Harriet: last question, no tactics, no analysis, just you – hearing the national anthems on Sunday, watching the spectacle that comes with a major final, moments before the kick-off, what do you think you’re going to be telling yourselves?
Aggie: I just think enjoy it, like Hempo said it so well, but it’s easy to forget the journey that we’ve been on, and it’s not a one game battle we’ve prepared however long to get to this position and yeah you kind of have to take a step back, and go we can make history again this time, and I think for me, being a fan and watching the 2022 Euros, and to see the whole stadium erupt when Chloe scored, and for me I always knew where the women’s game could go, and for me that was a day in history where I was like finally the women’s game is going to get the recognition it deserves, and to kind of see the impact it’s had here in Switzerland in terms of even when we’ve gone out, it’s so busy, everyone’s watching the game, and yeah like Hempo said, for her to be in her third final is incredible still at such a young age, and yeah it’s a chance to make history again and I can’t wait, I’m so excited and to hopefully lift the trophy would be absolutely incredible.
Harriet: Did you think by way that you would be in 2022, did you think ‘I’ll be there?’
Aggie: No, not at all, I just think, I just thought, who knows what will happen
Harriet: Imagine, anyone watching, if you have a dream, you can achieve it, Aggie was sat watching this in 2022, and she’s here, fighting to take home the Euros again, so that is an amazing thing, and it’s incredible that you (Lauren) have been at three. It’s just unreal, I’ve got goosebumps right now guys.
Harriet: Lauren, what are you going to be thinking, I didn’t get your answer to what you would be thinking, seconds before that first whistle blows
Lauren: I think it’s pretty similar to what Aggie was saying, I feel like when the adrenaline kicks in, I think just being calm. It’s easy to think ‘oh my god, it’s a final,’ biggest game of my life, but at the end of the day we’ve just been through about five finals in the tournament, like ever since after that first game, we knew every single one was a must-win, so I think it’s just remembering how far we’ve come as a group and just be calm, treat it as any other game, and like Aggie said, we can make history, but just relax, enjoy it and that’s when you get to play your best football.
The episode is now out on all listening platforms and set to go live on YouTube at 4pm today.
