The FA has launched That Lionesses Podcast connected by EE, with Keira Walsh and Ella Toone the first guests.
Hosted by presenter, DJ and broadcaster Harriet Rose, the podcast series is an evolution of the successful Lionesses Live series during the victorious UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 campaign and its successor, Lionesses Down Under, which came direct from the following year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia.
Coming direct from the team’s WEURO preparations at St. George’s Park, Walsh and Toone as reflect on winning in 2022 and what it’ll take to repeat the feat this summer. Subsequent episodes will feature the likes of Jess Carter, Georgia Stanway and Niamh Charles with more players to come when the podcast follows the Lionesses over to Switzerland.
The podcast, which will be available to listen via all major platforms and watched via England’s official YouTube channel, is supported by EE, who this year extended their role as lead partner of all 24 of The FA’s national teams until 2028.
Harriet Rose, host of That Lionesses Podcast connected by EE, said: “I’m so excited to be part of the podcast. I’m a big football fan – I love to go to games – and, on top of that, I can really get to the bottom of people’s personalities and what makes them tick which is something I think the fans will really appreciate.
“You are going to be getting stories that you have never heard before. You are getting stories about the girls from behind the scenes that they’ve not shared in the past – how they bond, how they tick, how training works, how down-time works, how they eat, how they sleep.
“I’m excited to be part of the team. To get an insight into the lives of the players – something that other people won’t have ever heard or learnt – is such an honour.”
QUOTES
Talking on the 2022 win
Harriet: We thought it’d be nice to reflect on the 2022 Euros and the moment you finally brought it home. Ella, if it’s your first senior international tournament with England, how did you feel before you started? Can you remember it’s a little while ago now?
Ella: Yeah, a lot’s happened since then. I felt I felt ready. I mean, I knew that my role in that tournament was to be a game changer and come on and change games. And I just embraced that role. I made sure that I, when I stepped onto the pitch, I give 100% for the team, and I did what the team needed. And I think it suited me really well to come on and impact the game. And, yeah, throughout the tournament, just really enjoyed it. Tried to embrace it, tried to just, you know, learn as much as I could, because it was the first time I’ve been away with, with the seniors. So, yeah, I loved every minute of it, and it was nice that we brought it home at the end.
Harriet: Just nice?
Ella: It was amazing. It was absolutely bloody fantastic.
Harriet: Yeah, that’s it. Um, Keira, as someone who’s played in tournaments before, what were your expectations going into it?
Keira: Um, don’t know. I think because it was a home tournament, obviously it’s a little bit different, and I think
Harriet: Yeah the energy is a bit more wild
Keira: Yeah, and there would probably be a lot more eyes on us than normal and I just think the way the sport has grown it was going to be a lot different. But obviously we didn’t expect to win it. I think that’s always what you dream and you want to do, but to actually do it is really difficult, because there’s so many good teams.
Talking on the pair scoring the iconic goal at Wembley
Harriet: So, the pair of you were very important, obviously, in the final scoring that first goal and setting it up, helping one another to achieve England’s first goal, which led to the win, um, is that moment, sort of still etched in your brain like it was yesterday?
Keira: Bet you still watch it don’t you?
Ella: I still watch it, 100%. When I’m feeling a bit down or I’ve had a bad game
Harriet: I mean if it was me, I’d watch it every single day and I’d make everyone around me watch it too to remind them of who I am
Ella: I mean yeah, it was such a special memory. I think obviously the girls who started the game did all the hard work and, like, you know, kept it nil, nil, yeah. And then I managed to come on and, you know, have that moment
Keira: But I think we trusted you and Alessia to do that though, like, we knew you two, come on, and you’d probably get a chance with our score
Ella: yeah, and I think throughout the tournament that was happening for me and Less, like, Less was coming on, and scoring back heels and stuff but obviously, when you score the goal, you get the recognition. But I recognize everything that Fran, for me was doing the whole 70, 60/70, minutes, and then I come on, and she tired them all out, you know what I mean? So, yeah, I think we just had a good team. Yeah, we all understood the rules, but that moment was, yeah, unbelievable. And obviously I got quite a lot of credit, but the pass was put on a plate, so, you know
Keira: donno you did chip the keeper at Wembley
Harriet: I will say that that is a beautiful thing to hear, because it’s so true. It’s not about the goal scorer. It’s about the whole team as a whole. But I mean, it must still be the most important goal of your career, like the one that sticks in your head as like that moment
Ella: yeah for sure
Harriet: she is that girl
Ella: Yeah, I mean that does stick in my mind. Obviously it weren’t just like a tap in, was it? So it’s even better, you know, yeah. I mean an amazing moment for me. And you know, you always want those moments in in games and in tournaments. So hopefully I can, I can have another one at some point.
Talking on the upcoming tournament the importance of travelling fans
Harriet: Now we’re going to talk about the upcoming tournament girlies. You’re back to defend title. Keira, what do you think about the potential of the squad going into the tournament?
Keira: Yeah, it’s good. But also a lot of the teams are also good, so it’s going to be difficult. But we’ve got a lot of new, good, young players, so it’s going to be an exciting one
Harriet: it’s going to be exciting. Ella, you guys obviously won the previous tournament on our home soil. How different do you think it’s going to feel being in Switzerland, being away from home?
Ella: I mean I think we always take a lot of traveling fans with us, so we never really feel like we’re away from anywhere, if that makes sense. I mean, we had the World Cup in Australia and played the home nation, and we won. So, we know what it’s like to play in front of crowds that aren’t ours, but we also have a lot of fans who come and, you know, support us. So yeah, I think we’re experienced in that now, so hopefully we can have a few travelling fans as well.