Squad Depth

At just 24, footballer Madelyn Desiano has experienced a lot.

Life-shattering knee injuries, national championships, raw emotions on draft night, living out your goals, becoming a professional, and crossing the Atlantic to keep the dream alive.

Speaking to host Theo Lloyd-Hughes on the Squad Depth podcast, Desiano tells her story from Southern California to Odense, Denmark.

Stories from her enthralling five years at UCLA. The trials and tribulations of her rookie season with the Houston Dash in the NWSL. And, why she is now turning to a foreign league in Northern Europe.

A story of grace, maturity, ups, and downs. This is Squad Depth with Madelyn Desiano.

Follow Madelyn Desiano ⁠here.

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Alongside the podcast, check out and subscribe to the Squad Depth newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.squaddepth.com/⁠

If you have feelings about the show leave a review or send in your feedback. We'd love to hear from ya or feel free to spread the word. Or if you just have feelings, and want to keep them inside, then that's cool too.

Follow Theo on social media: @theolloydhughes

We're turning our focus back off the pitch, and the people helping grow the beautiful game. So, this week the founder of Women Kick Balls, Jackie Gutierrez, hung out on the podcast to talk about her journey.

Jackie is a tireless dynamo, doing just about everything one can do in the footy space. As a freelancer, she writes her own newsletter, captures her photos, publishes magazines, roasts coffee, and provides stories for Forbes and other outlets.

On the pod, Jackie talks about growing up as a soccer player in Southern California but having an awakening to the USWNT when her father and brother watched the 2011 World Cup.

The discussion digs deep into how you can follow your dream to tell stories about the game when you don't automatically see a space to do so.

At the end of the show, host Theo Lloyd-Hughes and Jackie talk about what they're looking forward to in the second half of the 2024 NWSL season.

Check out Women Kick Balls here.

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Alongside the podcast, check out and subscribe to the Squad Depth newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.squaddepth.com/

If you have feelings about the show leave a review or send in your feedback. We'd love to hear from ya or feel free to spread the word. Or if you just have feelings, and want to keep them inside, then that's cool too.

Follow Theo on social media: @theolloydhughes

Welcome back to Squad Depth with Theo Lloyd-Hughes.

This week, it's all about the NWSL moment. And more specifically the struggling Utah Royals.

Theo sat down with Kelly Cousins, the general manager of the 2024 expansion club, to get a better idea of what is going on behind the scenes in Salt Lake City.

After 10 matches, the Royals are bottom of the NWSL table with only one win. Over the past couple of months, the team has also lost two assistant coaches. Head coach Amy Rodriguez is learning a lot in her first-ever season as a head coach even if it is coming the hard way.

Having spent a decade as a head coach in the English Women's leagues with Reading FC, Cousins gives insight into how she evaluates and guides Rodriguez through this difficult debut year.

We look to answer questions about what are the Royals' targets and growth points for this season. How are they trying to improve? And, what changes might we see?

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Alongside the podcast, check out and subscribe to the Squad Depth newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.squaddepth.com/

If you have feelings about the show leave a review or send in your feedback. We'd love to hear from ya or feel free to spread the word. Or if you just have feelings, and want to keep them inside, then that's cool too.

Follow Theo on social media: @theolloydhughes

Welcome back to Squad Depth with Theo Lloyd-Hughes.

It's time to go behind the lens with photographer Georgia Soares. Having grown up in São Paulo, Brazil, she now resides in Philadelphia, PA.

Get to know more about Georgia's journey into sport photography, how she's changed since she first picked up a camera, and what inspires her, both then and now. What was it like to shoot at the record-breaking 2023 World Cup?

Stick around for some insight into Brazilian footy culture and what the expectations are for the wildly talented Selecao team making some noise at the 2024 W Gold Cup.

Georgia also reveals her favourite photos that she's taken and stadiums that she's worked in.

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Alongside the podcast, check out and subscribe to the Squad Depth newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.squaddepth.com/

If you have feelings about the show leave a review or send in your feedback. We'd love to hear from ya or feel free to spread the word. Or if you just have feelings, and want to keep them inside, then that's cool too.

Follow Theo on Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/theolloydhughes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Georgia on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/georgiasoaresphoto/

Follow Georgia on Twitter: https://twitter.com/GeorgiaSoares

Visit Georgia's website:

https://www.georgiasoares.com/

Follow Squad Depth on Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/SquadDepth⁠⁠

Intro music by ⁠⁠Gov't Name || Audio commentary courtesy of FOX Sports and Paramount Plus

Welcome back to Squad Depth with Theo Lloyd-Hughes.

This week, it's a sit-down with Amy Andrews.

The Englishwoman completed five impressive years in the NCAA with Western Illinois, before then having an outstanding season in the inaugural USL-W league in 2022, where she scored 16 goals in 10 games and won the league title with Georgia Tormenta FC.

In August 2023, she signed her first professional contract with Durham FC in the English Women's Championship.

The 24-year-old Andrews opened up about her unique journey to becoming a pro, making decisions to enjoy her football as a youth player, before then facing rejection after going undrafted by the NWSL after university. All the while fighting to grow, be seen, and do it her way.

The feisty forward also opened up about why she has a penchant for late match-winning and match-drawing goals. And dug into why her goal celebrations are a big part of her game and her agenda in general for the women's game.

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Alongside the podcast, check out and subscribe to the Squad Depth substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://squaddepth.substack.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you have feelings about the show leave a review or send in your feedback. We'd love to hear from ya or feel free to spread the word. Or if you just have feelings, and want to keep them inside, then that's cool too.

Follow Theo on Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/theolloydhughes⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Amy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amyjandrews_

Follow Amy on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/amyandrews_x

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Intro music by ⁠Gov't Name

Welcome back to Squad Depth with Theo Lloyd-Hughes.

This week, we're catching up with Juana Plata. This is the first feature that will shed a spotlight on the upcoming 2024 W Gold Cup.

After five years playing NCAA with Lamar University and Texas State the Houstonite recently signed her first professional contract with Club de Futbol Monterrey in LigaMX Femenil.

Since 2021, the left-footed American has played for the El Salvadorian women's national team. In that time the fledging program has come on leaps and bounds, dominating preliminary qualifying tournaments in the CONCACAF region.

Plata is wise beyond her years and opens up about her story of joining Rayadas and joining LigaMX Femenil. Why she had to back herself and take risks to try and follow her dreams? While also making sure she is living in the moment and not looking too far ahead.

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Alongside the podcast, check out and subscribe to the Squad Depth substack: ⁠⁠⁠https://squaddepth.substack.com⁠⁠⁠

If you have feelings about the show leave a review or send in your feedback. We'd love to hear from ya or feel free to spread the word. Or if you just have feelings, and want to keep them inside, then that's cool too.

Follow Theo on Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/theolloydhughes⁠⁠⁠

Follow Juana on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/juanaplata/?hl=en

Follow Squad Depth on Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/SquadDepth

Intro music by Gov't Name

Welcome back to Squad Depth with Theo Lloyd-Hughes.

This week, we're looking ahead to the 2024 NWSL Draft.

To do that, University of Pittsburgh forward Amanda West joined the podcast to talk about her footy journey.

The 22-year-old from Ontario, Canada, has had an exceptional 5 years in the Steel City. When she enrolled, in 2019, the soccer program was ranked nearly 200th in the country. As she graduates, Randy Waldrum's team is currently ranked sixth in the NCAA.

The calm and collected West opens up about growing up in a house of hockey players, why her dog has a special link to Pittsburgh, and her special connection on the pitch with teammate Landy Mertz, who is also a prospect for the NWSL.

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Alongside the podcast, check out and subscribe to the Squad Depth substack: ⁠⁠https://squaddepth.substack.com⁠⁠

If you have feelings about the show leave a review or send in your feedback. We'd love to hear from ya or feel free to spread the word. Or if you just have feelings, and want to keep them inside, then that's cool too.

Follow Theo on Twitter: ⁠⁠https://twitter.com/theolloydhughes⁠⁠

Follow Amanda on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_amandawest/

Follow Squad Depth on Twitter: ⁠⁠https://twitter.com/SquadDepth

Welcome back to Squad Depth with Theo Lloyd-Hughes.

This week, we caught up with Maliah Morris, an American footballer currently playing for Western Sydney Wanderers in the women's A-League in Australia.

Despite not being drafted into the NWSL after graduating from Clemson University in 2023, the flying winger fought her way onto the squad of the Orlando Pride. Eventually, she made her professional debut for the Florida club during the summer.

The 22-year-old from Maryland opened up about what it is like to have to battle for any minutes in the NWSL. What makes the transition from being a top young NCAA player to a first-time pro so challenging?

Don't miss stories from training with Brazilian legend Marta in Orlando, and why Morris made the career choice to play in Australia after the end of the 2023 NWSL season. Plus, what she'll be doing for her first Christmas away from home.

Get to know the outgoing and bubbly Maliah Morris in this week's Squad Depth.

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Alongside the podcast, check out and subscribe to the Squad Depth substack: ⁠https://squaddepth.substack.com⁠

If you have feelings about the show leave a review or send in your feedback. We'd love to hear from ya or feel free to spread the word. Or if you just have feelings, and want to keep them inside, then that's cool too.

Follow Theo on Twitter: ⁠https://twitter.com/theolloydhughes⁠

Follow Maliah on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maliah_m0rris/

Subscribe to Maliah's podcast 'Wandering Why' here.

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When you don't have a local professional football club, you have to go out into the online neighbourhood and find a community.

That's what Em Woods did back in 2020 when almost overnight she became an avid women's football fan. Even though Cleveland, Ohio, isn't in the NWSL just yet she became a massive fan of the league. The ultimate casual.

On top of falling in love with the beautiful game, Em started creating comedy-bit videos about being a women's football fan. The videos a for the "Woso Casual". The insider/outsider POV who loves everything about the very special women's football universe.

The wonderfully funny Em joins Theo Lloyd-Hughes in an interview to talk about how she discovered soccer and what the local scene is like in Cleveland. Could we see NWSL expansion to Ohio in the near future?

Theo opens up about what supporting local football meant to him growing up in London and what that sort of fandom looks like in the United States. Em also explains why she makes the videos she does, and how she interacts in the football space as a creative.

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Alongside the podcast, check out and subscribe to the Squad Depth substack: ⁠https://squaddepth.substack.com⁠

If you have feelings about the show leave a review or send in your feedback. We'd love to hear from ya or feel free to spread the word. Or if you just have feelings, and want to keep them inside, then that's cool too.

Follow Theo on Twitter: ⁠https://twitter.com/theolloydhughes⁠

Follow Em on Twitter: https://twitter.com/wosocasualhttps://twitter.com/wosocasual

or

Tiktok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@emwoodscasual

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Music courtesy of ⁠Gov't Name

What is it like to score in a 90th-minute equalizer with your first-ever shot as a professional footballer?

Well on this week's Squad Depth, Reyna Reyes tells us her story and helps answer that question. 

Hosted by Theo Lloyd-Hughes, the conversation this week focuses on Reyna's journey from growing up in North Texas and making it all the way to the NWSL with the Portland Thorns.

Right now, the 22-year-old is challenging for the top spot in the league, with the playoffs set to start in a couple of weeks. How does it feel to be a rookie on the best team in the United States?

As well as talking football, Reyna opened up about playing for Mexico, the country of her family's heritage. Since the age of 14 she has represented El Tri, and holds many moments on and off the pitch close to her heart.

This one is not to be missed, for those in the Rose City, NWSL fans, and all footy fans alike.

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Alongside the podcast, check out and subscribe to the Squad Depth substack: https://squaddepth.substack.com

If you have feelings about the show leave a review or send in your feedback. We'd love to hear from ya or feel free to spread the word. Or if you just have feelings, and want to keep them inside, then that's cool too.

Follow Theo on Twitter: https://twitter.com/theolloydhughes

Follow Reyna on Twitter: https://twitter.com/reynareyes0216

or

IG: https://www.instagram.com/reynareyes_16/

Follow Squad Depth on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SquadDepth

Music courtesy of Gov't Name