We’re only just getting our breath back from two stunning FA Cup semi-finals! And Chloe has finally stopped communicating exclusively with all-caps in the Upfront WhatsApp group, phew.

Clo and Rach give their reactions to Man United’s shock defeat of Chelsea to throw another spanner in the engine of Emma Hayes’ open top farewell bus. How did they do it? There’s also plenty of love for Mary Earps and Chloe reflects on how far her old team Spurs have come now that they’re in their first EVER FA Cup final!

Plus, Rachel quotes a poem and explains how Rachel Daly made versatility sexy after her shock England exit! But was it the right choice?

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Bay FC are the new kids on the block in the NWSL – and before a ball had even been kicked, they had made huge moves in the game. From Jen Beattie, to Asisat Oshoala, to Rachel Kundananji for a world record transfer fee, they have built an eye-catching squad. The challenge now is making it all fit together.

The woman behind all that is Lucy Rushton. Former General Manager at DC United and Head of Technical Recruitment and Analysis at Atlanta United, there are few women in football who have broken quite as many ceilings as Lucy in the men’s game. Now, she’s the brain behind one of the most exciting expansion sides ever in the NWSL. Lucy catches up with Chloe to discuss how you create a club identity from nothing, how you convince players to join a squad when there isn’t even a training ground yet, and Bay FC’s ambitions to change the face of women’s sport forever.

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We’re here a day early because we need to answer some important questions. Should people be worrying about England after their underwhelming draw against Sweden? Or do fans need to accept that England just struggled against strong opposition?

Elsewhere, we chat about Wales and their longstanding legends as they smashed Croatia - but Scotland and Northern Ireland both turned in flat performances. We also look ahead to a seismic Upfront Derby, as a buoyant Ireland host the Lionesses tomorrow!

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Ever wondered how England develop their next crop of stars? We’ve got all the answers for you on today’s pod! Rachel sat down with the brilliant Emma Coates, head coach of England’s U23s.

Emma explains how she works with Sarina Wiegman to identify new call-ups, the importance of the U23s as a bridge to the senior side, and how England’s talent pool keeps growing. This is a fascinating chat that you won’t hear anywhere else, so come join us!

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Everyone has gone full-blown Poirot after the Conti Cup final, so Chloe and Rachel get their monocles out and get to the bottom of all the drama between Emma Hayes and Jonas Eidevall!

Of course, we put the game under the Upfront magnifying glass too, and react to an incredible moment for Stina Blackstenius – especially after one of her closest teammates, Frida Maanum, collapsed during the game.

Elsewhere, Rachel reflects on her memories of Steph Houghton after she announced her retirement. And, forty years on from the first ever women’s Euros final between England and Sweden, we speak to the Lionesses’ star striker that day – Pat Chapman – about her memories of the game and and her thoughts on this Friday’s clash in VERY different circumstances at Wembley!

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Back in February, West Ham Women’s Vice President and Managing Director of Wow Hydrate Queenie Porter said that she thinks women’s football will one day become bigger commercially than the men’s game.

Today, Chloe and Rachel sit down with her to explore a bit more about why she thinks that. Queenie also gives fascinating insight into the importance of separating men’s and women’s football when it comes to brand partnerships and how she believes NewCo can help expand the women’s game. Plus, we hear her thoughts on Chloe’s new nickname for Sarina Wiegman…

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We look back over a tasty Women’s Football Weekend that saw Man City’s title charge rumble on, painting Manchester blue in the process. Has Jess Park given #SazzyWiegs something to think about?

Elsewhere, we dive into some Arsenal conspiracy theories after their kick-off was embarrassingly delayed once again, the Merseyside derby left us with more questions than answers and we look ahead to the Conti Cup final this weekend: the first silverware of the season!

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Ahead of one of the biggest games of the season, Rachel sat down with Man City boss Gareth Taylor for a chat about how they’ve found themselves at the centre of a cracking WSL title race!

Gareth also talks about separating the demands of the job from his family life, which other managers he leans on for support and how his side have developed a resilient edge. Plus, we get a unique insight into how City prepare on the training field and what they’re expecting at the Etihad this weekend!

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Chelsea worked their socks off on Friday night – but the less said about socks the better…

Chloe and Rach look back on a huge win for Chelsea in the title race and Sjoeke Nüsken’s stunning transformation into a number nine! Plus, is Manuela Zinsberger’s time at Arsenal coming to an end? 

We also discuss Emma Hayes’ comments on relationships between players and the press conferences across the WSL about relationships between coaches and players in light of recent events. Plus, a preview of Women’s Football Weekend! If Chloe will let it go ahead, that is…

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Join us for today’s cup chaos special, as we recap all the results from across the weekend. Man City were knocked out of both cup competitions in the space of a few days - did they re-sign Gareth Taylor too prematurely?

Elsewhere, we saw smaller teams continue to close the gap, another lethal performance from Arsenal’s Stina Blackstenius, and some odd comments from Man Utd boss Marc Skinner.

We also chat about Copa 71, a cracking new documentary that reflects on the unofficial 1971 World Cup that saw record crowds and the customary idiotic response from the powers that be.

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Sign up for the Football Ramble Patreon to get ad-free Upfront shows and more: patreon.com/footballramble.

***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***

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