Chloe and Rachel are joined by women’s football journalist Jessy Parker Humphreys to look back on the WSL’s opening weekend - and what a bloody weekend it was!
Liverpool proved how stubborn a test they’ll prove for the big dogs after beating Chelsea, while Arsenal and Man United impressed. Elsewhere, Man City’s loss to The Rachel Daly Experience bring more questions about the future of Gareth Taylor.
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Upsets galore on the WSL’s opening weekend

Welcome to Upfront, the dedicated women's football podcast brought to you by the Football Ramble! Join Chloe Morgan and Rachel O'Sullivan every week for reaction and analysis throughout the season. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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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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Man United halt Chelsea, Spurs reach Wembley, and Rachel Daly’s “sexy versatility”

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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***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!*** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bay FC General Manager Lucy Rushton on building a club from scratch and pulling off the most expensive transfer ever

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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England get questioned, Wales turn on the style, and Ireland’s underrated chances

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!
Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube! Email us show@upfrontpod.com.
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***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!*** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

England U23s coach Emma Coates on nurturing the next generation of Lionesses

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!
Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube! Email us show@upfrontpod.com.
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!*** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Upsets galore on the WSL’s opening weekend

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