Upfront - A Women's Football Podcast

It’s our final episode before Christmas! And Rach has got her special Christmas hat on – not that Chloe is particularly appreciative… Elsewhere, Chloe might have been busy tending to her sourdough but it was a hell of a WSL weekend. Chelsea dropped points and then – oh no – Man City only got done by Everton, didn’t they? We take a look across the table for our bumper mid-season review and try to work out what’s been going down at Aston Villa. Where better to start than LinkedIn… Follow us on X, Instagram, Bluesky 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.

Chloe and Rach are here to round up another goalicious weekend in the WSL, as Chelsea won again - despite a sloppy display against a decent-looking Brighton - and Aston Villa’s lack of consistency might put Robert de Pauw’s job at risk. Plus, has Renée Slegers done enough to earn the Arsenal job full-time? We also look ahead to the fourth round of the FA Cup as the WSL sides barge in and threaten to spoil the party and Chloe brings tales of her own 12-hour FA Cup coach trips, where she'd usually just end up on the bench. Ouch. Follow us on X, Instagram, Bluesky 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.

Whatever happens tonight in Ireland vs Wales, history will be made. And whatever happens, Rach will be watching it through her fingers! Chloe, on the other hand, jubilantly hails the renaissance of Mary Earps on today’s episode after England kept out Emma Hayes’ energetic, young US side. What did Saggy Weegs learn from an eventful 0-0? Plus, Brazil can’t do friendlies and Scotland can’t turn up for the big occasion. Will tonight in Helsinki be the night that all changes? Follow us on X, Instagram, Bluesky 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.

The wait is nearly over: the Lionesses take on Emma Hayes' USA in just TWO days! We ponder on the problems Sarina Wiegman could use this friendly to address and Rach explains why there will be plenty of catastrophising if England lose. Elsewhere, we discuss Emma Hayes’ USWNT reign so far - and her pint-pulling skills, of course - and Chloe explains why Hayes will arrive at Wembley with revenge on her mind! Plus, we reveal our score predictions! And spoiler: Rach may well be sitting on the fence once again… Follow us on X, Bluesky, 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.

In amidst the Conti Cup, there was a top four battle in the WSL! Well, top five. Sorry Chloe. We give our reaction to Chelsea’s 1-0 victory over Man United and Rach explains why it’s time Marc Skinner gets real with the fans. Elsewhere, Marta gets over the pressure of playing in front of her mum to win the NWSL and the Euro 2025 play-off finals are here! We preview Wales vs Ireland, Scotland vs Finland and Northern Ireland’s tough test against a truly stacked Norway side… Follow us on X, 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.

Just over a year into her role as Northern Ireland head coach, Tanya Oxtoby joins us in the studio to reflect on her journey so far as she prepares for a crucial Euro 2025 play-off against Norway next week. Tanya explains how she landed this dream job in international management and reveals why her first six months in charge were really tough. Plus, she reveals the one thing her players hate most about her meetings and her key ingredients for unlocking young talent. Oh, and she attempts to give us a PG version of what that win against Croatia really meant to her and the team. Join us! Follow us on X, Bluesky, 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.

The French Revolution continues under Sonia Bompastor at Chelsea! Chloe and Rachel react to a statement victory over Manchester City thanks to a statement performance from Mayra Ramirez and co. Elsewhere, Everton finally break their duck in the Merseyside Derby – but Matt Beard cries conspiracy. And WSL royalty announce some exciting news… Follow us on X, 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.

Danish international Sofie Junge Pedersen is at the forefront of a powerful movement urging Fifa to end its sponsorship deal with Saudi oil giant Aramco over human rights violations and environmental concerns. Rachel sat down with Sofie to find out why her open letter - signed by over 100 players - is a crucial step forward in driving change, the power footballers have to make a real difference, and her vision for a more sustainable future. VOTE FOR US TO WIN AN FSA AWARD! CLICK HERE. Follow us on X, 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.

The season’s big showdown is almost here: Chelsea vs Manchester City. On today’s pod, Chloe and Rachel look at the numbers behind Chelsea’s sensational start – and whether Man City can stop them. Elsewhere, Arsenal surprise us pleasantly and – sadly – unpleasantly this week, while it was a difficult reality check for Brighton on Friday night. Plus, we meet the National League footballer who is trying to transform the way ACL injuries are predicted and analysed. VOTE FOR US TO WIN AN FSA AWARD! CLICK HERE. Follow us on X, 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.

After a tough start to their first WSL campaign, Crystal Palace captain Aimee Everett is here to give us the lowdown on how they’ve steadied the ship, what’s surprised her most about the league and what it means - as a 23-year-old woman - to be a leader at this level. Plus, Aimee reveals which team she watches in her spare time - even if she is forced to - and tackles the all-important question: will Chloe be invited to their end of season party? Follow us on X, 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.

Over a quarter of the way through the season and Aston Villa, West Ham and Everton are still winless. Who’s going to drag themselves out of the mire first?! Clo and Rach discuss that and put the WSL’s new TV rights deal under the microscope. What does it mean for the game and for the fans? Tune in to find out! Join the Official Upfront fantasy WSL league! Click here and enter the code IKNCM61. Follow us on X, 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.

To mark the final day of Black History Month, Chloe sat down with a true trailblazer in English football: the first black woman to play for the Lionesses, Kerry Davis. From being picked to play for England ‘out of the blue’ to holding the top goalscorer record and getting to that famous Euro 1984 final, Kerry revisits some of the standout moments that defined her storied career. Plus, she tells us who she looked up to growing up, what it means to see current Lionesses following in her footsteps and her hopes for the future of the game. Follow us on X, 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.

Alright everyone, stay calm - the Lionesses have lost a game. Nothing to panic about.Chloe and Rachel pick through a chaotic Friday night at Wembley that finished Germany 4-3 England and ask what changes Sarina Wiegman should make ahead of their friendly against South Africa tonight. Elsewhere, Ireland turned on the style in Georgia but Wales struggled in their Euro 2025 qualifier - who’s going to make it to the big dance? Plus, we look ahead to the return of the WSL as an in-form Man United host a manager-less Arsenal; could they catch the Gunners out? Follow us on X, 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.

The level of youth women's football is better than it's ever been. Rach is in the Dominican Republic for the U17 World Cup and sat down with England's head coach Natalie Henderson to find out more. Natalie reveals some of the biggest challenges preparing for this tournament, shares the toughest part about her job and explains why youth football's ever-improving level has been so important for her players’ development. Join us! Follow us on X, 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.

Karate Kaneryd struck on Sunday night with a stunning volley as Chelsea sunk Spurs 5-2. But it wasn’t a game without controversy! Chloe and Rachel discuss the return of the goal line technology debate after no one – linesman included, fans included, Rachel in sunny Dominican Republic included – managed to get a good angle of Hannah Hampton’s fumble. Elsewhere, we check in with Arsenal after two solid victories in the week following Jonas Eidevall’s departure. And ahead of a huge Friday night for all the home nations and the Republic of Ireland as they play the first leg of their respective Euro 2025 qualifying play-offs, we assess the position of each side and why it feels like Wales’ time, at last. Join the Official Upfront fantasy WSL league! Click here and enter the code IKNCM61. Follow us on X, 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.

Just as we were about to press record… Jonas Eidevall resigned as Arsenal head coach. What went wrong? Had things reached fever pitch with the Arsenal fanbase? Chloe and Rachel discuss that and reflect on how the negative environment around Arsenal points to a worrying shift in women’s football culture. Plus, are Manchester United proving people wrong? And we discuss what we learned from the opening matchday in the Champions League – where Man City beat the best team in the world. Join the Official Upfront fantasy WSL league! Click here and enter the code IKNCM61. Follow us on X, 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.

Today, former Aston Villa manager Carla Ward joins Chloe and Rachel in the studio for a special, all-encompassing chat. We get the lowdown on her time in Paris working with Emma Hayes and the USWNT. And yes, their afterparty was as wild as we imagined! Elsewhere, Carla opens up about her reasons for leaving Villa, the need for more psychological support in the game and how she navigated the pressures of managing at the top level. She also reveals which manager she turned to for guidance - spoiler, beers and baths are involved! Join us for a fascinating discussion. Follow us on X, 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.

Chloe and Rachel look back on two drama-filled games in the WSL, featuring some brilliant goals – looking at you, Marie Höbinger. Plus, we welcome the return of the Champions League with both open arms and worrying thoughts about Arsenal after their stinking performance against Everton. And is that… Chelsea vs Real Madrid? Again?! Join the Official Upfront fantasy WSL league! Click here and enter the code IKNCM61. Follow us on X, 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.

North Korea won the Under 20 Women’s World Cup for a third time last month, meaning they are now one of the most successful sides in the tournament’s history. So how has such a politically isolated country forged such a strong presence on the global stage? We’re joined by Tokyo-based sports journalist Alex Bishop, who talks us through that winning moment in Bogotá, their rise as a women’s football power and why North Korea’s youth development is so strong. Plus, Alex explains how their senior team has consistently maintained a top-ten FIFA ranking, and whether he can see them at the World Cup in Brazil in 2027. Join us! Follow us on X, 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.

It was Rach’s birthday yesterday! And Chloe has a cake for her. And candles! Lots and lots of candles. After nearly burning down the studio, they discuss Spurs’ late comeback against Aston Villa which featured some proper vintage performances from some WSL golden-oldies. Plus, both Manchester clubs pick up three points – but neither of them impress. There’s also the small matter of Chelsea vs Man United’s postponement: cue a proper Upfront takedown. Join us! Join the Official Upfront fantasy WSL league! Click here and enter the code IKNCM61. Follow us on X, 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.