Scoring and soaring
Game’s flying high and we have to ensure it doesn’t crash back to earth says Malky Uni face a test at Parkhead
SFA performance director Malky Mackay insists the recent success of the women’s game in Scotland must not be a one-off.
The national team qualified for this summer’s Euros for the first time and the Under-19s have followed suit by booking their place at their own finals.
Mackay – who took over at Hampden in December – has vowed to play his part in making sure women’s football keeps growing north of the border.
And he reckons part of the job is ensuring our players continue to feature regularly in the top tournaments for years to come.
He said: “The women’s game has come on in leaps and bounds in recent years.
“The combination of the A squad and the Under-19s both qualifying for the Euros shows just how much it has come on.
“The challenge now is to build on it and ensure this is not the end of it. I want to make sure they are not just little spikes.
“You see it in tennis with Wimbledon, where people all of a sudden want to play tennis and then it falls away again.
“There are plans to leverage a pathway to get girls involved, and for them to progress to women’s football, so this drop-off doesn’t happen.”
The senior Scots will take on England, Portugal and Spain in the group stage at the Euros in Holland in July.
Mackay knows it will be a big challenge for Anna Signeul and her players but he reckons it’s the perfect opportunity to inspire the next generation.
He said: “I’m absolutely delighted they’re through to the finals but it’s going to be tough.
“It’s a hard group we’re in but I know everyone is relishing the challenges of the games.
“Anna’s got a team that’s really prepared and focused and are going into it with confidence.
“There’s got to be a lasting legacy, we have to make sure there are role models in this country for young girls.
“If you think it’s too long-term thinking about 15-year-olds and 16-year-olds then eventually you’ll get to a point when the pipeline dries up and you don’t have anything for the national squad. So we’ve got to make sure that pathway stays strong.
“My task is ensuring the performance, standards and structures that surround the women’s game are strong.
“There has to be an attraction for girls in wanting to become a player who pulls on a Scotland jersey at major finals. That’s my challenge and something I’ll be working on closely with the national managers.”
Stirling Uni boss Shelley Kerr was paraded as Scotland’s new head coach to the media earlier this week.
And Mackay reckons the national team will continue to be in safe hands when she takes over from Signeul in summer.
He said: “We went through a thorough process and Shelley was the outstanding candidate.
“Her CV is of a high calibre in terms of her experience, including 59 caps for Scotland and the coaching experience she has.
“She was the first female manager in men’s senior football at Stirling University, which is no mean feat. She came across very passionately about football. She’s a thinker of the game. She’s got a knowledge of the squad, which will help her hit the ground running.
“I’m looking forward to working with her. It’s exciting for the Scottish game.”
Mackay was also keen to pay tribute to outgoing boss Signeul, who has been in the hotseat for 12 years.
He said: “Her contribution to the women’s game in Scotland has been invaluable.
“We’ve now got the Scottish women’s national team at a major finals and she richly deserves that legacy as far as I’m concerned.
“Over the last few months I’ve seen day to day the work she does in raising standards at all levels of the women’s game, what she does in terms of highlighting and increasing opportunities for girls and women across the country.
“She absolutely deserves all the praise that she gets.
“Anna has had a big impact on Scotland and Scottish football overall.” STIRLING UNI can’t wait to get a taste of the Celtic Park atmosphere when they face the title challengers tomorrow. In an attempt to encourage more fans along to sample women’s football, Celtic are hosting the SWPL clash at the 60,000-capacity ground. Stirling coach Craig Tully said: “The girls have been looking forward to this game for weeks and that has had a positive response in training.” The SWPL returns after a three-week break due to the SWPL Cup and internationals. In the other SWPL 1 games, leaders Hibs face Hamilton Accies who are still looking for their first point of the season. Champs Glasgow City travel north to Aberdeen, a venue where they escaped with just a single-goal victory last season. Rangers have been shipping an alarming amount of goals this year and they will hope to put up the shutters when they travel to take on Spartans.