Scots won’t be in a flap now we’re stripped
Kerr’s squad a tight bunch now they have their own specially-made World Cup kit
SCOTLAND’S women won’t flap under pressure again after launching their new kit for the World Cup finals.
The SFA and adidas have joined forces to ensure Shelley Kerr’s squad are dressed for success in France this summer.
Erin Cuthbert and Co will have an exclusive women’s kit for the first time, rather than turning out in the same shirts as the men. There’s also good news for male members of the Tartan Army – the stylish pink away kit will also be available in men’s sizes.
Chelsea playmaker Cuthbert insists the launch of the kit, available from May, is a marker of how seriously the women’s game is now being taken.
She said: “It’s the first time we’ve had an exclusive women’s kit, which is a big moment for us. You’ve got to be able to feel the part to play the part and it’s a great statement from the SFA and adidas to really show their support for the women’s game in Scotland.
“Only three or four teams have a specifically-made kit by adidas and for them to show their faith in Scotland is fantastic.
“The previous shirts just didn’t fit the way the new kit does. I was always conscious about tucking it in or whether to keep it out. I couldn’t really make a decision but this kit sits perfectly and I don’t need to touch it. The less I need to touch it, the less I need to worry about it and I can focus completely on my game.”
Appropriately the kit was launched at the Simple Digital Arena yesterday on International Women’s Day, just 24 hours after Kerr and her team returned from the Algarve Cup.
The Scots finished a credible fifth from 12 competing teams, beating Iceland and Denmark to lay down a marker for the finals, where they are grouped against England, Japan and Argentina.
Cuthbert added: “I really enjoyed the tournament. We took a big step forward in our preparations for the World Cup.
“Everyone was given a good opportunity to play and we found a way to win.
“We’re under no illusions it’s an incredibly tough group in France. Japan reached the Final of the World Cup last time, putting out England.
“They’re two brilliant teams and so are Argentina on their day. We must be at our absolute best in that group to get out of it.”
Cuthbert could face up to five of her Stamford Bridge teammates in Nice on June 9 and Phil Neville’s side have just returned from the She Believes Cup in Florida, where they defeated Japan in the Final.
But Cuthbert revealed all talk of the World Cup has been banned in the dressing room as they focus on chasing down Arsenal and Man City in the FA Women’s Super League as well as hunting glory in Europe.
She said: “We’ve made a rule of not speaking about it, we try not to. When you start thinking about other things your performances at club level start to drop so you can’t get too far ahead of yourself.
“We’re concentrating on club football just now. We’ve still got two big trophies to play for in the FA Cup and the Champions League so we’re putting everything into them for the next couple of weeks.”