The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Love insists SFA row won’t tear them apart
Midfielder claims squabble has not taken shine off Scotland’s first-ever finals appearance
Scotland midfielder Jo Love insists her team’s recent row with Hampden bosses has not affected their Euro 2017 build-up.
Head coach Anna Signeul had to delay naming her squad for next month’s tournament in Holland until Monday after a disagreement broke out with the Scottish Football Association over financial, commercial and equality matters.
The players forced the issue to a head by refusing to take part in media and promotional engagements.
But a peace pact was eventually brokered over the weekend, finally allowing Signeul to unveil the 22-strong party that will take on Group D rivals England, Portugal and Spain.
Among the squad are Perth’s Gemma Fay, Lana Clelland and Lisa Evans and Caroline Weir of Fife.
Glasgow City midfielder Love, 31, is glad the matter has now been resolved but denied the squabble had taken the shine off the nation’s first-ever appearance at a major finals.
The 177-cap veteran said: “We are relieved that it’s over. We have come to agreements with the SFA which both parties are very happy about.
“Now we’re just looking forward to getting to the Euros and concentrating on the football.
“Throughout this, that has not really been a path that we have swayed from. [The dispute] has not been a concern for us at all. We have just been concentrating on the football as we always have done and always will do.
“It’s not [soured the build-up] as far as the players are concerned. All we have had to do is concentrate on what Anna and her backroom staff have asked us to do and we were happy to do that.
“I think we’ve showed in our last two performances that none of this has affected our football.”
Boss Signeul took a step back from the negotiations as she instead focused on her side’s preparations.
Her plans, already hit by injuries to key players Kim Little and Lizzie Arnot, suffered another late blow when Manchester City defender Jen Beattie was ruled out with an ankle knock.
But Signeul says she has enough strength in depth to cope with the challenges ahead.
“It was really difficult picking this squad, although it becomes a little easier due to injuries,” she admitted.
“But it’s still very tough because you know how much it means to every player selected and not selected.
“Of course we’re going to miss Kim, Jen and Lizzie – who for me was the best player in Scotland last year before she got injured.
The Scots’ first game sees them take on the Auld Enemy in Utrecht on July 19 and Love hopes that clash will act as a springboard towards the knock-out rounds.
She said: “We’d like to think that we’re going to go there and put on an amazing performance. If we do well in the first game it will lead to more confidence.