Reality check for Scotland

AFTER all the euphoria of Scotland qualifying for Euro 2017, the events of the last seven days have brought women’s football down to earth with a shudder.

The less said about last Sunday’s SSE Scottish Women’s Cup semi-finals the better. What was demonstrated, embarrassingly given the games were streamed live, was the glaring lack of depth which still exists in the club game. Until that is addressed, the national competition needs to be seeded.

The two winners, Glasgow City and Hibernian, meet in the final on November 6 – but also this afternoon at the Excelsior in the penultimate SWPL1 game of the season. City have a five-point lead so only a Hibs win will prevent the all-conquering Glasgow side from making it a Scottish record 10-in-arow titles.

That is, of course, in itself testimony to the lack of depth in Scottish women’s football, although it should in no way detract from the professional manner in which Glasgow City have conducted themselves on and off the pitch.

Their attitude is exemplified by captain Leanne Ross, the only player who will have participated in all 10 title triumphs should City, as expected, cross the line today or next Sunday against Rangers.

This is all context for the difficulties Scotland face at international level when playing nations who are not only higher ranked, but have available players who are bigger, stronger and faster. Nevertheless, that is no excuse for the 7-0 thrashing meted out by the Netherlands at Livingston on Thursday night.

Yes, Scotland had key players missing, but so too did Holland. It was the sixth game in less than four years between the sides: Scotland won three of the earlier five, Holland two, and the biggest margin of victory was two goals.

There is a widespread perception that the national team have not made progress in the last two years despite taking advantage of a benign group draw and qualifying for Euro 2017. Four heavy defeats in the last 13 months emphasise that assertion: 4-0 to Norway, 6-0 to Sweden, 4-0 to Iceland, and now 7-0 to Holland.

The Sweden game, which was played out of season in an indoor arena, can be discounted but the other three were all in front of home crowds and indicate a pattern, rather than the occasional bad performance.

The most common perception is that Anna Signeul, pictured, has been too loyal for too long to the same group of players.

Proper competition for places is required.