Weir hopeful of helping Scots back to winning ways

Former Hibernian midfielder Caroline Weir, who made her Scotland debut against Iceland in Reykjavik just days after leaving Dunfermline High School in 2013, hopes the national side can return to winning ways against the same opposition today.

The teams meet in an Algarve Cup group game just six weeks after a friendly in La Manga which Iceland won 2-1. It was the third of four successive defeats and has put a dent on Shelley Kerr’s previously outstanding record, which includes qualification for a first World Cup in the summer.

Two of the losses – against world champions the USA in November and Canada, ranked fifth in the world, in the Algarve Cup on Friday – were honourable 1-0 scorelines, while the friendlies against Norway and Iceland in La Manga witnessed Kerr field experimental sides. Nevertheless, and with less than 100 days to the start of the World Cup, it’s a sequence which needs to be broken.

“We’ve played two of the very top teams and it was good to try out new things in the other two, but we need a performance and we could do with getting a win,” admitted Weir, pictured.

The 23-year old joined Manchester City from Liverpool in the summer, having also played for Arsenal and Bristol City after leaving Hibs.

Her stand out performances this season suggest she has made the right choice.

“The biggest thing for me was trying to break into the team.” Weir pointed out.

“Signing for City is a bit of a risk because the club has a lot of really good players to compete with for a place in the side.

“Being surrounded by them every day in training has definitely improved me.

“It has pushed me both physically and mentally but I’m seeing the results with my performances on the pitch, both for City and Scotland.”