Special guest Sturgeon and Kerr welcome Women’s World Cup to capital

● Scotland’s top scorer played with coach Kerr and has nothing but praise for the way she has improved the team

Nicola Sturgeon and Shelley Kerr welcomed the World Cup to Scotland yesterday but the national manager joked that the First Minister doesn’t bring the team much luck, writes Moira Gordon.

The prestigious trophy was on display at Edinburgh Castle as part of the Fifa Women’s World Cup Trophy Tour, with Scotland preparing to make their historic debut in the tournament this summer.

Sturgeon has said that she plans to take in the Scots’ opening game against England in Nice, on 9 June, but her previous trips to watch the team have not inspired winning performances.

Kerr pointed out that the First Minister’s attendance has coincided with a 6-0 thrashing at the hands of the Auld Enemy in 2017 and a 4-0 defeat by Norway.

“I know she hasn’t got a good track record when she has been attending games but our mantra since I came in is that the

Julie Fleeting is not surprised that Shelley Kerr has taken Scotland’s women’s national team to their first-ever World Cup and she knows from pers o n a l e x p e r i e n c e j u s t h ow determined her former teamma t e w i l l b e t o e n s u r e t h e s q u a d ma ke s a n i mp a c t i n France this summer.

Fleeting is the nation’s most p r o l i f i c g o a l s c o r e r wi t h a n incredible 116 international goals in 121 caps and the Scottish Hall of Famer made many of those Scotland appearances alongside the current Scotland manager.

“She’s always been a leader and a winner,” Fleeting said. “Even in training, the amount o f i n j u r i e s s h e i n f l i c t e d o n me... she didn’t want to lose at anything – she’s just that kind of person and she can pass that on to the 11 players on the pitch.

“H e r a t t i t u d e t o f o o t b a l l a n d l i f e i s i n f e c t i o u s a n d has helped in the qualifying games. She can i n s p i r e t h e players to be at their best.

“S h e l l e y i s s u c h a g r e a t coach, but also such a lovely person. Determined, she has ever ything you want within your national team.”

Although well-decorated at club level, with several S cottish League titles, 17 major trophy wins with Arsenal, including the European Cup, and the honour of becoming the first Scot to be signed up as a fulltime professional in the United States, the laurels did not follow on the international stage for Fleeting, as Scotland failed to qualify for a major finals during her era.

“The nearest I got as a player was in 2008 when we lost out to Russia in the play-offs,” she recalled. Away goals counted against the S cots in that tie, which was Kerr’s last appearance as a Scotland player.

“T h a t r e s u l t wa s a r e a l l y tough one to take, but when I played we were still a bit away from the best countries. That’s the difference – the current team isn’t,” said Fleeting, a Fifa Women’s World Cup ambassador who attended the trophy tour at Edinburgh Castle yesterday. “They are competing with the top ten countries in the world and putting in performances against them.”

Insisting she is proud rath

“People are looking around Europe and seeing Erin Cuthbert is a star for Chelsea. We have players dotted around Europe”

JULIE FLEETING

er than jealous that her successors will take to the pitch in the biggest tournament in the women’s game this summer, she says the thrill is in seeing how the game here has evolved. “I always felt ever y year we were getting better but there was still a massive gap. I remember getting beaten 6-0, 7- 0 and sometimes that flattered us! We were just 11 players behind the ball.

“But when this team played t h e U SA [ i n Nove mb e r ] we were competing with them, creating chances. Ever y year they have got closer and closer. Now we’re in the best place going into the World Cup.

“The big difference now is that most of the players are full-time and at club level the current players are competing with the best. People are looking around Europe and seeing Erin Cuthbert is a star for Chelsea. That’s great. We have players dotted around Europe.

“The fact we didn’t have to go through the play-offs this time because they topped the group is absolutely fantastic.”

Par tic ipating in their first World Cup, the reality is this t o u r n a m e n t w i l l b e m a n y young fans’ first experience of watching a Scotland team – male or female – p erform on such a stage, and Fleeting can’t wait for her children to be inspired by what they see.

“My kids are going to be able to watch Scotland on the biggest stage, so it’s really exciting. They will be nine, seven and two by time of the World Cup and they are coming with me to the tournament. My oldest isn’t into football, but my six-year-old is playing. There will b e fanzones b efore the games and lots for them to see and do. That’s how memories are made.

“Hopefully everyone can get b ehind the team and really embrace the World Cup.”