‘A huge insult’: Scotland captain Rachel Corsie hits back at ‘integrity’ questions
The Scotland captain, Rachel Corsie, has hit back at questions over their motivation for the Nations League game against England on Tuesday, calling them “absolutely outrageous” and “a huge insult”.
The Women’s Nations League offers a route for Team GB to qualify for the Olympics, but as England are the nominated side, a victory for the Lionesses at Hampden Park would also benefit Scottish players hoping to be part of the squad next summer.
Scotland are already relegated from League A before their final fixture, while England need to win – and overturn an inferior goal difference if the Netherlands beat Belgium in their last game. The Dutch manager, Andries Jonker, described the situation as “strange” but Corsie had strong words for those who have raised concerns.
“A lot of people outside have spoken about it, and truthfully I think it is so disrespectful,” the Aston Villa player said on Monday. “To have played for my country for as many years as I have – to know the girls that sit in there, the ones that want to be here, the ones who can’t be here through injury – I think it is absolutely outrageous to question anyone’s integrity and I think it is a huge insult to us.”
“I understand why the question is being asked, but for us, the motivation is playing for your country,” Corsie added. “It’s difficult to understand that if you’ve never experienced it but when you have, you don’t need extra motivation. It is absolutely the pinnacle of the sport to represent your nation so that will absolutely be the motivation tomorrow, to be pulling on the Scotland jersey.”
England must win their group to keep Team GB’s hopes of an Olympic place alive but they need to reach the final – or finish third, if hosts France make the top two – to secure their spot. “The format is something that players don’t really have any input or say on. The situation is unique, it’s difficult,” Corsie continued.The Scotland manager, Pedro Martínez Losa, also spoke out to defend the integrity of his squad. “I feel the situation is one we cannot change, it is a situation we have been brought into,” he said. “I wish that it could have been anticipated or we could have changed.
“What I do not feel happy about is the questioning of the integrity of the Scottish players,” Martínez Losa added. “Scotland is a wonderful country, with wonderful people, they are very passionate about everything … nobody for one second should question the integrity of the players and how much they want to represent their nation.”
“The feeling of this group is to represent thousands of girls and boys who are coming to watch and inspire all these people – that is stronger than anything,” added the Spaniard, who took over as manager in 2021. “I feel the question is totally inappropriate.”
Sarina Wiegman, the England manager, has also moved to play down any suggestion of a conflict of interest. “If you have seen Scotland and if you know the history of [these teams], then there is no way that they are going to give away this game,” she said earlier on Monday.