JUST THE JOB
From breast cancer and back surgery, to searching for a new career... Beattie is now eyeing World Cup
Scotland and arsenal defender Jen Beattie has admitted that a turbulent year left her ‘googling jobs’ as she questioned whether or not she would play football again.
the 30-year-old was diagnosed with breast cancer in october last year but it was a discectomy on a debilitating back complaint that left Beattie concerned for her long-term future in the game.
Included in new Scotland manager Pedro Martinez losa’s squad for the World cup qualifying double-header against Hungary last week and the Faroes tonight, Beattie had days when adding to her substantial haul of 132 caps felt like a distant dream.
‘I’ll be openly honest,’ she said. ‘When I was going through the surgery for my back, I was actually trying to shake off a hamstring injury that was coming from my back. I was googling jobs at one point because there’s that little doubt in your head that comes in.
‘I got to some pretty dark places. If you could have told me in that moment I’d get back to where I am now — and I know I’m maybe still not 100 per cent — I’m so happy with the way my back feels and the way I’ve got back to playing 90 minutes.
‘I’ve always loved my job but I have a whole new appreciation for it now.
‘I really enjoy what I do every day and I couldn’t be happier. Injuries really test you in ways you don’t expect, but back pain and back surgery are a little more extensive.
‘It’s definitely one of the hardest things I’ve gone through and I’m so, so grateful that I had an incredible club who looked after me very well. I saw a brilliant surgeon who did the procedure and I’m back to where I am now. I’m very grateful for that.
‘I have absolutely no idea what other career I could have had — that’s why I’m still playing football.’
Beattie will hope to play a leading role at Hampden this evening as Scotland look to make it a perfect start to the campaign.
Martinez losa’s reign kicked off with an impressive 2-0 win over Hungary in Budapest on Friday night, with the Faroe Islands — who were thumped 10-0 by Spain — up next this evening.
the move to play games at Hampden has been welcomed by the women’s side, some of whom have experience of the national stadium already. their send-off to the World cup in 2019 took place in Mount Florida as they rounded off their preparations with a 3-2 win over Jamaica, while Beattie was also involved in a game there against Spain.
It is understood around 5,000 tickets have been sold for tonight’s meeting, with Beattie and Martinez losa both keen to galvanise support for the team.
‘For any Scottish person who has grown up loving football and watching the national team play at the national stadium, it is a highlight,’ said Beattie. ‘a few of us are lucky enough to have the experience of playing at Hampden but ,for others, it will be the first time. that feeling never fades.’
Meanwhile, Martinez losa is aiming for six points out of six from the opening two games to encourage optimism for back-toback World cup qualifications. However, while that is the main goal of tonight’s game, he is also keen to reap maximum points to sustain the impact of the philosophy that he wants to bring to the women’s national team.
Having been hoisted into the qualifiers without time for friendly games, there has been limited scope to implement his style given the time-frame he has had to work within.
the Spaniard joked that he has learned the national anthem off by heart ahead of tonight but, for his era to be successful, he needs everyone singing from the same hymn sheet.
‘Results give you energy and trust and the chance to continue with your message,’ he said. ‘It helps the message transmit quicker but it also helps with the players’ dna and the values we want the team to have.
‘this is a beginning but it would help the players to believe that they are building something special.
‘We do have a lot of room to improve. the difficult part of the game is the final third and the combinations, the flow of energy — and it is not going to fixed in just a few days. We have worked again over the last few days in training, giving the players some ideas, and we are confident it will be better.’