Performances must match Scotland rhetoric
ONLY time will tell if the hours spent on the pristine training grounds of the La Finca golf resort in Murcia will produce medium-term gains. The three Pinatar Cup matches themselves were a reflection of Scotland’s dipping performance levels over the last 16 months.
Facing the sides ranked sixth, eighth and seventh in the eight-team tournament, third- seeded Scotland lost 3- 1 to Wales, beat Slovakia 2-0, and needed penalties to get the better of Hungary in the final game.
In mitigation, the Wales result might have been different had Scotland taken one of their chances just after half time, while the Hungarians, under German head coach Margret Kratz, are an improving side. And nor is the Pinatar Cup itself designed to provide inspiration for the players or indeed anybody else – it’s a second rate tournament as epitomised by less than 20 spectators attending the Hungary game in La Manga.
The format in 2020, with four teams playing each other once, was far better. Every match held some importance, unlike the competitively meaningless nature of Scotland’s second and third games this time.
Both head coach Pedro Martinez Losa and captain Rachel Corsie said the nine days in camp had been worthwhile, providing, as they did, the first proper opportunity for the Spaniard to work intensively with his players. Nevertheless, former internationalists and many others who have followed the team closely over a long period continue to
express disquiet about performances and aspects of the head coach’s squad selections.
“You understand why people on the outside have the views that they’ve had, especially with the last few results,” Corsie ( above) conceded after the Wales game. “We expect that, and take ownership as players, but there’s a clear end goal in what we’re trying to do.
“We’re giving ourselves the best chance that when we do implement all these things, when it comes together and everyone is on the same page, we can achieve really good things. The training sessions and work that we do are genuinely some of the most enjoyable and challenging I’ve been a part of at club or country.”
The 8-0 dismantling by Spain in Seville means that automatic qualification for the World Cup is no longer an option. The game against Ukraine on April 8 remains key for Corsie’s side in Group B, offering as it does a passage into the play- offs.
It was due to be played in Lviv, in the west of the country. However, Uefa confirmed on Friday that, until further notice, Ukraine ( and Russia) will play their home internationals at neutral venues.
Football will, of course, be a distant consideration for the Ukrainians following the invasion of their country. On Thursday and Friday head coach Lluis Cortes used social media to log his journey from Kyiv to the comparative safety of Lviv in a van provided by the football federation.
Ukraine won the Turkish Women’s Cup during the international window, beating
Venezuela, Uzbekistan and Bulgaria. As with the Pinatar Cup, the tournament wasn’t graced by the nation that was hosting it.
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FTER nine months of being included in Scotland squads, a dream was finally realised for Eartha Cumings at La Manga on Tuesday night. “I can’t quite believe I’ve just played for Scotland,” the 22-year-old beamed as she untied her laces following the penalty shoot- out save against Hungary.
The winning save capped an unforgettable evening for a player who might have lost both her legs when she was 17. She stays in touch with Debbi McCulloch, who is, naturally, thrilled about her former player being capped at senior level.
“Nothing phases Eartha,” the Spartans head coach said. “She was so driven, brave and positive – and determined to make sure she could get back on the pitch if possible. It would have been an absolute travesty for her if she wasn’t able to play football again.”
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UCH work requires to be completed ahead of the 2022-23 season, when the top t wo leagues will be run under the auspices of the SPFL. The process of drafting the necessary documentation to underpin the new company and competitions is already underway.
The appointment of an interim managing director is also understood to be an immediate priority for the SPFL. That will be followed in the months ahead by the recruitment of an independent non-executive chair, an independent non- executive director and a permanent managing director.
The clubs have also established a working group to ensure they have a big input into proceedings. The aim remains to have leagues of t welve and eight teams, with a pyramid system operating from the SWF competitions.