Rangers must hold nerve in Old Firm clash says Thomson
Rangers Women head coach Malkythomsonhashailedthe importance of ‘emotional control’ as his side head to Celtic for a mammoth Old Firm clash in the Scottish Women’s Premier League tomorrow night.
Thomson’s Rangers find themselves embroiled in the SWPL‘S most exciting title race in its 19 year history ahead of their game at Parkhead, as the Gers look to dismantle Glasgow City’s 13-year reign of dominance of Scottish women’s football and win their first SWPL title to cap their first year as a professional club.
However, that title race could be blown open tomorrow as the top four get set to face each other in a hugely significant week for each club’s season.
Second-placed Rangers, currently level on points and goal difference with table-toppers Glasgow City, head to Parkhead knowing three points would send out another warning sign to reigning champions Glasgow City, who face a tricky midweek clash away to Dean Gordon’s fourth-placed Hibs.
And Thomson admits he will be looking to his in form side to continue to hold their nerve when they face Celtic.
"We’ve worked on emotional control as a big, full-time professional football club.
"That emotional control is something we’ve seen evidence of in training and in the games that we have played up to today.
"We’re confident we can handle the occasion – hopefully that allows us to get into our rhythm and play the style of football we want to play” said the 52-year-old Blue Belles head coach.
And, after dispatching both Hearts and Spartans by comprehensive margins in the weeks prior, Thomson believes Sunday’s narrow victory 1-0 over Hibs at the Rangers Training Centre – their seventh win in a row
– was exactly what his side needed as they head into their biggest game of the season so far.
"The key thing is winning.
It’s irrelevant how you do. It’s just about getting the win.
"You take the positives out of each display, and I think
there was many positives in our performance – none more so than the experience the girls would have taken from holding onto that 1-0
lead. It gets their concentration levels tested a bit, any lapse in concentration could have given Hibernian an opportunity.
"It’s our first year coming together as a professional team and as a group, and that test was a bit different for us.
"Hibs have some good players, they made it difficult for us to try and break them down.”
The head coach was boosted by news that his captain Brianna Westrup will be able to take part in the game too, despite taking a heavy blow to the head in Sunday’s win.
"She’s a very strong individual. She has a strong pain threshold.
"I have to say out medical staff were fantastic when they came on the park.
"They assessed her straight away and it was clear she had received no concussion, so I’m really pleased for Brianna and things are well.”