Scotland Women's Squad Not Yet Ready to Conquer World Stage
The 2024-25 season was marked by some promising performances from the Scotland women's squad, but overall, it was a disappointing campaign that saw them fail to make an impact in major tournaments. The team had some bright sparks, such as debutant defender Sophie Howard and midfielder Emma Lawton, who scored her first international goal against the Netherlands.
New manager Melissa Andreatta brought some fresh energy to the side, introducing six uncapped players into the fold and dropping nine of those who were part of the disastrous trip to Finland last year. The Australian boss has already picked up two wins since taking over and is looking forward to a "training block" in February where she can work on some of the details that have been holding her team back.
Despite the lack of success, Andreatta believes that her squad still has the potential to make an impact on the world stage. The team has been plagued by a habit of "suffering the Scottish way," with players often having chances to score but missing out. This trend is expected to continue as they head into their World Cup qualification campaign against Luxembourg in March.
Andreatta points out that her squad is now developing a belief that they should be competing at the highest level, and this newfound confidence could be the key to unlocking their full potential. "I think we're finally developing a belief that we should be there," she said. "We're a very humble squad, but I think it's about time that we believe, we belong on that international stage again."
As the Scotland women's team looks to move forward, they will need to overcome their inability to capitalize on scoring opportunities and work on their defensive solidity if they are to make an impact in major tournaments. With a talented young squad and a new manager at the helm, the future looks bright for this often-maligned side.
The 2024-25 season was marked by some promising performances from the Scotland women's squad, but overall, it was a disappointing campaign that saw them fail to make an impact in major tournaments. The team had some bright sparks, such as debutant defender Sophie Howard and midfielder Emma Lawton, who scored her first international goal against the Netherlands.
New manager Melissa Andreatta brought some fresh energy to the side, introducing six uncapped players into the fold and dropping nine of those who were part of the disastrous trip to Finland last year. The Australian boss has already picked up two wins since taking over and is looking forward to a "training block" in February where she can work on some of the details that have been holding her team back.
Despite the lack of success, Andreatta believes that her squad still has the potential to make an impact on the world stage. The team has been plagued by a habit of "suffering the Scottish way," with players often having chances to score but missing out. This trend is expected to continue as they head into their World Cup qualification campaign against Luxembourg in March.
Andreatta points out that her squad is now developing a belief that they should be competing at the highest level, and this newfound confidence could be the key to unlocking their full potential. "I think we're finally developing a belief that we should be there," she said. "We're a very humble squad, but I think it's about time that we believe, we belong on that international stage again."
As the Scotland women's team looks to move forward, they will need to overcome their inability to capitalize on scoring opportunities and work on their defensive solidity if they are to make an impact in major tournaments. With a talented young squad and a new manager at the helm, the future looks bright for this often-maligned side.