Pedro Martinez Losa: Scotland head coach's new deal 'doesn't feel right' - Leanne Crichton
- Published
Some of Pedro Martinez Losa's tactics and selections have left Leanne Crichton "baffled"
Former Scotland midfielder Leanne Crichton has questioned why Pedro Martinez Losa was handed a new contract as national women's head coach.
The Spaniard was given a new deal until 2027 despite his side losing in a World Cup play-off to Republic of Ireland.
Now Scotland have been relegated after one campaign in the top tier of the new Women's Nations League.
"I would love to know what the basis was for the extension of the contract," Crichton said on BBC Radio Scotland.
"There's already been a failed campaign and he's got another three years to sit on. Whatever it is, it doesn't feel right now. It doesn't look right."
Glasgow City midfielder Hayley Lauder was called up to earn her first cap since March 2020 in a 1-1 draw with Belgium before the Nations League campaign ended with an embarrassing 6-0 home loss to England.
"It baffles me," former team-mate Crichton told Sportsound. "It took him three and a half years to bring Hayley Lauder back into the fold and she has been captain of Glasgow City and winning titles and playing in the Champions League for three and a half years."
Crichton admitted it was "a tough group", eventually won by the Netherlands, and that injuries to key midfielders Caroline Weir and Emma Watson in recent months had not helped Martinez Losa's cause.
"But it almost feels like it is a project and it shouldn't be a project," she said. "It's not about offering players game time and looking to build. It feels like a club environment that's been built and it's not - it's international football.
"The windows you spend together are very short and it has to be effective. It is about tactical information and being really well drilled and hard to beat and I don't know if they tick enough boxes now."
Martinez Losa, the 47-year-old former Arsenal and Bordeaux head coach, took charge in July 2021, but Scotland suffered an 8-0 thrashing in Seville as they finished behind Spain in their World Cup qualifying group before losing the play-off at home to the Irish.
"A national team manager's job is to get you to major tournaments and so far there's not been signs that that is going to happen," Crichton said.
After Martinez signed his new contract in September, Scotland ran England close before losing 2-1 in Sunderland and also lost at home to the Dutch by a single goal, but two draws with the Belgians were all they could muster from their Nations League group.
"I feel for the players," Crichton said of the thumping by England. "I just thought Scotland were pretty naive.
"Just certain moments - switching off, a couple of debatable personnel choices there as well. A really disappointing campaign and a tough watch at certain points."