Scottish Women's Football

David Currie
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

SWPL rivals Celtic, Rangers and Glasgow City could groundshare under an ambitious proposal from the president of the Scottish FA.

Mike Mulraney wants the SFA to build a new stadium to be a ''hub'' for the women's game in this country, serving as a home ground for Celtic, Rangers and City.

SFA president Mulraney hopes the new stadium would help grow the women's game in Scotland before the 2035 Women's World Cup, which is set to be held across the United Kingdom.

"It's at an embryonic stage," Mulraney says. "We think it's an avenue that can be successful. We are trying to build the women's game from the bottom up."

Improving the footballing infrastructure in Scotland is one of the SFA's main priorities and its 'Pitching In' project has already raised more than £13m of its £50m target, but it is hoped the new stadium can be raised from other sources.

Rangers currently play their home matches at council-owned Broadwood Stadium in Cumbernauld, while Celtic rent Hamilton's New Douglas Park. City play at council-owned Petershill Park.

City have signalled their approval for the idea of a new stadium to be considered.

A club spokesperson told BBC Scotland: ''It's no secret we continue to be committed to finding a home for our club in Glasgow, a place where women and girls who love football can thrive.

"We will continue to explore every opportunity to make that happen."

While the prospect of Rangers and Celtic ground-sharing might be a shock to the system of Old Firm fans, Mulraney says fresh thinking is required to accelerate the growth of women's football.

''We can't just replicate the men's game, we have to do things differently," he adds. "It's about us stepping up to build the sport and think bigger.

''It would be fantastic to have a stadium that would be a hub for the women's game in Scotland."

Mulraney isn't ruling out an existing stadium being redeveloped to house the women's football hub.

"Nothing is off the table," he says. "We want to build an infrastructure for the sport without being harnessed to the past."

"They'll be kicking themselves."

The Behind the Goals podcast can only be talking about Hibernian's derby defeat to Hearts.

The then-league leaders shot into an early lead against their city rivals, but Eva Olid's Hearts dug deep and dished out just Hibs' third loss of the season.

Though it's one which has seen them slip to second on goal difference, given Glasgow City's 24-goal swing.

With seven games still to play, Grant Scott's side are far from hitting the panic button, but could this be the result they rue the most if they fail in their pursuit of the SWPL title?

That's the fear for Scotland captain Rachel Corsie, anyway.

"In some ways, Hibs have done exceptionally well this season; they've shown they can compete, very much deserve to be where they are," said Corsie on the Behind the Goals podcast.

"It just feels like every time you think they get a good result, put themselves in that sort of one foot up, they then just don't back it up, and I feel for them to lose against Hearts, that's a real disappointing result.

"If it gets to the end of the season, you look back and you think, where are the points lost that you would look at and say, 'wow, that now is really disappointing'.

"I do feel like that game will be one that's in there and not because I'm discrediting Hearts, and I know it's been a competitive fixture season, and both teams have a lot of positivity you can put on both of those clubs at the moment.

Despite the defeat, co-host and Glasgow City assistant Leanne Crichton still thinks there's "a long way to go," with seven games still left to play in the league.

"It's a sore one, it absolutely is. They'll be kicking themselves, but there's still such a long way to go," added Crichton.

"To lose that game and still be effectively joint top of the table on points, the situation could be a lot worse than what it is.

"I don't think it will be overkill this week in terms of it being a negative response or Hibs being too disappointed because it's like us as well at the top, just now it feels like you've got an element of control over what can happen.

"I think every split fixture now, with the seven games remaining, you go back into Wednesday, there's going to be no surprise if we're sitting here next week after the Wednesday, Sunday fixtures, and the league table looks completely different again."

Jane Lewis
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Charlotte Parker-Smith (Hearts): Made a vital save to prevent Hibs from going two goals up. If they had doubled their lead, this game could have had a different outcome come. She also produced an excellent save to keep out a derby-day equaliser. Key for Eva Olid's side this weekend.

Robyn McCafferty (Spartans): A big win for Spartans and the captain helped contain Aberdeen. Could be a big three points for the Edinburgh side as it moves them further away from the three relegation spots.

Lizzie Waldie (Hearts): Great drive and determination helped her set up the initial attack that led to Hearts' equaliser. At the other end, her clearances near the end of the match were vital in stopping dangerous Hibs attacks.

Sam van Diemen (Glasgow City): Solid at the back for City and composed on the ball. As well as doing her defensive duties well, she also looked to play out from the back and set up attacks as she did for City's third goal.

Katie Lockwood (Glasgow City): Took both her goals really well and refused to give up for the 90 minutes. Her persistence was rewarded.

Lauren Wade (Hearts): Came on at the start of the second half with Hearts trailing 1-0 and made quite the impact. She set up the Hearts equaliser and came close to adding to the scoreline with her attacking intent.

Olivia Chomczuk (Spartans): Helped her team to what could be a crucial win. She remained composed for her penalty. Having just seen one of her team-mates miss from the spot, she stepped up and scored.

Kirsty Maclean (Rangers): Showed plenty skill as she broke-up play and won possession to set up attacks. Showed great persistence to get the ball, and great calmness on it.

Brenna Lovera (Glasgow City): Scored two great goals and set up City's third, whether intentional or not. Her first was a clever header, while her second was a terrific curling effort. That's now 16 goals this season.

Kirsty Howat (Rangers): Was alert to some slack play from Celtic as she put her side in front. Worked her socks off looking for another.

Amy Gallacher (Celtic): Came on as a second half substitute and had an instant impact, scoring a big goal for her side to get them back into the derby.

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Motherwell assistant coach Colin Crichton: "The game plan was to contain. We're under no illusions about how well Glasgow City will move the ball, their quality and possession individually and collectively.

"We were looking to contain, we were looking to spoil, we've conceded in 26-27 minutes from a direct entry from a set play, we're really disappointed from that aspect."

Glasgow City head coach Leanne Ross: "Coming back off the international break into a three-game week, it's really tough. The players need to recover quickly and we need to have them ready.

"We've got a plan in place for the three games and it was nice to be able to make sure that we shared out the minutes today in the first game this week.

"We've assembled a really strong squad this season. We've got players that are really challenging each other to start in this team and it's pleasing to see."

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Hearts manager Eva Olid: "In the first half they came pressing, man-marking and we didn't expect that and it was not the game plan and then we tried to change things during the first half.

But it was difficult and then we had to wait until half-time to change things and it worked really well tactically and of course the change that we did first in the half-time worked really well so I'm happy."

Hibernian head coach Grant Scott: "We're here to win football matches and not lose them. So it's a difficult one, we'll need to dust ourselves down. There's no time to think about this one really before Wednesday's match, good one to bounce back in to.

"We let Hearts into the game a little bit from mostly our own mistakes, bad passes in bad areas and we tried to correct that with the girls during the half and I thought we finished the half reasonably strong, but really didn't then come out in the second half and restart so it made the game very difficult for ourselves."

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Rangers head coach Jo Potter: "It's not the end of the world. I think the players are disappointed, you can see that. I thought we controlled large parts of the game, we just couldn't get that second goal.

"We nullified them to minimal chances on goal. We hit the bar in the first half, if that goes in it's a different game, but that's football for you.

"We've got to make sure that we're keeping our heads high because these games are coming up. You can see everyone's got to play each other so many times that to not lose today and get a point out of this game is going to be a positive.

Celtic head coach Elena Sadiku: "I don't know if I'm disappointed. In the first half, we're not the best. In the second half, we show up and I think we should win this game.

"In the second half, I think we create enough chances and Ashworth-Clifford's chance in the end needs to be onside and she needs to score with her right.

"But overall, I'm really happy how the players came out in the second half and created chances to win the game."

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After an underwhelming international break, domestic action is back and things are heating up at the top and bottom of the table.

Here's a couple of things to keep an eye on this Sunday

Double derby

In Edinburgh, league leaders Hibs are hosting Hearts while across the country Celtic travel to Rangers and there's a huge amount at stake for all of these teams.

Rangers have the chance to go top with a win - provided Hibs don't - while Hearts and Celtic can close the gap to the top three with victories.

Rangers (58) are two points behind Hibs (60) while Celtic (51) and Hearts (49) have a fair bit of ground to cover.

Elsewhere at the top

Meanwhile Glasgow City are still hovering around the top spot. They're one point behind Rangers and three off the top as they prepare to host Motherwell.

Motherwell have had a tough time adjusting to life in the top six. They were beaten 8-0 by Rangers in the first post-split fixture before a 3-0 defeat to Hibs last time out.

So, depending on results elsewhere City could go top with a win and if not they'll still be keeping pressure on the top two.

Survival scrap continues

There's still plenty of uncertainty at the bottom of the table as three teams will be automatically relegated at the end of the term - no hope of survival through the play-off this term.

Two of the teams currently stuck there - Montrose and Queen's Park - are playing each other on Sunday.

The visitors, Montrose, sit six points behind Spartans in the last safety spot while Queen's Park are six behind them so both sides really need a victory.

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Goalkeeper Lisa Rodgers has joined Aberdeen on an emergency seven-day loan from Celtic.

Current Dons goalkeepers Annalisa McCann and Megan Sidney are ruled out through injury, with the former picking up an injury during the international break and the latter being sidelined for an extended period with a shoulder injury.

Rodgers featured against FC Twente in the UEFA Women's Champions League Group Stage for Celtic, keeping three clean sheets across five appearances so far this season.

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Rachel Corsie was delighted with Scotland's showing in the first 45 minutes of their away game against Germany, but says they must find a way to withstand periods of pressure against the world's top sides.

Scotland faced Germany in consecutive Nations League fixtures and suffered a humbling 4-0 defeat at home on Friday at Tannadice.

On Tuesday evening's trip to Germany, they looked full of confidence and Caroline Weir put the Scots 1-0 in front before the break.

But they capitulated in the second half and lost 6-1 following a 20-minute period where they conceded five goals. They remain pointless at the bottom of Group A1.

"In the second game, the first 45 minutes were really promising," Corsie told the BBC's Behind the Goals podcast.

"There was a lot that you looked at and were encouraged by. You're playing Germany, they go to practically every major tournament and when they're there their ambition is to win it. They've won a significant number of major trophies and they've got players who have won everything domestically.

"Certainly in the first half I thought this is back to a team that can be resilient and effective, can make it difficult and frustrate players. That can slow the game down, create opportunities on the counter-attack. I was delighted with so many aspects of the performance.

"When that momentum shifts, how do you calm the storm and get a little bit of control back? What it felt like when we were watching is that we just lost our way against a side that are so clinical."

Scotland fans, we asked for your views on the appointment of Melissa Andreatta as the new SWNT head coach.

Here's what some of you had to say:

Scott: Good luck to Melissa, wishing you well in getting Scotland women back to a major tournament.

Rod: You Scottish fans are going to get a great new coach who has a terrific work ethic and passion for the game. Your gain is our loss here in Australia. We will miss her enormously.

Now you know more about new Scotland head coach Melissa Andreatta, we want your views on the move.

Send us your thoughts on the appointment of the Australia assistant via this link and the best of the replies will be posted here later in the week.

We asked for your views on Scotland's 6-1 humbling against Germany.

Here are a few of your responses:

Francis: What a dreadful capitulation. It was as if someone hacked their minds and switched them off. Bizarre.

Stephen: Totally out of their depth. A team rebuild was necessary after repeated failures to get through qualification, but this new squad should learn to walk before they try and run and try to mix it with the sport's top national sides.

Douglas: Going backwards, in my opinion.

John: Scotland's national teams are B-league teams. If they attain the A league, they have exceeded their level.

Ian: The talent is there, and the girls really need the best guidance and management. I feel that with a top female coach, they would make giant strides forward.

Brian: Scotland are better than the last two games. Some of the senior players need to take a long hard look at themselves & their performances

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Rachel McLauchlan says Scotland will bounce back after two heavy defeats to Germany in the Nations League.

Following a 4-0 defeat at Tannadice on Friday night, Scotland were 1-0 up at half-time in Germany on Tuesday.

But the Scots crumbled in the second half and went on to lose 6-1 to the third-ranked international side.

"It's obviously a tough one to take," the wingback said.

"Positives there for the first half; that's how we expect to play.

"[Then there's] 20 minutes in the second half that we just can't ever let happen. We can't let that happen in the future, we have to go and work on that.

"We're lucky in the fact we're a very tight squad, we'll come together and help each other and come back in positive ways I'm sure."

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland

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Melissa Andreatta has been appointed new Scotland head coach on a four-year deal - but who is the 46-year-old?

Andreatta has been assistant coach of Australia since 2019 and has also led the Under-23s since their inception in 2022.

Before joining the national team set-up she guided home club Brisbane Roar to the W-League Premiership title - which is now known as the A-League - in 2018 and was voted coach of the year in the country's top division.

Ex-midfielder Andreatta qualified as a teacher before becoming head coach of her former club The Gap, whom she guided to back-to-back State League Championships in 2007 and 2008.

She initially joined Brisbane Roar as an assistant before her successful spell as head coach, while also working with Football Australia's technical department.

A near 10-year association with the Matildas began in a technical analyst role in the countdown to the Rio 2016 Olympics.

She was promoted to a full-time assistant with Australia after fulfilling various other roles and was part of the team that finished fourth at the home World Cup in 2023 and the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

For the last two-and-a-half-years she has also led the Australia Under-23s, with one of her priorities being to nurture young talent.