IT was a privilege to be among the family and friends of one of Scotland’s best-kept secret successes in football at the pre-launch of an amazing documentary focusing on the life of Rose Reilly.
The Scot, a world-class player in anyone’s book, helped Italy win the World Cup in August 1984 when she scored in a 3-1 win over Germany in the final of the Mundialito Femminile.
“How is that possible?” I hear you say. At that time, Rose had received a lifetime ban from the women’s association in Scotland and decided she would focus her career in Italy. The Italians loved her and still talk about her skill and passion. Hearing her story in her own words, interspersed with tales from her peers and her daughter, really drove home what an amazing achievement it was for a young girl from Stewarton, and I have to say I loved it.
The documentary was created and produced by Margot McCuaig of Purple TV and you can see it on BBC Alba on Sunday, June 2, at 9pm. Thankfully we now have some strong male allies in football in the shape of Pep Guardiola, manager of Manchester City, who was quick to correct a typical example of everyday sexism by a journalist when asked about the prospect of winning the first domestic treble in England – he replied: “Men’s – the women have already achieved this.”
Steve Clarke, the newly appointed Scotland men’s manager, quite rightly alluded to the success of women’s manager Shelley Kerr at the press conference to announce his appointment. He said: “We have a Women’s World Cup to look forward to in France this summer and it’s my motivation to emulate the success of Shelley Kerr and her squad by leading us to Euro 2020.”
Time is marching on now towards what is going to be a summer of Scottish women’s sport, with top-class competition in the likes of football, netball, boxing and cycling, to name just a few. To quote a great current campaign by Women in Football, #whatif – what if the Scottish sports press got behind our female athletes and covered their sports as well as and in the same depth as they do men’s sport? “What if?” indeed.
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