IT’S always a trip down memory lane when I attend a Scottish FA women’s game and I can’t help but look around and make comparisons, given that I was part of the organisation for around 25 years.
What can I say about last week’s 2-1 World Cup qualifying win over Switzerland 2-1? To be honest, there was hardly anything that would merit comparison as everything has changed dramatically for the better since my involvement
In particular, the standard of play has changed and these changes are visible game on game as the team grows, develops and improves under the experienced eye of coach Shelley Kerr and her backroom staff.
A record crowd of more than 4000 watched Erin Cuthbert hit the back of the net within two minutes of kick-off. Three minutes later we were two goals up, courtesy of Kim Little. You then knew it was going to be a good night and we walked away with all three points.
One of the major changes within the women’s game at elite level is that nearly all the players are playing professionally, albeit outside Scotland. We have created a bit of a monster, nurturing good young talent only to have it taken away, to the detriment of our domestic game.
As the national team becomes more and more successful, players are being targeted by clubs outside Scotland that can afford to pay them to play!
The big question is, why can’t we do that in Scotland? Why can’t we invest in our women’s game and keep our players here? Why can’t Scottish business see the benefit of investing in women’s sport in general? This is a challenge and I am throwing out this question to businesses. Tell us what the barriers are. – what is it that stops your company from investing in women’s sport?
This information would at least give us a chance to change things and put us in a position to present exciting opportunities to companies, opportunities that are being recognised by many firms on a daily basis, but unfortunately not so much in Scotland.
We need your help to get more commercial investment into women’s sport – so what’s the problem?
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Callum Baird, Editor of The National
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