NEW Scotland women's head coach Pedro Martinez Losa says Rachel Corsie will retain the captaincy when World Cup qualifying starts with a trip to Hungary next month. The Spaniard believes 32-year-old Kansas City central defender Corsie, who was given the armband by Shelley Kerr in 2017, remains the best person for the job.
Speaking to the media for the first time since taking up his new position at the start of the month, Martinez Losa said he “100 per cent” believes Scotland have the quality to reach the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. This despite being top seeds in recent Euro qualifying and losing all four games against group winners Finland and runners-up Portugal.
“There was success in the past qualifying for the Euros and the World Cup,” the 45-year-old pointed out. “Sometimes it is little details and dynamics.
“We will make sure we are prepared at the highest level to have the opportunities to win every match. After that we will see how far we can go.
“I see a team which needs to improve in defensive principles, which needs to have a spirit to win. They were also unlucky in terms of the number of chances they created so that's something we will work on.
“It's a new start and I'm sure the players will be ready to put all their effort to improve and give their best.”
Martinez Losa, who enjoyed much success in his native Madrid with Rayo Vallecano before joining Western New York Flash as an assistant and later managing Arsenal and Bordeaux, says he is finalising his backroom staff.
His No 2 will be a woman – but it won't be Australian Tanya Oxtoby who assisted interim head coach Stuart McLaren and this week parted company with Bristol City, where she was head coach.
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