SCOTLAND captain Rachel Corsie has welcomed the return of her former Glasgow City team-mate Jane Ross to the national team squad.
The 2023 World Cup qualifying campaign starts against Hungary in Budapest on Friday night, with a second Group B game to follow against the Faroe Islands at Hampden on Tuesday.
Ross struggled to get game time at her previous club, Manchester United, but even so the decision of interim head coach Stuart McLaren to drop her for June's friendlies against Northern Ireland and Wales was controversial.
A failure to convert chances in the games that mattered was one of the major contributing factors in Scotland's failure to qualify for next summer's delayed Euro finals in England.
Ross (62 from 136 games) and Kim Little (59 from 140) were far and away the squad's top scorers. The latter retired from international football just days before new head coach Pedro Martinez Losa announced his first squad, but the Spaniard recalled Ross, who moved to Rangers over the summer and scored four goals in Sunday's 7-0 league win over Hamilton Accies.
“You look back at multiple campaigns and Jane has consistently scored goals,” Corsie said. “It is great to have her back in the camp because she has so much experience and also because she is a very positive person.
“In the last few years she maybe hasn’t got as much time on the pitch as she would have liked, so it was a good decision to move back to Scotland. She scored four goals at the weekend and that is probably the Jane Ross we know.”
Arsenal captain Little's decision to call time on her international career deprives Corsie of one of her oldest friends in football, as well as her deputy on the pitch.
The pair, who are both from the Aberdeen area, met as eleven-year-olds when they were on opposing sides in a seven-a-side match at Mintlaw.
“I spoke to Kim before the announcement came out,” Corsie said. “I think she is one of the best Scottish players that has ever been, if not the best.
“On a personal level I would love for her to still be here but it was nice to think of the memories we created together. I’m sure her body might appreciate fewer games.”
Lisa Evans, who is on loan at West Ham from Arsenal, became the fourth player to pull out of the squad through injury on Wednesday. She has been replaced by Glasgow City central defender Jenna Clark.
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