HAVING failed in their earlier attempt to persuade the Scottish FA to allow training to recommence on February 1, the Scottish Building Society SWPL clubs will make a fresh case to chief executive Ian Maxwell tomorrow.

Fiona McIntyre, the Scottish Women's Football executive officer, and representatives of the clubs now want training to resume a week tomorrow, with games restarting no later than March 14.

Anything less, they will tell Maxwell, risks compromising the chances of completing the season. The clubs are looking for a quick decision from the governing body.

What was expected to be a groundbreaking season for women's football in Scotland – with a fully professional Rangers squad as well as significant upgrades at Celtic, Glasgow City and Hibernian – is being put in jeopardy by the pandemic. That is no different from many other walks of life, but the anomaly is that the SFA has allowed the men's Championship to continue whilst suspending even the top league in women's football.

What is also inconsistent (although nothing to do with the SFA) is that Strathclyde Sirens were given permission to restart indoor training on Monday ahead of the Vitality Netball Super League season getting underway this Friday. They are apparently doing so thanks to very cheap (£4-£8 per person) weekly lateral flow Covid testing.

This point will be put to Maxwell tomorrow. If a team in a cross-border elite indoor netball tournament has been given permission by the Scottish government to resume, why can elite football similarly not recommence in an arguably safer environment?

As mentioned previously, there are 27 players in SWPL1 who have played international football within the last two years. That figure was brought up to 29 when Celtic announced four new signings on Monday, including internationalists Izzy Atkinson (Republic of Ireland) and Anna Filby (Wales, on loan from Tottenham).

All four will arrive in Scotland to join the twelve overseas players at Glasgow City as well as those at other clubs who are unable to train, never mind play games. It was too much for American midfielder Summer Green, who left Celtic and signed for German Bundesliga club SC Sand last week – and puts in jeopardy the entire evolving professional game in this country.

SWPL1, at the very least, should be given the green light to resume on the dates being put to Maxwell. It would also be reasonable to expect the top men's clubs who are now taking their women's sides seriously – and Celtic and Rangers in particular – to make their views known to the governing body behind the scenes.

GUIDING Chelsea into the League Cup final at the expense of West Ham was almost the least of it for Emma Hayes in midweek. Typically trenchantly, she made her feelings known about being associated with the managerial vacancy at men's third tier club AFC Wimbledon.

As Hayes pointed out, she wasn't even approached by a club she holds in some affection. “I sincerely hope AFC Wimbledon get the right candidate,” she said.

“Them not being able to afford me is nothing to do with money, but everything to do with the fact that I'm in the best job in the world. And no amount of money is going to tempt me away from that.”

Emma Hunter, the Aberdeen co-manager, was among a group of coaches who shadowed Hayes in 2019. She wasn't surprised by the Chelsea manager's reaction to the ludicrous perception that a move into the lower men's leagues might be a step up.

“She's as open as a book,” Hunter confirmed. “At times she just doesn't have a filter, which is great, because we can all over-use ours. Emma is speaking on behalf of so many other females who are maybe scared to say what she does – or maybe she's in a position that allows her to do that.

“Why would she want to go to Wimbledon? This is what we come up against all the time – an ignorance and lack of understanding and knowledge of the women's game. Emma highlighting it is what we need.”


AND ANOTHER THING

THE Scotland squad to play Cyprus and Portugal later this month will be named tomorrow. Both qualifiers are being played in Larnaca after the Portugal game was switched from Easter Road due to travel restrictions.

The announcement will be made by interim head coach Stuart McLaren, who is well regarded and has mentored Scotland players taking their coaching badges, including captain Rachel Corsie. His more senior colleague at the SFA, Billy Stark, is understood to have turned the opportunity down.