New Scotland Women's head coach speaks to media after unveiling
Australia assistant coach Melissa Andreatta has taken charge of the women's national team after the move was announced last month.
The 46-year-old will be the permanent successor to Pedro Martinez Losa who left his position as manager last year.
Brisbane-born Andreatta has never worked outside her native Australia and has also been head coach of the Matildas' under-23s for the last three years.
She supported Tony Gustavsson, who has recently been appointed as manager of Sweden, during Australia's fourth-place finish at the Women's World Cup in 2023 and last year's Olympic Games in Paris.
Andreatta will be formally announced as the permanent replacement for Losa upon the completion of the visa process and is expected to take over in time for Scotland's UEFA Women's Nations League match against Austria at the end of May.
Mick McArdle has been in interim charge of Scotland for the last four games and his last match ended in a 6-1 defeat to Germany despite being a goal up at half-time in Tuesday's Nations League clash.
He will now return to his role as head of women's elite football with the SFA.
Andreatta is a former Head Coach of Brisbane Roar FC Women's team in the Australian A-League competition and joined Football Australia's technical department in 2016, serving a number of roles within the organisation starting at the Rio 2016 Olympics, becoming women's Under-17 assistant, before being promoted to take charge of the 23s and assisting the first team.
She said last month: 'I'm absolutely delighted to be leading Scotland Women's National Team into a new, exciting era.
'It's a real honour to join such a strong programme, which you can see from the talent in the senior squad, which runs through all of the age groups. This is testament to the work that's been done already by Michael McArdle and the team.
'The future is definitely bright and with my extensive coaching, talent development and major tournament experience, my aim is to support the players and staff to reach their fullest potential.
'The ambition is to get Scotland back to consistent qualification and with the squad in a period of transition, this is the perfect opportunity to start building towards that future.
'My family and I are really looking forward to making the move to Scotland in what is a very exciting time for me, personally and professionally. I can't wait to get started.'
SFA chief executive Ian Maxwell said: 'Firstly, I would like to thank Michael for his professionalism throughout this process and for stepping-up and taking charge of the national team on an interim basis following Pedro's departure.
'That the final shortlist comprised candidates from three different continents shows the wide appeal of leading the Scotland Women's National Team. Melissa provided a breadth of different experiences at all levels of the women's game in Australia. She is a valued member of the Matildas' coaching staff but also has responsibility for developing elite youth players within a respected performance system.
'I am sure I speak on behalf of the players when I say we are all looking forward to Melissa starting her new role. I also reiterate my thanks to Michael, who will have a pivotal part to play in helping Melissa and the women's national teams succeed in the future.'
STV News is now on WhatsApp
Get all the latest news from around the country
Follow STV News
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
24 minutes ago
- BBC News
Ireland's Adeleke to miss World Championships
Ireland's Rhasidat Adeleke will miss next month's World Athletics Championships after announcing she is unable to finish the season because of injury setbacks. The 22-year-old was set to compete in the 200m and 400m events in Tokyo, but she has been forced to draw the curtain on a frustrating year after "yet another recent roadblock". European 400m silver medallist Adeleke was targeting a first global medal after finishing fourth in the 2023 Worlds final in Budapest and last year's Olympic final in Paris, while her absence will deal a blow to Ireland's medal hopes in the 4x400m women's relay. "This season has tested me in more ways than I ever anticipated," said Dublin-born Adeleke."Lingering injuries and continuous setbacks made it increasingly difficult to train and perform at the level I expect from myself."Following yet another recent roadblock, I'm saddened to share that I'm unable to finish out this season."I'll take this time to heal, recover and do what's necessary so I can show up next season as my best self, mind and body."I'm so grateful to everyone that shows me unwavering support. It means the world. Much love - R."
Daily Record
an hour ago
- Daily Record
GB snowboarder told she'd never walk again 'felt like bag of bones'
Maisie Hill nearly died in 2023 after crashing into a 'wall of ice' during training, now she's training for the Olympics Snowboard sensation Maisie Hill has made a miraculous return to the slopes, training for the upcoming Winter Olympics, defying doctors' grim prognosis from just two years prior that she might never walk again. The Cheltenham native suffered a harrowing accident while practising a routine trick, slamming into an "ice wall" at breakneck speed. The crash left her with a catalogue of serious injuries: broken vertebrae and ribs, a punctured lung, a significant brain bleed, and a lacerated liver that nearly claimed her life due to massive blood loss. Maisie described the aftermath as feeling like "a bag of bones that someone had picked it up and was jangling", but this harrowing experience hasn't deterred her; instead, she cherishes each run as a testament to her good luck Introduced to snowboarding at age eight by her father on the hills behind their Cheltenham home, Maisie didn't immediately warm to the sport after they relocated to Morzine in the French Alps two years later. Reflecting on those early days, she shared with PA Real Life: "I didn't love snowboarding at first. But my dad always said I would be really good at it. I owe so much to his belief in me." Her talent was undeniable, and by 16, Maisie was scouted by GB Snowsport for their youth programme in Laax, Switzerland. At 18 when she missed out on selection for the British World Cup squad, but this only fuelled her resolve to hone her craft further. In the summer of 2021, she dedicated herself to daily practice on a Swiss glacier, juggling jobs as a cleaner and barista while living in a tent to scrape by. By the following year, the tenacious 21 year old had earned her stripes to represent Britain at the World Cup, securing an impressive seventh place. Riding high from her World Cup experience, she returned to Laax for training, filled with a fresh zeal and passion for snowboarding. It was during these preparations that disaster struck. Maisie said: "It was a foggy day and I was tired. I was just doing one last run before the tournament the following day. I don't know how, but I was going extremely fast and I slipped off a rail. I slammed into an ice wall." The aftermath was dire; airlifted to hospital, Maisie was bombarded with a litany of injuries from doctors who doubted she'd ever walk again. She shared: "I remember the doctor listing all the injuries I had. It was horrible how many there were, it just went on and on. I was crying, wishing they'd stop talking." Post-surgery, the first flickers of movement in her toes signalled hope. Moving back to Cheltenham with her mum, Maisie embarked on Team GB- approved physiotherapy. However, regaining her strength proved to be a deeply emotional battle. Reflecting on the physical and emotional toll, she revealed: "They'd cut open my stomach, and my abs must have stored all my trauma because the first few times I tried to do a sit-up, I cried so emotionally." Amidst her recuperation, an email from the Olympic Solidarity programme landed in her inbox, announcing a grant awarded to her after GB Snowsport put her name forward. She recalled: "I thought it was a scam at first. But it was life-changing. I don't think my parents could have continued funding me. Suddenly I thought, 'I'm going to do this!' It's amazing. If you work hard enough, help will come." In October 2023, Maisie travelled to New Zealand with her squad and startled her coach with the speed of her first descent. Remarkably, less than twelve months following her catastrophic accident, Maisie was competing in World Cup events again. However, progress wasn't as swift as before; a sports psychologist observed that the mental scars from her accident were still taking their toll. Maisie said: "When I'd have a bad run, I'd be angry with myself." But she discovered a technique that transformed her mindset: "But I found this method, that every time I get back to the top, I find some reason to smile. When I'm smiling, I'm the best version of myself." By March, Maisie secured fifth place at an Austrian World Cup and is well on her way to qualifying for the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics next February. She reflected on the impact of her approach: "I remember my family watching a tournament on TV when I was younger and they said that I was the only one smiling." This practice serves as a reminder for her: "Doing it reminds me to make the most of my time and not waste it, and it reminds me that I just love snowboarding. It really works."
BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
Lloyd 'in love with rugby again' after Olympic heartache
Women's Rugby World Cup 2025: Scotland v WalesVenue: Salford Community Stadium Date: Saturday, 23 August Kick-off: 14:45 BSTCoverage: Live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport Online and BBC Sounds Rhona Lloyd's ultimate ambition as a sportswoman was to be an Olympian. The process of accepting that dream is now likely to go unfulfilled has been Scotland wing has been a regular in the Great Britain Sevens squad for years. Having missed out on selection for the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Lloyd set her sights on the Paris Games in many she seemed like a strong contender, but when the squad was announced Lloyd was once again left on the outside looking was a crushing blow, and one that prompted some self-reflection."It's been a really challenging 12 months," Lloyd told the BBC's Scotland Rugby Podcast."My one goal in rugby was to go to the Olympics. I think the realisation last summer that that's not happening, that I'm not going to achieve that, was really hard to come to terms with."I think I'd probably built my identity around that a little bit." 'I've realised I'm more than a rugby player' Speaking to Lloyd's Scotland team-mates in the aftermath of her Olympics heartache, it was clear the disappointment was felt not just by her, but the whole was embraced back into the national set-up, where more than one colleague has described her as the heartbeat of the passion and enthusiasm for representing Scotland is infectious and, while the Olympics is unlikely to be the career-defining moment she imagined, Lloyd has reset what she wants from her time playing international rugby."This season, I've been on a huge learning curve in terms of falling in love with rugby again," Lloyd said. "Realising what I value on the pitch and what I value in my team-mates."I'm really proud to kind of now be in a place that I'm so excited to get on the pitch with Scotland again. Even six months ago, I definitely wasn't in that place."I've been realising that I'm more than a rugby player and that I'm not defined by selection."I really had that attitude going into this pre-season. I had goals for every session, like I always do. But my primary goal was just to enjoy playing rugby again." 'I want to be the role model I never had' Scotland are preparing to face Wales on Saturday in their opening match of what Lloyd believes will be "the biggest World Cup in women's rugby history".It is a tremendous opportunity for the women's game to attract new audiences. The tournament will be broadcast live on the BBC, with every match available on the iPlayer and BBC Sport website and select matches shown live on BBC a level of exposure that far exceeds what Lloyd experienced in her early days as an international player and she feels a sense of responsibility to inspire the next generation."I really want to be the role model that I don't feel like I had growing up," Lloyd said."Being that for somebody, that means so much more than as an individual going to the Olympics."I've kind of really stripped back what I'm playing for, what makes me really proud, which is being Scottish and the girls I get to do it with."Now I'm 28 - will this be the last World Cup? I don't know. Potentially. So I really just want to make the most of that experience."
