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Daily Mail
16 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
'I'm not going to lie ... I look at the Lionesses with jealousy'... SWPL supremo McIntyre admits Scotland needs a national team to capture the imagination
As she pursues her own 'Utopia' for women's football in Scotland, Fiona McIntyre can't help but steal an envious glance at the paradise being built in England 's green and pleasant land. An inspiration, yes, but also a reminder of the miles still to be covered if this proud footballing nation is to realise McIntyre's dream of a completely full-time top flight. The SWPL managing director, rightly proud of a product unrivalled for drama at the business end of the table, is confident that every piece of available data points to continued growth in the women's game north of the border. But it's only natural to feel that our nearest neighbours — in this case an English game guaranteed to take another stratospheric leap as a result of the Lionesses defending their European Championships title — should produce mixed emotions for anyone trying to keep up with the Kellys and the Hamptons. 'I look at them, the Lionesses, with jealousy; I'm not going to lie,' admits McIntyre. 'When Scotland qualified for the Euros and the World Cup, we saw the biggest uplift ever in the number of women playing football in Scotland. That's the impact, it's massive. 'Having a national team competing on the world stage or the European stage is hugely important, but also, from a league perspective, it does so much for the credibility of your country. 'I look at the national team and I see the talent there, and I know they're more than capable of qualifying. The new manager is in, and it feels like a sort of fresh momentum is coming with her, so I genuinely hope they can kick on, get some results and that we'll be sitting here again soon talking about a Scotland team going to the Euros or the World Cup.' International aspirations are, of course, elements beyond the control of the people working so hard to modernise Scotland's elite domestic competition. But 'Prem One', as those in the game call an SWPL1 division which has just been cut from 12 teams to 10 in pursuit of greater competition across the board, is more than contributing to the wider growth of the sport. McIntyre feels that the top tier, with its dramatic final-day title deciders, its landmark partnership with ScottishPower and its growing profile across the country, is already delivering in one very important sphere of public life. Perception, in this age of optics and vibes, is everything. 'People have now got a far greater understanding that, as a professional women's football league in Scotland, we have real high-quality calibre elite professional athletes both in our country and those who have left, such as Erin Cuthbert and Caroline Weir. 'Women's football for a long time was viewed as almost quite amateur and part of that would be down to the resource that was in it, and the visibility of it, and that impacted how players were able to prepare. 'What you see now is a growing respect for the fact that women's football is an elite sport, attracting national brands like ScottishPower, and there's an aspirational element to it now. 'That's probably the biggest shift that I've seen, particularly around the younger generations when you see young girls waiting for items to get autographed and they've got kits with names of the female players on the back. That really shows you have created these real genuine role models.' Not content to rest on achievements to date, McIntyre is eager to see improvement — across all metrics — as the new SWPL kicks off on Sunday August 17. When it come to dramatic tension, the last few campaigns will be hard to beat. Hibs will defend the title they won last season on a final day when any one of four teams could have taken the crown. Previous to that, Celtic won on goal difference and, before that, Glasgow City triumphed with the last kick of the campaign. For a game looking to attract new fans and commercial partners, that's the stuff of dreams. 'It's huge,' says McIntyre. 'We speak a lot about everything around the game and what we're trying to achieve off the pitch, but fundamentally what happens on the pitch is the most important thing. 'Football is at its most exciting when it's competitive and there's a real uncertainty of the outcome. We've been really fortunate in the last three seasons that people were genuinely not sure which way it was going to end until the very last kick of the ball. 'I think we're the most competitive (league) in Europe. We absolutely want to capitalise on that in terms of using that narrative, that story. I think that's created media interest — or additional media interest — and that's something we absolutely try and capitalise on to get people into stadiums.' McIntyre is keen to talk about perception and is working hard to ensure the game in Scotland is respected accordingly. This season is one of change in the SWPL. The top league has been reduced from 12 to ten teams. There is a reason for that, obviously, and it has all to do with quality and competitiveness. The SWPL was matched only by Spain in the number of games players were being asked to play, so that had to be reduced. Also, a UEFA study showed that, post-split, the SWPL was by far the most competitive but, pre-split, it was at the other end of the spectrum with at times particularly high, one-sided scorelines. That needed to change, but all the teams had to be on board. When the SPFL touted cutting the Premiership to ten teams, there was outcry. In the SWPL, it was different. McIntyre says: 'I guess women's football is still earlier in its journey and, from the outset, when we set up the SWPL, there was definitely a real sense of collective identity. All the clubs were coming together for the greater good of women's football. 'It's never a popular decision to reduce the top league. Essentially, we relegated three teams and not everyone necessarily liked that but, to their credit, they all understood because we presented the data, we presented the why, and even the clubs that were impacted by that negatively were very understanding because we presented the reasons and the rationale behind it.' It takes a lot for clubs to commit to full professionalism. Even champions Hibs don't pay all of their full-time players what you would call a proper living wage. That won't change overnight. But a completely full-time top flight? An entire league full of female footballers who have earned the right to call themselves professionals? 'I hope so — that's certainly what we are trying to deliver,' says McIntyre. 'That's the Utopia.' ■ ScottishPower is dedicated to energising women's football at every age and stage of the game through its exclusive Principal Partner for the Scottish Women's Premier League (SWPL) and Scottish Women's Football (SWF).
Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
Man United boss Amorim hails Sesko's 'great potential' after big-money move
Aug 10 (Reuters) - New Manchester United striker Benjamin Sesko has all the attributes needed to help bolster their attack, manager Ruben Amorim said as he hopes to unlock the 22-year-old Slovenian's full potential after his big-money move to Old Trafford. Sesko completed his 76.5-million-euro ($89-million) switch from German side RB Leipzig to United on Saturday, with a further 8.5 million euros in bonuses. He signed a contract until 2030 to complete a new-look front three alongside fellow close-season signings Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha. The Slovenia international, capped 41 times, scored 39 goals in 87 appearances across all competitions for Leipzig. "He has the characteristics that we needed," Amorim told MUTV on Saturday. "Ben is a player - with all the information that we have - that we need to stop the guy from working, not the opposite! "So that is also important. He's really young. He's good in the air, he's good at running the channels, good on the ball. I think he has great potential. I think he can improve a lot and, for sure, he is going to feel at home in our club. "He has the right character to be in this group, so I'm really happy to have him." Sesko was introduced at Old Trafford before Saturday's friendly match against Italian side Fiorentina, which United won 5-4 on penalties after drawing 1-1. "He is going to notice, since the first day and first training, that he is in the right place," Amorim added. "He is going to a new building (at Carrington), that is also important. Things are getting better but, in the end, we need to win games." United, who have spent around 200 million pounds ($270 million) following their 15th-place finish in the Premier League last season - their lowest in the top flight in 51 years - begin their new league campaign at home against Arsenal on August 17. ($1 = 0.8592 euros) ($1 = 0.7435 pounds)
Daily Record
an hour ago
- Daily Record
Graeme Souness lays down Rangers Champions League law as he delivers big Oliver Antman prediction
Former Ibrox boss who conquered the continent as a player wasn't mincing his words when it comes to Rangers' European aspirations Second best was never a place Graeme Souness felt comfortable. Not as a manager. And certainly not as a player. Three European Cup winner's medals - and from a time when the competition was contested only by champions - attest to a man who dominated midfields at the very top level and conquered the continent. As one of only a trio of Scots to do it three times alongside Liverpool colleagues Kenny Dalglish and Alan Hansen, Souness earned the right to carry himself with a swagger whenever he took his place at the top table with the Anfield club or when he moved to Rangers as player manager almost 40 years ago. Times have changed. The competition has changed. Rangers have changed. But one thing that will never alter, according to the 72-year-old, is the lure of the competition for players who believe they belong with the elite. Whether they actually do or not. Rangers have made a name for themselves as a serious Europa League force over the last three years. But Souness insists nobody inside Ibrox will be giving a thought to the second tier competition right now, even with the safety net secured for another season. Not when the bright lights and big bucks of the main show is coming into focus. Rangers have one foot in the Champions League play-off round thanks to Tuesday's 3-0 thumping of Viktoria Plzen at Ibrox. Finish off the Czechs this week and they will face a two-leg play off against RB Salzburg or Club Brugge - the side Souness and Liverpool defeated in the 1977 final in his first Euro triumph - for a place in the £40m league phase. And that 36-team elite phase, says the former Scotland skipper, is where Rangers HAVE to believe they belong. Souness said: 'It's paramount. Forget the financial aspect, if you're a player, you want to play against the very best. 'Every professional footballer thinks he's the dog's bollocks… whether they are or not. You want to play against the very best. 'If you're a Rangers player, you want to be in the Champions League. That's where all the spotlight is, where all the interest is, where all the money is. You're playing against the very best. 'It's not an easy feat. It's Salzburg and Club Brugge if they finish the job against Plzen. It's not easy. 'But if they were to get there, there's teams that they'd be more than a match for. They're not all a Barcelona or Liverpool. I think there were good signs against Plzen on Tuesday night, but it's early. 'It's early because people get fit at different stages in pre-season. Some players need four games, six games, eight, 10 games. 'So Rangers are still very much catching up and getting into a level of fitness where they need to be for them all to be at it.' Russell Martin handed six of his summer signings a start in Tuesday's Plzen pummelling. Not for the first time Djeidi Gassama stole the headlines with a double. But it was the electric impact of his fellow wing king Oliver Antman, who provided two assists just 24 hours after completing his move from Go Ahead Eagles, that had Souness on his feet. He said: 'I saw Antman play on Tuesday and I thought, certainly for 45 minutes, he was fabulous. As Rangers were in the first 45 minutes. If that's his level of performance, Rangers supporters will love him. 'He arrives the day before, gets thrown in, shakes hands, meets in the dressing room, the next day he's out playing. He did really, really well. He looks like a player. 'They'll want to go over there this week, set up in the first 45 minutes, give nothing away. Don't give them any confidence at all. Clean sheet, keep the crowd quiet, just usual European nights away. 'Don't do anything rash, don't get the crowd excited, don't make any daft challenges, don't give goals away, don't give them any encouragement.' * Graeme Souness was promoting Premier Sports' coverage of Scottish football including over 80 matches from the Scottish Premiership, Premier Sports Cup, Scottish Cup and KDM Evolution Trophy. Fans can watch an entire season of football for only £99 using promo code PSCUP25.
