Celtic, Rangers & Glasgow City could groundshare at new 'hub'
SWPL rivals Celtic, Rangers and Glasgow City could groundshare under an ambitious proposal from the president of the Scottish FA.Mike Mulraney wants the SFA to build a new stadium to be a ''hub'' for the women's game in this country, serving as a home ground for Celtic, Rangers and City.SFA president Mulraney hopes the new stadium would help grow the women's game in Scotland before the 2035 Women's World Cup, which is set to be held across the United Kingdom."It's at an embryonic stage," Mulraney says. "We think it's an avenue that can be successful. We are trying to build the women's game from the bottom up."Improving the footballing infrastructure in Scotland is one of the SFA's main priorities and its 'Pitching In' project has already raised more than £13m of its £50m target, but it is hoped the new stadium can be raised from other sources.Rangers currently play their home matches at council-owned Broadwood Stadium in Cumbernauld, while Celtic rent Hamilton's New Douglas Park. City play at council-owned Petershill Park.City have signalled their approval for the idea of a new stadium to be considered. A club spokesperson told BBC Scotland: ''It's no secret we continue to be committed to finding a home for our club in Glasgow, a place where women and girls who love football can thrive. "We will continue to explore every opportunity to make that happen."While the prospect of Rangers and Celtic ground-sharing might be a shock to the system of Old Firm fans, Mulraney says fresh thinking is required to accelerate the growth of women's football.''We can't just replicate the men's game, we have to do things differently," he adds. "It's about us stepping up to build the sport and think bigger.''It would be fantastic to have a stadium that would be a hub for the women's game in Scotland."Mulraney isn't ruling out an existing stadium being redeveloped to house the women's football hub."Nothing is off the table," he says. "We want to build an infrastructure for the sport without being harnessed to the past."
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The Herald Scotland
an hour ago
- The Herald Scotland
Eilish McColgan: I've run a marathon, now I feel pressure-free
And secondly, she'll almost certainly never tackle a marathon that challenges her as much as her debut did. McColgan has a stellar record on both the track and the road, but having decided she was going to move up to the marathon, it took her literally years to reach the start line. A number of injuries, including knee surgery in late-2023, served to delay and further delay her marathon debut. But finally, at the London Marathon in April of this year, McColgan ran her first marathon. And from almost the second she crossed the finish line, a wave of relief crashed over McColgan and she's spent the past weeks basking in a pressure-free state that she's never before experienced in the entirety of her decade-long elite career. 'This is the first time in my career I'm in no rush to get back into things. It's nice not to feel that intense pressure or stress because so often, I've been rushing to get ready for the next thing,' the 34-year-old says. 'Last year, I was rushing to get back from knee surgery to make it to the Paris Olympics then almost immediately, I felt like I was constantly fighting against time to be ready for the London Marathon. 'So this is the first time ever that I've felt like okay, I've ticked my box for the year and so if I do another marathon in 2025 then great but if I don't then it doesn't actually matter. "It's now up to me what I want to do for the rest of the year instead of feeling like I'm constantly rushing to get ready for the next championship and running out of time. 'It means I now feel the least pressure I've felt during my whole career, and that's really, really nice.' (Image: PA) From the outside, McColgan's run in London was something close to a dream marathon debut; an eighth-place finish, top British female and a new Scottish record of 2 hours 24 minutes 25 seconds was an impressive performance. And given the way the race panned out - McColgan was forced to run almost the entirety of the 26.2 miles alone - the Dundonian appeared to be coping admirably with her maiden marathon run. Appearances can be deceiving, though, and how she appeared to spectators could not have been more contrasting to how she felt. 'From very early in the race, I felt rough. Literally as soon as I started running, I was concerned about how heavy my legs felt and that's obviously a big worry when you've got 26 miles to go,' she says. 'That feeling didn't ever really go away and if anything, it just gradually got worse so mentally I found that tough. I knew it was going to be a very long slog, and it was made even harder given I was running by myself because I had never visualised doing the whole race solo. 'I definitely had moments of thinking of stopping. From halfway, I had cramp in my right quad so in my head I was just telling myself to keep putting one foot in front of the other. 'So I honestly don't think I'll ever run a marathon that feels as hard as that again. 'It wasn't until I got in that last half mile stretch heading on to the Mall that I actually believed I was going to be able to finish.' Despite her struggles throughout the two-and-a-half hours of the race, though, McColgan admits her first marathon experience was something she'll treasure. Despite having raced on the biggest stages of them all - she's a four-time Olympian and produced one of the most memorable moments of the Commonwealth Games in 2022 when she won 10,000m gold - the experience and the atmosphere of her debut marathon was, she admits, unique. 'London was very different from track racing because people were cheering specifically for me. I could hear people shouting 'Go Eilish', people were shouting my mum's name or were shouting Dundee Hawks. It was very different from the Commonwealth Games when it was very noisy but you can't pick out what people are saying. The crowd was the only thing that kept me going.' Eilish McColgan won 10,000m gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games (Image: Steve Christo - Corbis) On seeing her finishing time, McColgan's initial feeling was disappointment. She had bettered Steph Twell's previous Scottish record by over two minutes, and her own mum, Liz's, by two-and-a-half minutes. McColgan was, she thought, in shape to go faster but as the weeks since the race have passed, she's begun to realise that finally making her marathon debut after two heavy disrupted years of injury, and battling to the finishing line feeling far from perfect is a remarkable achievement. 'I've been trying to get on the start line of a marathon for two years and it had never happened so of course there was a little bit of doubt in my own mind wondering if it's going to happen,' she says. 'So, on reflection, I'm really proud of finishing it because it would have been much easier to have called it a day early doors.' There is, unsurprisingly, a number of things McColgan will take from her run in London into her upcoming training, and into future marathons. The Scot will focus almost exclusively on the road going forwards and while she remains uncertain quite when her next marathon appearance will be, she's sure of what she wants to achieve on her hermit outing over 26.2 miles. 'Sub 2 hours 20 minutes is a big goal - that's when you start becoming more competitive and giving yourself a chance of being on the podium at the major marathons,' she says. 'I definitely feel like 2:20 could potentially be the next step for me given how tough London felt so next time, if I could feel normal until halfway, I think that would make a big difference to me and to my time. 'I don't know exactly where my next marathon will be but the great thing is there's a major marathon every few weeks so if I aim for Berlin but amn't quite ready, I can push it back to New York or Chicago or even London next year. 'So I feel like I'm in a great position.'
The National
an hour ago
- The National
Eilish McColgan: I've run a marathon, now I feel pressure-free
Firstly, she can finally call herself a marathon runner. And secondly, she'll almost certainly never tackle a marathon that challenges her as much as her debut did. McColgan has a stellar record on both the track and the road, but having decided she was going to move up to the marathon, it took her literally years to reach the start line. A number of injuries, including knee surgery in late-2023, served to delay and further delay her marathon debut. But finally, at the London Marathon in April of this year, McColgan ran her first marathon. And from almost the second she crossed the finish line, a wave of relief crashed over McColgan and she's spent the past weeks basking in a pressure-free state that she's never before experienced in the entirety of her decade-long elite career. 'This is the first time in my career I'm in no rush to get back into things. It's nice not to feel that intense pressure or stress because so often, I've been rushing to get ready for the next thing,' the 34-year-old says. 'Last year, I was rushing to get back from knee surgery to make it to the Paris Olympics then almost immediately, I felt like I was constantly fighting against time to be ready for the London Marathon. 'So this is the first time ever that I've felt like okay, I've ticked my box for the year and so if I do another marathon in 2025 then great but if I don't then it doesn't actually matter. "It's now up to me what I want to do for the rest of the year instead of feeling like I'm constantly rushing to get ready for the next championship and running out of time. 'It means I now feel the least pressure I've felt during my whole career, and that's really, really nice.' (Image: PA) From the outside, McColgan's run in London was something close to a dream marathon debut; an eighth-place finish, top British female and a new Scottish record of 2 hours 24 minutes 25 seconds was an impressive performance. And given the way the race panned out - McColgan was forced to run almost the entirety of the 26.2 miles alone - the Dundonian appeared to be coping admirably with her maiden marathon run. Appearances can be deceiving, though, and how she appeared to spectators could not have been more contrasting to how she felt. 'From very early in the race, I felt rough. Literally as soon as I started running, I was concerned about how heavy my legs felt and that's obviously a big worry when you've got 26 miles to go,' she says. 'That feeling didn't ever really go away and if anything, it just gradually got worse so mentally I found that tough. I knew it was going to be a very long slog, and it was made even harder given I was running by myself because I had never visualised doing the whole race solo. 'I definitely had moments of thinking of stopping. From halfway, I had cramp in my right quad so in my head I was just telling myself to keep putting one foot in front of the other. 'So I honestly don't think I'll ever run a marathon that feels as hard as that again. 'It wasn't until I got in that last half mile stretch heading on to the Mall that I actually believed I was going to be able to finish.' Despite her struggles throughout the two-and-a-half hours of the race, though, McColgan admits her first marathon experience was something she'll treasure. Despite having raced on the biggest stages of them all - she's a four-time Olympian and produced one of the most memorable moments of the Commonwealth Games in 2022 when she won 10,000m gold - the experience and the atmosphere of her debut marathon was, she admits, unique. 'London was very different from track racing because people were cheering specifically for me. I could hear people shouting 'Go Eilish', people were shouting my mum's name or were shouting Dundee Hawks. It was very different from the Commonwealth Games when it was very noisy but you can't pick out what people are saying. The crowd was the only thing that kept me going.' Eilish McColgan won 10,000m gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games (Image: Steve Christo - Corbis) On seeing her finishing time, McColgan's initial feeling was disappointment. She had bettered Steph Twell's previous Scottish record by over two minutes, and her own mum, Liz's, by two-and-a-half minutes. McColgan was, she thought, in shape to go faster but as the weeks since the race have passed, she's begun to realise that finally making her marathon debut after two heavy disrupted years of injury, and battling to the finishing line feeling far from perfect is a remarkable achievement. 'I've been trying to get on the start line of a marathon for two years and it had never happened so of course there was a little bit of doubt in my own mind wondering if it's going to happen,' she says. 'So, on reflection, I'm really proud of finishing it because it would have been much easier to have called it a day early doors.' There is, unsurprisingly, a number of things McColgan will take from her run in London into her upcoming training, and into future marathons. The Scot will focus almost exclusively on the road going forwards and while she remains uncertain quite when her next marathon appearance will be, she's sure of what she wants to achieve on her hermit outing over 26.2 miles. 'Sub 2 hours 20 minutes is a big goal - that's when you start becoming more competitive and giving yourself a chance of being on the podium at the major marathons,' she says. 'I definitely feel like 2:20 could potentially be the next step for me given how tough London felt so next time, if I could feel normal until halfway, I think that would make a big difference to me and to my time. 'I don't know exactly where my next marathon will be but the great thing is there's a major marathon every few weeks so if I aim for Berlin but amn't quite ready, I can push it back to New York or Chicago or even London next year. 'So I feel like I'm in a great position.'
Daily Record
an hour ago
- Daily Record
Cyriel Dessers Rangers transfer exit splits the Jury as Celtic urged caution over Evan Ferguson
Cyriel Dessers has agreed a deal with AEK - but should Ibrox chiefs really consider selling a striker who has fired 50 goals in his two years in Glasgow? ANDREW NEWPORT: If the fee is big enough then of course. Rangers have let far too much money slip through their fingers by failing to sell when the price is right. Dessers scores plenty - but misses more. He's 30 and his value will only decline from here. SCOTT MCDERMOTT: Only if the price is right. I'd keep Dessers to be second choice striker at Ibrox because of his excellent goal return. But he's 30 years old and is a high earner so if Rangers can make a profit on him with a sale of around £4million they have to consider it. MICHAEL GANNON: If Rangers can make a profit then it's worth taking the dosh. Dessers is on top dollar and he has delivered goals. He's still unreliable in big games, on big money and the wrong side of 30. Take the dosh and invest it. Is Ireland ace and rumoured Celtic target Evan Ferguson a better bet than countryman Adam Idah to lead the line for Brendan Rodgers' team? ANDY: He looked a proper prospect when he burst onto the scene with a hat-trick against Newcastle a couple of years back but he's only scored three goals since November 2023. Idah isn't the finish product either but at least he's been a regular contributor for Celtic. SCOTT: With both players playing at their best, I think Ferguson is a better striker. He has more natural ability, as well as being a powerhouse up front. But he's toiled for two years now in the Premier League and Rodgers sees real potential and development in Idah. MICHAEL: The Ferguson of 12 months ago would have been a good option but it's more uncertain now after a poor season. A loan deal late in the window could be an option but Celtic should be looking at cheaper targets before then. Ian Maxwell has shelved contract talks with Steve Clarke while the Scotland boss focuses on turning around his team's worrying form - but should Clarke stay on even if he leads the nation to the World Cup? ANDY: Maxxy is right to put negotiations on hold as breaking our World Cup duck is all that matters. If Clarke can do that job he'll get the keys to Scotland, never mind a new deal. SCOTT: If he gets us to the World Cup, that will solely be Clarke's decision because of course the SFA would want to keep him on after reaching three major tournaments. But with current form, the question is - will he still be in charge by the end of the campaign if it goes pear-shaped in Copenhagen? MICHAEL: Clarke has earned the right to do what he wants. If he leads the nation to the World Cup, he can do what he likes, even if he might be tempted to walk away on a high. Motherwell have gone foreign again after appointing Jens Berthel Askou as Michael Wimmer's replacement - but should they have looked closer to home? ANDY: You might have thought they'd have had second thoughts about going down that route given the way Wimmer left them in the lurch. But the German did a decent job in his short time and Fir Park and Well bosses will hope Askou can pick up where his predecessor left off. If he doesn't, a Robbie Neilson or Tony Docherty should be their next call. SCOTT: We don't know enough about Berthel Askou yet to make a judgement. But for what Motherwell wants to achieve in the Scottish Premiership, it's hard to not to feel that a manager like Robbie Neilson or Tony Docherty couldn't have done an excellent job there.
