Having won what appeared to be the toughest of the two World Cup play off games against Austria, Pedro Martinez Losa's side were out-manoeuvred by a well organised Republic of Ireland. It will be a first World Cup for Ireland and for Pauw, who has also managed her native Netherlands, Russia and South Africa. It's also not clear why Lisa Evans, whose winning goal against Poland in Kielce was pivotal to the successful 2019 World Cup qualification, is preferred as a full back to a winger. For many years now – stretching back to Signeul's time – there hasn't been a natural progression of young players into the Scotland side. The evidence that young players of the required quality are not coming through has been obvious to all but the permanently rose-tinted brigade for some time now.

Source: The Herald October 16, 2022 05:07 UTC