Latest / A Level Playing Field / Inside Celtic's Season with Grant Scott I A Level Playing Field I Episode 20

Transcript

Inside Celtic's Season with Grant Scott I A Level Playing Field I Episode 20 · A Level Playing Field

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to a level playing field sponsored by Nutmeg Magazine, the Scottish Football Quarterly.
• 0:05
  SPEAKER_00: If you're looking for your next great football read, the World Cup special issue of Nutmeg Magazine is available to purchase now.
• 0:13
  SPEAKER_00: You can order your copy at nutmegmagazine.co.uk to enjoy stories from Scotland's adventures on the greatest stage.
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_01: Welcome to the level playing field.
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_01: I'm Cheryl Smith, joined as ever by Alison McConnell.
• 0:26
  SPEAKER_01: Alison, we've got a great guest today, and before we introduce him, just want to do a bit of housekeeping.
• 0:30
  SPEAKER_01: So we're on episode 20, which is crazy.
• 0:34
  SPEAKER_01: Did you think we'd make it to episode 20?
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_01: Two was a bit of a stretch at one point.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_01: Well one was when we think back to what episode one was like, we'll keep that to ourselves.
• 0:41
  SPEAKER_01: And also the other piece of good news that we got this week is that the podcast is nominated as one of Scotland's top football podcasts in the Scottish podcast upwards, alongside uh companies with lots of money when we have them.
• 0:53
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, incredible.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_00: Uh I think it just I think it shows that there is an appetite for the women's game and for conversation around the women's game, which is what we thought there was when we went out to to to probe and see do people want to hear about this, do they want to listen to a bit of an informal chat that's that's quite light of touch and quite entertaining.
• 1:12
  SPEAKER_00: And and I think the feedback has been uh designed in yes, which is good.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_01: It's a it's amazing.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_01: And uh when I phoned you yesterday to tell you I think you were on the Kingston Bridge and you screamed right in my ear, which is which is fun.
• 1:24
  SPEAKER_00: And uh also you've got the cheek of going on holiday the day that the awards are given out, so no, so you have to you go you have to go pick it up for a share of it.
• 1:33
  SPEAKER_01: I'll go for the I'll go for the buffet anyway.
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_01: Um but no, but that's good.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I'm T-Total, so that's sadly wasted on me.
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_01: Uh but you know, episode 20, and uh as I said, we've got a great guest today.
• 1:45
  SPEAKER_01: We're joined by Celtic manager Grant Scott.
• 1:47
  SPEAKER_01: Grant, delighted to get you on.
• 1:49
  SPEAKER_01: How are you feeling just in this moment in time?
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_01: It's two games before the end of the season, and you've got a really big one coming up, cup final against Rangers.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_01: Where are you what are your thoughts at the moment?
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, thanks for having me.
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_02: Um and congratulations, I should say, for your nomination and and the work that you are doing is brilliant for the promotion of the game.
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_02: Um but yeah, look, we're at the the the kind of tail end now of the season.
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_02: Um difficult games to go.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_02: Um nice to be in the the the showpiece final.
• 2:15
  SPEAKER_02: Um so we're looking to keep up, you know, try and find and maintain our form, um, be competitive and uh win some matches still.
• 2:22
  SPEAKER_00: How are you feeling about that?
• 2:23
  SPEAKER_00: One at Hamden, it's a cracking way to bring down the curtain in the season and obviously for you as well, a kind of special moment, your first half season here, you've only been here for a couple of months.
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, look at first and foremost, delighted to be in charge of this team and get us through to the final.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_02: The players I thought did a magnificent job in the semi-final.
• 2:43
  SPEAKER_02: Um, we've had a really tough run.
• 2:45
  SPEAKER_02: Um, I don't think it should be understated what what the players have already achieved, whatever comes in the final.
• 2:51
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but to have gone through and beaten all the other full-time clubs in the in the cup competition rounds has been exceptional from them.
• 2:58
  SPEAKER_02: Um and there's one more to go.
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_02: And look, we're looking forward to it.
• 3:02
  SPEAKER_02: I think it's um yeah, short period that I've been at the club so far, so a lot of that groundwork's been done by the previous manager, and she's built this squad, and and you know, I've I've only been able to tinker with a few things since since I arrived, but I think it's testament to to where we are at the minute that we're still in there.
• 3:17
  SPEAKER_02: Um lost away a bit in the league, which is really disappointing.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_02: But um yeah, first um, you know, I've had a few Scottish Cup finals um in my time, but first one with this club and um being at Hamden is a little bit more special.
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_01: This time last season, obviously, you're a Hibs manager, and we were speaking to you about the impending title with Hips.
• 3:35
  SPEAKER_01: And obviously, you've been at Celtic since January and you know, out of the title race, but in the in the cup final.
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_01: Is it quite strange when you look back a year ago to where you are now and just those feelings versus the sort of how you're feeling at the moment?
• 3:48
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, it's quite um it honestly feels like yesterday when we were um arriving at IMROX to to play in that final game.
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_02: Um and and so much has happened since.
• 3:59
  SPEAKER_02: Um in one sense, you feel like it was such a long time ago, um, but the memories are still really fresh, and and uh yeah, it was nice to be involved in that last game uh for the league last year.
• 4:10
  SPEAKER_02: Um but this one's different.
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_02: Cups are always the there's a wee bit of romance about it, you know.
• 4:15
  SPEAKER_02: The the draws, the teams that you face.
• 4:16
  SPEAKER_02: Having said that, was not the easiest draw, but um yeah, I think there's something special about the the actual final day, final game, final piece of silverware of the season um being up for grabs.
• 4:27
  SPEAKER_02: Um so it's the same but different, uh, in truth.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_02: I think there's um the magnitude of both.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_02: Um league obviously was massive last year, but um I think I said to you guys before I didn't really think about most of the permutations until just before that match, and at that point I'd just prepared as normal for for every game.
• 4:46
  SPEAKER_02: Um so I'm hoping we can do the similar uh on this one, just take it game by game, uh prepare the same way and uh and just be ready for it.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_00: You got a few players in there that have won this Scottish Cup as well.
• 4:58
  SPEAKER_00: Is that important?
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_00: Do you think going into handing that maybe you've got players that have got that kind of big game experience?
• 5:04
  SPEAKER_02: I think it I think it helps, there's no doubt.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_02: I think um you know you you cling on to those positive experiences that you've had and you try and re sort of replicate them, uh I suppose probably takes some of the nerves away for from the the experienced players that have been there before.
• 5:22
  SPEAKER_02: Um but yeah, there's enough experience, but I think there's enough lack of as well that still has that raw excitement that hopefully you know your hero turns up on the day and and and and she scores a winner and and there's a there's a good story to tell from it.
• 5:37
  SPEAKER_02: But and I think that's what the cup's all about.
• 5:39
  SPEAKER_02: Um it's not necessarily the consistency of of a league campaign, but um yeah, somebody stepping up that maybe maybe wouldn't normally and and does something special on the day.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_02: Um so I think you need both, um, and I think we've got both.
• 5:51
  SPEAKER_02: So yeah, but we're in a good shape.
• 5:53
  SPEAKER_00: It's a Celtic Rangers game, it's obviously a huge profile.
• 5:56
  SPEAKER_00: Then you're playing it at Hamden.
• 5:58
  SPEAKER_00: How do you feel about these cup finals being played at Hamden?
• 6:01
  SPEAKER_00: Is it important for you in terms of optics that the National Stadium houses this competition?
• 6:07
  SPEAKER_00: I know like we saw some really kind of disappointing attendancies at the semi-final, and there'll be a uh a concerted push from from people such as ourselves to try and and amplify the the noise around the game and the attraction of it and try and encourage people to come along and see the game for itself.
• 6:23
  SPEAKER_00: But there will always be that argument when you see so many empty, empty seats of people observing from the outside and saying, Well, why are we playing these games in such a big stadium?
• 6:31
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, honestly, I feel a bit like I'll sit on the fence with this answer, but it is actually my genuine thoughts on it.
• 6:37
  SPEAKER_02: I can't decide which way, which camp I fall in.
• 6:41
  SPEAKER_02: I think the exposure for the game, and look, first and foremost, for the players to play at Hamden.
• 6:47
  SPEAKER_02: Um, you know, we were there a few weeks ago for the semi-final, the surface was fantastic, probably the best surface I've seen uh in my time.
• 6:55
  SPEAKER_02: Um, walking out into that venue, the just the whole occasion of arrival.
• 7:00
  SPEAKER_02: Um, I think as I say, first and foremost for the players is a magnificent experience, and we shouldn't deny any footballer that chance if it comes along.
• 7:10
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but I do see the other side where I think you know, in this, and I still maintain we're you know we're maybe five, six years into a professional model here, and it's only a partial league that's that's managed to do it.
• 7:22
  SPEAKER_02: Um I do think there's an argument for packing out a stadium and actually creating maybe a better atmosphere.
• 7:28
  SPEAKER_02: Um, you know, finding it finding a venue that that holds 10,000 people and filling it to their afters.
• 7:35
  SPEAKER_02: Um I think for yeah, it's probably a question for a player, what would they prefer?
• 7:39
  SPEAKER_02: Um I I I just think there might be some benefit in that, and maybe optically that looks just as good as you know, nobody's denying the opportunity to play it hand in.
• 7:48
  SPEAKER_02: However, to to make the spectacle better, the the the actual match the experience for players and supporters.
• 7:56
  SPEAKER_02: Um there's maybe an argument to do that, but look, you know, obviously we can control these things, we've just got to prepare the team and ourselves and be ready for it.
• 8:04
  SPEAKER_02: But yeah, I'm I'm 50-50 on it in truth.
• 8:07
  SPEAKER_00: I think I am too.
• 8:08
  SPEAKER_00: I think too I I think we we've been at games and you know there's it it feels that the at there's no atmosphere because the stadium is so big.
• 8:15
  SPEAKER_00: It feels a bit like the COVID times when you were turning up and and playing games like that, but I also understand from a player's perspective that the optics of it are important, they're culturally important, I think, like especially for a younger generation to look and see, well, that's where the the national cup final is played.
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_00: So I think there are arguments both, but I think you touched on it best.
• 8:34
  SPEAKER_00: I think it you would have to consult players before you made a decision on it that players are probably the most important people if they have some autonomy over it over the direction of travel.
• 8:44
  SPEAKER_02: I think it's uh something we always do in every walk of life, isn't it?
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_02: All different um whether it's sporting or business kind of areas of um asking the people at the grassroots, asking the people lowest down the food chain, what what do they think?
• 8:58
  SPEAKER_02: Um and I think it's maybe something we should consider, but um and certainly asking players would be would be a way to do that.
• 9:04
  SPEAKER_02: Um but I do also think that there is a a general lack sedan approach to the game still, where I think there's smarter people out there than me that should come up with better ideas and how to generate the fans.
• 9:18
  SPEAKER_02: It's it's not about you know there's there's obviously revenue issues, but generate the fan engagement.
• 9:24
  SPEAKER_02: We've had flurry flurries of it um uh across you know the governing bodies and stuff, and and I think football clubs maybe some better cohesion because I think even even you know last year in a League winning team at Hibbs and I think they were they were doing some good work with their fans, um, but the the the size of the gate is still so so small.
• 9:43
  SPEAKER_02: Um some way somehow if if the clubs would talk to each other and let's get all the heads together to to try and plan a strategy for this.
• 9:51
  SPEAKER_02: But yeah, I'm getting way out of my remit here, but I think um that that would certainly generate uh if we could generate the fan engagement better, then the venue becomes less of an issue and less of a talking point.
• 10:03
  SPEAKER_02: But what you know I just think we're so far off that that maybe we should flip it and do it another way to start with.
• 10:08
  SPEAKER_01: In terms of the the game itself, which obviously will be at Hamden, is it how hard is it for you as a manager to keep an intensity and in the squad and lead up to that because you've got two games that are league games and it's not that they're meaningless but the title isn't within reach.
• 10:23
  SPEAKER_01: So, how do you keep that intensity building up to that huge game?
• 10:26
  SPEAKER_02: I I think having the huge game at the end of it all um just does it by default.
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and you know, me as a manager certainly I'm very much on at the players about one game at a time, regardless where we are, um, and focusing on the next one and trying to win the next one and preparing for the next one.
• 10:44
  SPEAKER_02: Uh so for me it becomes a bit mundane as it sounds as an answer very, very much.
• 10:49
  SPEAKER_02: Um we've got these two to play, and I think we have to respect where we are, who we are, um, what we're doing, and we're in a a professional league environment, um, and we have to treat these games you know, as a mother well did last night.
• 11:03
  SPEAKER_02: Maybe just still got a bit of Europe to fight for in their case, but you know, the you have to you have to approach these things professionally um and make sure you're on it for every game.
• 11:13
  SPEAKER_02: So it it's probably more difficult not to lose the focus but to keep them focused on the next one and not look too far ahead.
• 11:20
  SPEAKER_02: But yeah, I I think myself and the staff are are okay at that, um to be honest, just keeping them grounded and th the the cup final come round when it's time but we want to win the next two.
• 11:29
  SPEAKER_00: I suppose as well there's competition for places you've got everyone wants to start a game at Hamden, a Scottish Cup final against strangers, everyone wants to be in a position where they're fully fit, they're much sharp and they're ready to go.
• 11:43
  SPEAKER_00: So I suppose you have an added edge.
• 11:45
  SPEAKER_00: It's not just that you're playing two games that are essentially maybe meaninglessly games you're playing them with something bigger in mind.
• 11:50
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I think so.
• 11:51
  SPEAKER_02: I think so.
• 11:52
  SPEAKER_02: I think if you're any player worth your salt and and you see yourself in that starting a live income final day, you've got to apply for the next three weeks.
• 12:00
  SPEAKER_02: Um and and I think that's what genuinely what we said after the the semi-final is it's it's game on.
• 12:05
  SPEAKER_02: Every player in the squad has to work to to maintain or earn their place in the team.
• 12:09
  SPEAKER_02: And yeah, I think both probably seen that over the last couple of weeks.
• 12:12
  SPEAKER_02: We've been quite consistent during the week in training.
• 12:15
  SPEAKER_02: Um and yeah, we just need to find that consistency in game.
• 12:18
  SPEAKER_02: But yeah, it's on the players to to stand up and show they're ready.
• 12:22
  SPEAKER_01: What we really like about the the league in Scotland is you know the variety of competition.
• 12:27
  SPEAKER_01: Obviously, Hibbs won last year, hearts look like they're in the driving seat at the moment, although Rangers could still come in there.
• 12:34
  SPEAKER_01: And you think Eva Owlage is going to be leaving at the end of the season.
• 12:36
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, how much of a miss will she be just to the the league in general?
• 12:40
  SPEAKER_02: Funny, I said to her after the match last weekend that um I I think she deserves a lot of credit because I think you've almost I don't have stats and things to back it up, but I just have a gut feel, and obviously being in opposition for for those five years, I think year on year they've only got better.
• 12:57
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and whether that's how they play, the recruitment, the rotation of their squad, the style of play that they have, um I I think they're a good team to watch.
• 13:09
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so yeah, I think I think she'll be a miss.
• 13:12
  SPEAKER_02: I think she's added something, I don't know what the ingredient is, but I think there's something different.
• 13:17
  SPEAKER_02: Herself and staff have put together something very special this year, um, and and you can see that in the you know the league said it last year for for Hibbs that you know the league table doesn't lie, um they've done what they've had to do and they sit where they are because they deservedly so.
• 13:31
  SPEAKER_02: I think they are one of the best teams in the league, if not the best.
• 13:34
  SPEAKER_02: We'll we'll see in time.
• 13:36
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but yeah, I think she's done an incredible job.
• 13:38
  SPEAKER_02: Um, as I say, that the for me the the continuous progression of the side is the thing, you know, it doesn't happen overnight.
• 13:46
  SPEAKER_02: Um, you know, that was my my kind of second full season at Hibbs before we were ready to challenge.
• 13:51
  SPEAKER_02: Um you know, look at my my new environment.
• 13:54
  SPEAKER_02: I'm not suggesting it'll take two or five years, it'll it'll happen when it happens, but it's very rarely an overnight fix, and I think what she's done in that period has been consistent improvement um year on year.
• 14:06
  SPEAKER_02: Um, yeah, and it's a credit to her, and we'll see if they can complete the job now.
• 14:11
  SPEAKER_00: Is that one of the concerns for you that at a club like this you might not always get the time that you want and the time you need, and maybe a couple of windows just to get the squad in the kind of shape that you want it to be in?
• 14:21
  SPEAKER_00: Because at the moment you're really you've inherited a squad and you're trying to mould them into the way that you want to play?
• 14:27
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I I think concerns may be too strong.
• 14:30
  SPEAKER_02: I'm not that kind of person in truth.
• 14:32
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, you know, and I'm not an overconfident person.
• 14:34
  SPEAKER_02: I think that uh I I'm happy enough with the work that I think I can do, and I think that yeah, there certainly was no massive pressure coming in, uh the pressure you put on yourself.
• 14:46
  SPEAKER_02: But for that half season, you know, everyone knows I've inherited um something that wasn't necessarily mine and I won't be able to renew it all completely.
• 14:54
  SPEAKER_02: I'm I probably don't want to, in truth.
• 14:56
  SPEAKER_02: So I think yeah, you've got to you've got to be quietly confident that you know you what you'll do is put new parameters on the group.
• 15:03
  SPEAKER_02: Um certainly fresh faces will come in, some players will go, unfortunately, um, and things will evolve and change.
• 15:09
  SPEAKER_02: But um yeah, that that's my job, and it's it's not something that stresses me at all.
• 15:14
  SPEAKER_01: It's time for our player of the week, sponsored by Nutmeg Magazine, the home of brilliant football stories.
• 15:20
  SPEAKER_01: Check out the latest issue at nutmegmagazine.co.uk.
• 15:24
  SPEAKER_00: This week's SWPL Player of the Week goes to Lauren Wade, the Hearts midfielder.
• 15:31
  SPEAKER_00: Scored the winning goal to give the Tynecastle side all three points against Celtic.
• 15:37
  SPEAKER_00: A goal that puts Eva Olived's side within touching distance of what would be a historic first ever SWPL title.
• 15:45
  SPEAKER_00: It's also a goal that has clinched European football for the Jambos for the first time.
• 15:51
  SPEAKER_01: That was our Nutmeg Magazine player of the week.
• 15:53
  SPEAKER_01: For more great football writing and to order the latest issue, visit nutmegmagazine.co.uk.
• 15:59
  SPEAKER_01: Touching on the transfer window and in the summer, that's going to be really important.
• 16:01
  SPEAKER_01: And it's there's always seems to be a lot of the uh women's clubs, especially in Scotland, like a huge turnover in the summer, like 10-11 players going out every summer.
• 16:10
  SPEAKER_01: I think contracts are short and things like that.
• 16:12
  SPEAKER_01: But when it comes to this summer, how much work do you expect to be doing?
• 16:16
  SPEAKER_01: And have you had any viewed conversations with club about what support they're going to give you for the squad to make it in your image?
• 16:23
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, look, we've got recently got our budget secured obviously with the assistance of the football club, and um, you know, there's there's a budget there that I have to work within.
• 16:34
  SPEAKER_02: Um we will recruit as best we can with what we have available.
• 16:39
  SPEAKER_02: Um we'll free up other funds with with you know players leaving and and and contracts coming to an end.
• 16:45
  SPEAKER_02: Um but on yeah, unfortunately it's uh you know the because the figures aren't necessarily what the you know nowhere near replicating the men's game or or some top leagues in Europe, um that I think that's why we get the the high turnovers and because it's not um life-changing earnings for the players, um, and and naturally they will gravitate towards potentially a better deal and a bigger league or just something with more money.
• 17:13
  SPEAKER_02: Um but you know that's part of the job at the moment, and and it's it's different from five, six years ago when we were all amateur and there was no money changing hands, so it's just uh uh the next part of the evolution for us.
• 17:24
  SPEAKER_02: Um but I think yeah, we'll we'll we'll make a number of changes this summer, possibly not as many as we'd like.
• 17:30
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and and that's for various reasons.
• 17:32
  SPEAKER_02: It might be finance, it might be existing contracts, it might be extensions that have been activated by players andor clubs.
• 17:40
  SPEAKER_02: But um yeah, look, it's as I say, it's part of the job now, and um we'll try and get it in a what I'll try and do certainly for planning is is make sure that we don't have 10, 12, 15 out of contract in the same summer.
• 17:53
  SPEAKER_02: Um we'll try and stagger the contracts and and do some one, two, and three years so that we can manage that better going forward.
• 17:59
  SPEAKER_02: It certainly seems to be that um I've probably done fallen into the track myself where you have maybe 10 players out of contract, you recruit 10, but you date the end dates of their contracts all at the same time as well, so you have the same problem.
• 18:12
  SPEAKER_02: Um so we'll try and do better with that.
• 18:14
  SPEAKER_02: Um but yeah, it's part and parcel now.
• 18:16
  SPEAKER_02: We've just got to um do our best.
• 18:18
  SPEAKER_01: What does a Grant Scott team look like then if you are able to get as much as possible the sort of profile of players that you want in in the summer for the new season?
• 18:27
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I think you probably all know this answer anyway, but um very, very much forward thinking.
• 18:33
  SPEAKER_02: Um I I I've said it sometimes to my detriment, particularly maybe since I came to Celtic.
• 18:39
  SPEAKER_02: But um I'd almost like to watch and be involved in a a match where my team wins 5-4 rather than grinds out a 1-0.
• 18:49
  SPEAKER_02: Right, and that's just you know, when I turn on the TV to watch some football, that's what I like to see.
• 18:54
  SPEAKER_00: So that's what I enjoy that Champions League semi-final.
• 18:56
  SPEAKER_02: Exactly, yeah, couldn't believe it.
• 18:58
  SPEAKER_02: Um so yeah, things like that.
• 19:00
  SPEAKER_02: You know, that's the kind of attacking type style.
• 19:02
  SPEAKER_02: Look, I think we've got to be pragmatic that we may come across opponents who on their day on a season could be better than us, and we might have to be slightly more organised and disciplined with that.
• 19:14
  SPEAKER_02: But um, yeah, every opportunity when we can, um I want us, you know, want my team to play, be physically strong, fast, um, and with a bit of um a bit of flair about them if possible.
• 19:26
  SPEAKER_02: Um, some of the bits that you can't coach, strangely enough, but um yeah, that's that's what I like to see, that's what what I like to watch.
• 19:33
  SPEAKER_02: Uh and I think as a player it's exciting to play in those, and I think by giving those players attacking freedom, you get excitement from them to play each time they turn on on or turn up on the pitch.
• 19:45
  SPEAKER_02: Um so yeah, that's that's where I wanted to be.
• 19:47
  SPEAKER_02: Kind of get it uh in one window, not sure.
• 19:50
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but that's my work um that I've got to do.
• 19:53
  SPEAKER_02: Uh I think it might need to be a window or two before we get to to where I want to be.
• 19:58
  SPEAKER_02: Um but yeah, with with an eye on the pragmatic side of defending properly and stop conceding goals, which again probably we've not done well this season.
• 20:07
  SPEAKER_02: So yeah, a bit of both.
• 20:09
  SPEAKER_00: I know uh we touched on it a couple of weeks back, but there was a FIFA directive came into play about uh female coaches being part of national teams and domestic teams going forward that everyone's going to have to have a a female coach as part of the the staff.
• 20:23
  SPEAKER_00: So we we had a conversation about that.
• 20:26
  SPEAKER_00: Um but is that is that a concern for you going forward, or is that something that you think can redress the balance in terms of attracting females into coaching positions?
• 20:36
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe there there's maybe not an adequate representation just now of female coaches and in dugouts.
• 20:42
  SPEAKER_00: Do you feel as though it it's legislation that moves in the right direction, or could you have done without it?
• 20:47
  SPEAKER_02: Um again, probably in two counts here.
• 20:50
  SPEAKER_02: I think that I think it's useful legislation um because I think the imbalance is not right at the present moment.
• 20:59
  SPEAKER_02: Um now, why is it not right?
• 21:01
  SPEAKER_02: Probably because of the evolutionary periods that women's football's gone through, rightly or wrongly, historically, it's just that's just how it is.
• 21:09
  SPEAKER_02: Um, you know, and I don't necessarily agree with how it's gone, but um we are where we are at this point.
• 21:14
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and I think look, I work with females every single day, female athletes, I think they should absolutely be given their place, um, and and when they stop playing, have all the opportunities that they should have.
• 21:27
  SPEAKER_02: Um I think the dangerous bit with the regulation is to start to dictate how your staff team or club represents itself.
• 21:36
  SPEAKER_02: Um because unless the quality is there in terms of best person for the job, um, I I think then we're a point of doing the absolute inverse of what it's meant to do and and hiding the wrong people for the wrong reason.
• 21:51
  SPEAKER_02: Um but but certainly the the I think as evolution happens.
• 21:55
  SPEAKER_02: Um I'm seeing more and more and more female coaches all around the game.
• 21:59
  SPEAKER_02: I mean You just look at our own league, and the the the head coaches out there, and the quality coaches that are there in in post um just now.
• 22:07
  SPEAKER_02: So it it it will come, it will it will happen in an evolutionary kind of way.
• 22:14
  SPEAKER_02: Um this possibly accelerates it in a good way, but it we just have to guard that it doesn't do it in a false way.
• 22:21
  SPEAKER_02: Um and I think at that point that's that's a dangerous ground, but there's certainly no problem with it from my side.
• 22:26
  SPEAKER_02: I think it's um you know, the sooner we can accelerate things the better, but we should you know sometimes a kind of more natural um growth pattern is better.
• 22:36
  SPEAKER_02: Um but yeah, that's just my take on both sides of it.
• 22:40
  SPEAKER_02: I think um if the people are good enough for the job, it shouldn't matter.
• 22:43
  SPEAKER_01: We had Laura Montgomery on uh the podcast last week and she made a really good and interesting point, I thought, on this.
• 22:50
  SPEAKER_01: She said that you know the qualifications to become a coach are very, very expensive, and so there's very few females on it because there's majority of the people on it are male players and maybe some who have quite lucrative careers, so it makes it difficult in that sense, and then maybe you're missing out on people who just maybe don't have the resources and that type of thing.
• 23:12
  SPEAKER_01: But I thought that was quite interesting.
• 23:13
  SPEAKER_01: When you talk about Celtic as a as a club, on the fans, you know, there's there's a real hearty bunch of uh fans who are at games home and away here, and every every club in Scotland has them, they're very, very dedicated.
• 23:26
  SPEAKER_01: I think there's some frustrations within them of Celtic maybe not achieving what they think they should have achieved.
• 23:33
  SPEAKER_01: Do you understand those frustrations from them?
• 23:35
  SPEAKER_02: It's a tricky one to comment on as as the Celtic women's manager because um we're part of this football club that carries the brand it does, it's global, it's massive, it has steeped in tradition and success at its core.
• 23:52
  SPEAKER_02: Celtic women haven't been here since 1888, so we are again I keep going back to it, but we're we're in that period of trying to establish what Celtic women looks like.
• 24:04
  SPEAKER_02: So I I understand some of the frustration because we carried carry the same badge and and it almost a representation of oh well we win everything.
• 24:13
  SPEAKER_02: Well, unfortunately, on the women's side, we don't have you know, we've got some recent history, um, cup trophies and a league title, but we don't have 25 years worth of it.
• 24:24
  SPEAKER_02: Um so um and we definitely don't have 150 years of it.
• 24:27
  SPEAKER_02: So um I I think there's balancing out that the fact that we represent the same football club, um, but it's two different parts of the organisation.
• 24:37
  SPEAKER_02: Um and my job I see is to try to create a Celtic women's identity that may be the same as the men's in time, but whether that's playing style, whether it's success uh you know a a chain of successful um trophy wins um and and and creating something that looks longer term much more sustainable and successful.
• 25:01
  SPEAKER_02: So that that's my take on it.
• 25:02
  SPEAKER_02: I think we we have no given right to be winning everything.
• 25:06
  SPEAKER_02: I don't think the men do either, but they have a history of of success, and certainly obviously in terms of scale are a massive football club, um, and we're still trying to get there.
• 25:16
  SPEAKER_02: Um so I I understand the frustration.
• 25:18
  SPEAKER_02: Um I would probably say bear with us because I think um bit by bit we're there's there's good people becoming involved in the club again.
• 25:26
  SPEAKER_02: Um from Stuart McGuire, um my boss, right into the boards of directors, Paul Brownley coming in as the as the head of the academy.
• 25:35
  SPEAKER_02: Um I'm a massive fan of Paul's and his work.
• 25:38
  SPEAKER_02: Um so I think by having the right people on board we'll we'll get there.
• 25:43
  SPEAKER_02: Um but it might just take time, and I don't think that certainly the resource and finance, we've got lots of access to resource with the with the football club and the training facility, etc.
• 25:53
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but we we you know the the the resource in the game in general on the women's side is is obviously sparse.
• 26:01
  SPEAKER_02: So having to work harder and compete much on a on a on a more level playing field potentially than than the men's team are.
• 26:07
  SPEAKER_02: But you know, if we keep doing things right and getting the right people in, we'll we'll get there.
• 26:11
  SPEAKER_02: Um so that's probably my take on the frustration.
• 26:14
  SPEAKER_02: I get it, I completely get it.
• 26:16
  SPEAKER_02: I want to win every single game, every single trophy, and I think carrying this badge and representing this club means that's where we should be striving.
• 26:23
  SPEAKER_02: But I don't think it's uh an automatic thing just because we've we've we've got a Celtic women's team that should should be winning everything.
• 26:29
  SPEAKER_02: That's it's never going to be that as fast as people want.
• 26:33
  SPEAKER_00: Is that quite exciting for you?
• 26:34
  SPEAKER_00: Establishing this as a brand, almost establishing the the DNA of the the women's team?
• 26:40
  SPEAKER_02: Uh massive for me.
• 26:41
  SPEAKER_02: I think um one one of the things, and I and I won't try and replicate everything I did at Hibbs here, certainly, um, but one of the things I did a lot of last year was was trying to and I felt Hibs had lost their way a little bit from from being a hugely successful women's team for uh you know decades long, probably lost their way a little bit, and I and I spoke a lot when I came in about re-re-establishing their identity and the DNA that's going to make us up, what what is a what is a Hibbs women's player look like?
• 27:09
  SPEAKER_02: And and I think maybe that's something we need to start um at Celtic Women, um, because there is an identity there, but I'm not sure that it's that it changes season to season with recruitments and um yeah, I I I hope I'm here for a long time and that that part of the job is as exciting as all of the cup finals and league trophies that you can win and if we can get to a point where we're consistently competing and then looking much more like the team at the top over a long period of time.
• 27:39
  SPEAKER_02: Um that's really really exciting.
• 27:41
  SPEAKER_02: What does a Celtic women's team player, etc., look like?
• 27:45
  SPEAKER_02: Um yeah, it's a it's it's a massive job, but yeah, that's probably really exciting.
• 27:49
  SPEAKER_01: And just before we finish up, obviously, we're just going towards the end of the season now in that cup final.
• 27:54
  SPEAKER_01: Is it really exciting for you to possibly win a trophy, a second trophy in a row as a manager?
• 28:00
  SPEAKER_01: Your first one here, and a trophy out of one one out of three would be a success, I guess.
• 28:05
  SPEAKER_01: And you've only been here six months, so is there lots of excitement around that from you?
• 28:09
  SPEAKER_02: Like it's massive excitement.
• 28:10
  SPEAKER_02: I think it's um you know, I think about it, um, there's no no denying that.
• 28:14
  SPEAKER_02: I think if you were to ask Leah in the same, she'll be thinking about it.
• 28:17
  SPEAKER_02: Um it's it's great to win stuff, it really is.
• 28:20
  SPEAKER_02: Um for me, yep, this one would be massive because it would come so close so early in my time here, um, and I think probably give us a little nudge towards you know where I want us to be, where I see us going.
• 28:36
  SPEAKER_02: Um but as with all of these things, it's more about the team than I.
• 28:41
  SPEAKER_02: I think there's a massive, you know, very good supportive staff team at Celtic Women.
• 28:46
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but the players deserve these things when it when they come around, and it's for them to celebrate and and you know, same same as winning a league last year, the the day after your first thoughts onto what's coming next year.
• 28:57
  SPEAKER_02: So it'll be the same if if we get a success.
• 29:00
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and if not, nothing will change.
• 29:01
  SPEAKER_02: It'll be the next day, I'll be thinking about the next season and where we're going.
• 29:05
  SPEAKER_02: So um, but look, I think what what it does is um maybe just a little bit whilst the squad would change, it would just re-energise the group and the staff.
• 29:15
  SPEAKER_02: Um, that you know they've got they've had another successful moment and and a nice occasion.
• 29:20
  SPEAKER_02: Um so yeah, we're we're we'll be going out all out come today.
• 29:23
  SPEAKER_01: Very lastly, see when it comes to those big games, do you have any little like superstitions or little rituals that you stick to?
• 29:30
  SPEAKER_01: I mean it's um you must have that else.
• 29:32
  SPEAKER_02: I'm telling everything here, all the secrets, but um yeah, I generally have similar clothing items on that's gone out the window this season because I've lost too many games um for for the first time in a while.
• 29:44
  SPEAKER_02: But yeah, probably probably now I've gotten over all of those things that I clung on to last year, and if I wear the same socks and everything else is the same.
• 29:52
  SPEAKER_01: I've got a very specific set of socks I wear sometimes.
• 29:55
  SPEAKER_02: Not that far out.
• 29:55
  SPEAKER_02: No, there you go.
• 29:56
  SPEAKER_02: But but yeah, we've probably I've probably not found a lucky set yet in my time here.
• 30:01
  SPEAKER_02: But um yeah, come the cup final, I think everyone's out the window, it's a one-off, and and Rangers will be going out to win the game same as us, so uh it'll be an interesting one.
• 30:09
  SPEAKER_01: No, listen, thank you so much for giving us your time today.
• 30:12
  SPEAKER_01: It's been really good to speak to you.
• 30:13
  SPEAKER_01: It's always good to speak to you, and you know, very best of luck for that that cup final and next season, and hope you get a break over the summer as well.
• 30:21
  SPEAKER_01: I think you and I will probably get a break.
• 30:23
  SPEAKER_01: It sort of sorts everybody needs it, don't they?
• 30:26
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's uh been one absolutely bonkers season.
• 30:29
  SPEAKER_01: So a break for everyone and we holiday and then come back refresh.
• 30:32
  SPEAKER_01: But thank you so much.
• 30:32
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, thanks for having me.
• 30:34
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you to Alison as well, and thank you to you all for listening.