Latest / A Level Playing Field / Melissa Andreatta reveals Emslie return to Scotland Squad I A Level Playing Field I Episode 21

Transcript

Melissa Andreatta reveals Emslie return to Scotland Squad I A Level Playing Field I Episode 21 · A Level Playing Field

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_02: Welcome to a level playing field sponsored by Nutmeg Magazine, the Scottish Football Quarterly.
• 0:05
  SPEAKER_02: 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_02: 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 back to Level Playing Field.
• 0:22
  SPEAKER_01: I'm Cheryl Smith, joined as ever by Alison McConnell, and this week we've got a special for you.
• 0:28
  SPEAKER_01: It's a Scotland World Cup preview.
• 0:30
  SPEAKER_01: Of course, the double header against Israel coming up next month, and we're joined by none other than Scotland manager Melissa Andreata.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_01: Melissa, thank you for joining us again.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I'm looking forward to another chat with you both.
• 0:41
  SPEAKER_01: It's gonna be good, I'm sure.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_01: Dive straight into the squad because it's uh it's come out recently.
• 0:45
  SPEAKER_01: So the squad news is Mia Macaulay, Charlotte Neusham and Maria McArenney drop out, Christy Grimshaw, Weir and Claire Emsley in in the big story is Claire Emsley returns to the squad.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_01: Of course, she had a baby five months ago, made her return to Angel City on the pitch two weeks ago.
• 1:01
  SPEAKER_01: I think it was in Mother's Day in the US.
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_01: But how did those conversations start for you?
• 1:07
  SPEAKER_01: Because obviously she wasn't here when you when you joined last April.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_01: So how did it all kind of play out that she's now back in in the squad?
• 1:14
  SPEAKER_00: Well, fortunately, um established that relationship um long before um the baby was born.
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_00: As soon as I started, I connected with all the players, and she was one of them.
• 1:25
  SPEAKER_00: Um at the time she was part of the leadership group, and I want to say hello and get to know her.
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_00: And we we've formed a really good, you know, working relationship, even though she wasn't um gonna be in camp.
• 1:37
  SPEAKER_00: And we've stayed connected and worked with the club, our performance team, and theirs, and um given her every opportunity to get back.
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_00: But everyone's seen her own um work ethic and commitment um, you know, to her to her game and to her return, and and she's you know earned the opportunity.
• 1:53
  SPEAKER_00: She actually had um some behind doors minutes as well before Mother's Day.
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_00: So um, yeah, really pleased for her, and I'm looking forward to um seeing her in our environment and um uh especially what she can do with set pieces, which we all know she's a a big threat with.
• 2:11
  SPEAKER_02: It's incredibly progressive too to be able to say to someone, come back to work, but uh you can bring your baby, just just bring this wee baby and you can't.
• 2:19
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I mean the world we live in um today is a progressive one, and um you know, being a mother is no barrier.
• 2:27
  SPEAKER_00: And um I've worked with many athletes who are mothers and footballers as well.
• 2:31
  SPEAKER_00: And uh this team has had experience um with mothers as well, and um had processes in place long before I started.
• 2:38
  SPEAKER_00: So um ultimately we just want our players performing at their best, and uh for Claire that's what it's it looks like.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_00: Um, mother and baby stay together, and we've got things in place to support her to perform and thrive.
• 2:51
  SPEAKER_02: You get uh those therapy dogs, you know, like things when when people are stressing, like having a having a baby in camp.
• 2:58
  SPEAKER_02: It's like quite it's like really nice for other players, especially when you can hand back, you know, you can get uh 10-minute cuddle and then you can hand the baby back.
• 3:07
  SPEAKER_02: But it's just I just think it would be it's such a it's so refreshing to to have that a bit and and for her herself, like there isn't that question at the back of your mind, is everything okay at home or is the baby okay?
• 3:19
  SPEAKER_02: This is like a 10-day stretch that you're away from a tiny infant, like that that they're with you.
• 3:25
  SPEAKER_00: Exactly right.
• 3:25
  SPEAKER_00: There's yeah, that's that that certainty and security that you have, um, that your family's okay, and um, when you're a breastfeeding mother, especially that um that's super important to um continue that connection, and um that's you know critical in the early um days and months um for a um a young baby, and we're just excited because um all my experiences um with athletes who are parents um with children in camp have only ever been positive and um the professionalism and the performances of the group um continue on because at the end of the day you're still a human being, you've still got life to get on with, and um yeah, they're more than capable of um doing their work and and still being a parent or mother.
• 4:11
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's interesting, isn't it?
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_01: Because Claire coming back in is like almost like a club manager getting a new sign-in because she's not been part of it and she brings it, she brings something different and also an experience.
• 4:22
  SPEAKER_01: She made her debut away back in 2013.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_01: I think she was a sub for one of your coaches, Leanne Ross, against Iceland.
• 4:28
  SPEAKER_01: So, you know, the experience that um that she brings, but just how good will that experience be to bring into the group and just to something a bit different, and you mentioned obviously her set pieces as well, which is huge.
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, of course, that experience in such a big window for us is is gonna be key, but it's her energy as well.
• 4:45
  SPEAKER_00: She's this super positive, um, proactive, uh connecting human being, and you you just can't help but feel good um being around her and um and just you know from working with her in my you know early days already.
• 5:00
  SPEAKER_00: So I know she's gonna bring the experience together with her energy, it's gonna um help the group go to another level.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_00: And um, you know, like you said, let's not forget her her footballing prowess.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_00: Is not only is she um a great set piece um taker, but she's got a sweet left foot and engines and speed to burn.
• 5:18
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm really looking forward to seeing what um she does in camp with us, and and we'll take it day by day as well.
• 5:24
  SPEAKER_00: I don't want to put any um pressure or expectation on her, um, day by day, see how performances go.
• 5:30
  SPEAKER_00: And um yeah, I'm looking forward to it.
• 5:32
  SPEAKER_01: How are you feeling about the squad in general, then?
• 5:35
  SPEAKER_01: Because there's a couple of players have obviously dropped out.
• 5:37
  SPEAKER_01: Like Sid Maria Makaneni who's who's had surgery and hopefully see her back as soon as possible.
• 5:42
  SPEAKER_01: But in general, just how are you feeling about the group that you've got there?
• 5:45
  SPEAKER_00: Well, first of all, I want to say how um disappointing it is and and sad that you know, whenever a player gets injured, um both Maria and and Charlotte, um, you never want to see that.
• 5:56
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, such young players who, you know, were on a good good run um playing for club and getting call-ups for country.
• 6:03
  SPEAKER_00: So we only wish them well and uh thinking of them.
• 6:06
  SPEAKER_00: Um but yeah, having having said that, overall, the whole squad, I think we're seeing um some cohesion um developing within the squad where there's a core group um that are performing well, um, are fit and inform and um and then adding in uh players with different qualities, different profiles who have a different role balances out the squad.
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm really pleased um with how our squad is taking shape and um I feel like every camp I'm still learning even more about them.
• 6:37
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm sure that's gonna be the case this camp where um we're we're really gonna be, you know, asked um and demand demand of ourselves to take another step up.
• 6:46
  SPEAKER_01: It's been a positive campaign so far.
• 6:48
  SPEAKER_01: It's gonna be two difficult games, of course, but is this a huge opportunity for you to really cement yourself in this group of sitting top at the moment on goal difference over Belgium?
• 6:57
  SPEAKER_01: But these two games a chance to go out there and try and get maximum points.
• 7:01
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, we've said that from the beginning.
• 7:02
  SPEAKER_00: So nothing changes in terms of our approach.
• 7:05
  SPEAKER_00: Um outlined that from the the start of the year, the the group stage that um it's all about um max points.
• 7:12
  SPEAKER_00: So the first job is is to win and get the result, and then next part is to win well, and that's to make sure we look after uh the goal difference.
• 7:20
  SPEAKER_00: So we've said that all along.
• 7:22
  SPEAKER_00: Um, we've embraced the opportunity and approached every game as a playoff, and we've got another two to go.
• 7:27
  SPEAKER_00: And then um at the end of you know that 180 plus minutes, um, we have six points in the bag and a and a good um gold differential, and um yeah, we're still on top of the table, but we've got to look forward and embrace that like they have um in each game, each session, each day that we've been working together.
• 7:48
  SPEAKER_01: It's time for our player of the week, sponsored by Nutmeg Magazine, the home of brilliant football stories.
• 7:53
  SPEAKER_01: Check out the latest issue at nutmegmagazine.co.uk.
• 7:57
  SPEAKER_02: This week's Nutmeg Player of the Week goes to Katie Wilkinson following her race against Celtic as Rangers beat Grant Scott's side 4-0 to keep up the pressure in hearts and set up a league decider on Sunday afternoon.
• 8:13
  SPEAKER_01: That was our Nutmeg Magazine player of the week.
• 8:15
  SPEAKER_01: For more great football writing and to order the latest issue, visit nutmegmagazine.co.uk.
• 8:20
  SPEAKER_02: Have you enjoyed just learning about the the squad and the games that you've played so far?
• 8:24
  SPEAKER_02: Like, have you have you got what you expected to get from them and maybe are where you expected to be, or have you surpassed where you expected to be just now?
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_00: That's a really good question.
• 8:34
  SPEAKER_00: I guess the first part is I love working with this team.
• 8:37
  SPEAKER_00: Like it's been so refreshing and such a joy.
• 8:40
  SPEAKER_00: You know, a lot of people tell me um Scottish folk are so humble, and and maybe sometimes it doesn't play in our favour, but with this group, I think it's a superpower, a positivity, a positive thing because they're such elite high-level athletes already.
• 8:55
  SPEAKER_00: But that humility shows up for me in that they they never think um, you know, um, well they always think they can be better, that they can make their best even better, and they're just so hungry to do even more and have high standards, and that's a joy to work with as a coach.
• 9:10
  SPEAKER_00: You don't have to um motivate them, they're already motivated, and it's just finding um the key to unlock their true potential.
• 9:18
  SPEAKER_00: And I think we're getting closer to that.
• 9:19
  SPEAKER_00: I'm really pleased, in fact, with where we're at.
• 9:22
  SPEAKER_00: But you know, I'm still learning.
• 9:24
  SPEAKER_00: I still think there's a few um keys to unlock so that you know we really are flying against top, top teams in um, you know, at the highest level under the highest pressure.
• 9:33
  SPEAKER_00: And we've set ourselves up for that for the playoff, the first playoff in October, but you know, we park that, and these two games we have to nail um the result and the goal differential.
• 9:45
  SPEAKER_00: So we're on top, and that's what we want to do.
• 9:47
  SPEAKER_02: How tough has it been, or has it been tough to to focus solely on the football when obviously there's so much noise around this game going to be played behind closed doors in Hungary?
• 9:57
  SPEAKER_02: We had a protest here at Hamden prior to your arrival the last time Scotland played Israel.
• 10:02
  SPEAKER_02: There's obviously a lot of political noise around this encounter.
• 10:06
  SPEAKER_02: Has you has it been tough just to say we can't afford to be drawn into that?
• 10:10
  SPEAKER_02: It just has to be about the football.
• 10:12
  SPEAKER_00: Um, it's been a journey.
• 10:14
  SPEAKER_00: I first of all wanted to understand um, you know, the the water that I'm swimming in.
• 10:18
  SPEAKER_00: I'm I'm new to this country and understanding the history and and why things are the way they are was important to me.
• 10:24
  SPEAKER_00: So I've I've uh understood and understand um the situation to the best that I can.
• 10:30
  SPEAKER_00: But um for me at the end of the day, um it's all about football, and that's what I've been appointed to do to get this team playing a level of football that gets them back to um major tournaments, and and that's what I have to uh focus on now when we're so close to the camp is is doing just that and and not being distracted by um anything outside of my control.
• 10:52
  SPEAKER_00: Um, because all that I can control is um inspiring, preparing um a group of individuals to come together collectively to achieve our shared goal.
• 11:02
  SPEAKER_00: And and that's my what all I can think about and want to do.
• 11:06
  SPEAKER_01: Does it feel like a tougher prospect than it might have been though?
• 11:09
  SPEAKER_01: Because it's effectively two OE games and you're not gonna have Scotland fans there.
• 11:13
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 11:14
  SPEAKER_00: Um not having the fans in the stands is one thing, but something I'm familiar with from COVID times.
• 11:20
  SPEAKER_00: Um my history with uh a previous team was we played a lot of games through COVID times with with no one in the stands.
• 11:27
  SPEAKER_00: So um I'll share those experiences if needed and when needed with the group, but I'm also very familiar with uh traveling away for a whole window um and being on the road.
• 11:38
  SPEAKER_00: So um it's it's not new to me, but for the group, um it might be they've done it before, um, might be a little while ago, but a lot of them have done it and done similar in clubs when especially some American teams, it's not um, you know, best to to go back home.
• 11:54
  SPEAKER_00: They stay on the road.
• 11:56
  SPEAKER_00: So I don't think it's as unfamiliar as we think it might be.
• 11:59
  SPEAKER_00: So um, and at the end of the day, the top professionals and when you have such a clear vision and direction about where we want to head and where we want to go, um, I think that's what they'll focus on and not all the other stuff going on around them.
• 12:12
  SPEAKER_02: It is football and a kind of hide into nothing for games like this, you know.
• 12:15
  SPEAKER_02: Critics will say, Oh, you shouldn't be playing these games, or can you take a political stance and boycott the games?
• 12:21
  SPEAKER_02: But if you if if if you were to do something like that and forfeit points and forfeit the potential to go and play at a World Cup, it it's almost like you're missing out on a chance to to amplify things, or you're missing out on a chance to to focus on what you were here to do, which was essentially take Scotland back to a World Cup.
• 12:38
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and that last part of what you said is what I have to focus on and what I want to focus on because at the end of the day, um football is a game that's played on um the pitch with 22 players, and um that's my task is to get my 11 um in a position to beat the other 11, and uh those other concerns and um discussion points uh for those outside of our circle um to talk about, but for us inside the circle, it's only about the game and making sure that um we get ourselves in the best position possible to be where we want to be and and do it in a way that makes um our fans, our family, and our friends proud.
• 13:19
  SPEAKER_01: How do you deal with these double headers just in general?
• 13:22
  SPEAKER_01: Because obviously there's so little time between both games to prepare and being the same same opponent.
• 13:27
  SPEAKER_01: How do you kind of tackle those?
• 13:29
  SPEAKER_01: Is it is it hard to not think ahead to the second game before you play the first one?
• 13:33
  SPEAKER_00: Um good question.
• 13:35
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, as a coach, you kind of always are.
• 13:38
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but you quickly compartmentalize things, and the sooner you get into camp, you are only just focused on um the first game.
• 13:46
  SPEAKER_00: Uh what we we've done and from experience um found ways of preparing the team uh for an opponent by looking at trends across the three teams.
• 13:58
  SPEAKER_00: Um so that you know we feel that uh the team's been preparing for this um game uh long before this window starts.
• 14:06
  SPEAKER_00: So um, and I won't get into the details of that.
• 14:09
  SPEAKER_00: That's you know our little secrets to success, I hope.
• 14:12
  SPEAKER_00: But um essentially, yeah, we're comfortable with the time that we have.
• 14:15
  SPEAKER_00: The time that we've got is all that we need, and we'll make the most of it.
• 14:19
  SPEAKER_00: And when that whistle goes to kick off the first game, we'll be flying out of the gates and ready.
• 14:23
  SPEAKER_01: Do you enjoy that element of international management where there's there's obviously sometimes big long gaps in between?
• 14:28
  SPEAKER_01: I suppose that's where you do a lot of your work, and we see you all around the country at different games and watching things.
• 14:34
  SPEAKER_01: But do you enjoy that part of it where you can you're not with the players, but you can there's uh so many other things that you're doing to for when you get to that point.
• 14:41
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, that's a nice way to look at it.
• 14:44
  SPEAKER_00: And that is the positive that yeah, it's it's felt like a longer time between camps this time and well, because it actually has been, but I do use it to watch more games and um I guess dive into things that I might not get the time to otherwise.
• 14:58
  SPEAKER_00: But you also miss the players more, and you know, as a club coach you're with the players and the staff day in, day out, and you miss that.
• 15:05
  SPEAKER_00: But you know, the plus side, as you said, there are little projects that we have as staff that we work on, um, studying different ways of playing, um, talking to players more often, um, yeah, doing all different things to fill our time to make sure that we're always growing and improving, uh, ready to embrace the next challenge, which I think we've utilized this time really well and we'll be ready.
• 15:28
  SPEAKER_01: And you've been obviously been around a lot of league games and things like that, and we're at the end, almost at the end of the league now, and it's another thing they decided of of sorts between Rangers and and Hearts.
• 15:38
  SPEAKER_01: So, what have you thought of of the football and the the level of football now that you've seen pretty much a full season?
• 15:44
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, well, what I think is super beneficial, especially if I just put the you know, the head coach of the national team hat on, is that when you have a group of players um fighting till the final day um to lift a trophy, that's exactly the preparation that you want going into such a critical um international window where it is ruthless.
• 16:05
  SPEAKER_00: You have to do whatever it takes to perform better than your direct opponent or um the other team and do get it done.
• 16:15
  SPEAKER_00: And that's what this group is going to need to do in this um international window coming up.
• 16:20
  SPEAKER_00: So I think uh yeah, the fact that it's going to the final day again and um players uh you know fighting for that, but you know, to even impress the head coach who's still thinking about starting lineups and things like that, that um there's lots to show, lots to play for um for club and for country.
• 16:39
  SPEAKER_00: And uh I think having that um closeness in the league uh helps in that regard for sure.
• 16:45
  SPEAKER_01: Listen, it's been great to have this this chat with you.
• 16:47
  SPEAKER_01: The squad is out, uh the games are on the horizon, the crowdfunder is on, it's on route to Brazil.
• 16:54
  SPEAKER_00: Good, no pressure.
• 16:55
  SPEAKER_00: No, um that's where we want to be.
• 16:58
  SPEAKER_00: There's no shying away from it, and we're gonna work bloody hard to be there.
• 17:02
  SPEAKER_01: No, absolutely the best of luck for these two games against Is Israel as well.
• 17:06
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you to you for your time today, thank you to Alison, and thank you to you for listening.