Who Could Replace Pedro Martinez Losa
Failure to qualify for another major tournament has led to questions over the continued tenure of the Scotland manager, but who could we see come in?
It isn’t the first time that the Scotland manager’s job has been under question, but after failing to qualify for back to back major tournaments under his leadership time is surely up. We’ll always have that win over Australia in London…
Questions will linger over why the SFA handed a new four year deal to him in late 2023 after failing to qualify for the World Cup and being relegated in the Nations League. Before that they need to get the next appointment right, and quickly. We can’t afford them to hand the reigns to a men’s youth coach for 18 months before making a decision (as much as Stuart McLaren did an okay job in his time). This generation should not be missing from another major tournament, this is the decision to ensure that.
We’ve had a look at what managers we would like to see up for the role with the following criteria:
Must have experience in women’s football, preferably at the top level and/or international set ups.
Must be able to adapt their tactical ideas to their circumstances, preferably with some experience of the style in Scottish football (high intensity, quick transitions, some physicality).
Preferably has experience pushing associations/clubs for change or additional resources.
Preferably has experience developing players.
We have also excluded any manager that fairly obviously wouldn’t take the job, we aren’t going to be suggesting Jonatan Giráldez leave Michelle Kang’s mega-bucks Washington Spirit for this job… which brings us on to the last thing we’ll say before we get on with our suggestions.
There is always a debate over whether a foreign manager can be successful in charge of a national team. A debate that we couldn’t agree on between ourselves when we made this list, therefore the list includes some Scottish managers and some from abroad. However, we do think it is important that whoever comes in respects Scottish football for what it is (way more tactical and technical than it is given credit for) and holds domestic Scottish football in high regard. Unlike their predecessor.
Right then, let’s get into it (in no particular order). Agree, disagree, have a suggestion of your own? Let us know in the comments or on social media.
Carmelina Moscato
We are starting with our most unattainable shout, and likely the name you are least familiar with. The former Canada international, Tigres manager, and current Racing Louisville assistant would be a real coup for Scotland to attract. She did say she wanted her next management gig to be a long term project, what better than a national team that have some of the best players in the world but haven’t played on the world stage in over five years?
Key for foreign born managers she has strong experience taking charge of a team in another country and respecting the country’s style of play, unsurprising when her playing CV saw her play in a number of countries outside her own. Including Sweden who we know share a lot of similarities to the Scottish game.
She has held roles in youth development, and as a head coach she has been given high praise for how she has treated players as human beings. During her time at Tigres specifically the way she dealt with players going on maternity and ensuring that they were empowered to do so while still feeling ‘part of the team’ is a real green flag.
Desiree Ellis
One of the 2023 World Cup’s most impressive performances came from Banyana Banyana, the four time CAF manager of the year taking the AFCON winners to the last sixteen with a win over Italy. It might seem like an impossible appointment with the former South Africa international managing her home nation successfully, but equally it is a chance to manage some of the best players in world football and that isn’t nothing.
She has very strong experience of getting the best out of the talent pool available to her with South Africa’s squad mostly made up of players playing in the domestic league supporting one or two star players playing abroad (including a familiar face in Linda Motlhalo). With her management often praised for how much belief she inspires in her squad.
She also has strong experience fighting for further resources to be devoted to the women’s game. Something that is likely to be important for any manager in this role as we aim to avoid the scenario that left Martinez Losa with a backroom staff made up of people working full time elsewhere.
Mark Parsons
Yes, he’s English and there’s probably a not insignificant number of people that would hold that against him. But, he’s a very accomplished coach who is available now. His spell in charge of the Netherlands likely a question mark for many. But, he has been reflective openly about his shortcomings in that role, and he was trying to balance the role with his family life and managing the Portland Thorns. We know all too well from PML’s backroom staff how balancing multiple roles is not a positive combination.
The argument for him then… He won NWSL manager of the year in 2016 whilst with the Portland Thorns, a club which he won the NWSL Championship with in 2017 and Shield twice in 2016 and 2021. A career win percentage of just under 50% includes a spell taking over the Washington Spirit whilst they were dead last. Even his Netherlands record that is held up as disappointing only included three losses in 18.
He has shown an ability to be “player-first”, has been in environments with high expectations (Netherlands and Portland Thorns), and favours a direct attacking style that suits Scottish football. On paper it is a very good fit for both parties.
Grant Scott
The current Hibernian manager is an option that offers some predictability, you know what you’re getting with him and he has the CV to rival most candidates. The length of time he has spent developing and pushing on standards in the SWPL is a credit to his dedication to Scottish women’s football. In fact, nine of the most recent national team call ups have played under him at some point in their careers.
Tactically Scott’s sides are typically solid at the back, usually featuring at least one holding midfielder and a focus on structure. We saw throughout the 2023/24 season how flexible he is using different systems to suit the players at his disposal. His Hibs side lining up with a back three and four, a front two and three, and more midfield combinations than we can count at various points in the season.
Key to his appointment would be his long history of putting faith in youth and creating an environment for his players to show their best selves. During Signeul’s golden era the focus was to improve and professionalise, then the golden generation came and she created a system to allow them to show their individual talents. Since then every SWNT manager has been system focused, taking players and putting them into roles that may not suit them. It sounds like it’s too easy to be an effective fix but playing players in their natural positions generally leads to a successful team (even if it means that not all of our “best players” can be on the pitch at once).
Brian Graham
Partick Thistle fans, it is for the good of the nation we’re sure you understand. It is a bit of a wildcard as the appointment would also likely require him to retire from football at the end of the season to really dedicate himself to the role, but, he is the outstanding Scottish manager in the SWPL with Partick Thistle rightfully earning significant plaudits under his charge.
Thistle are almost the quintessential Scottish team. Extremely hard to beat, a team others hate to face, quick on the counter, and potentially most important when it comes to an SWNT view - give a platform for individual talent to shine. It would be a big step up for him as he has never managed a full time team but he had never managed any team when he as appointed at Thistle, and Thistle hadn’t prepared for the top flight when they were thrown in last minute, but he has passed those tests with flying colours.
The biggest question when he was appointed at Thistle was whether he was embedded into the Scottish women’s game or if it was just a convenient job for his CV while he played for the men’s team. Anyone that has watched him talk about his Thistle side, or complete a 5k on the touchline throughout a game, will know that he absolutely is all in now. Someone speaking with such reverence about Scotland is something that we haven’t had in a long time.
Here for the Graham v Hayes set-to next time Scotland play the US button 👇🏼