Leanne Ross on top flight reduction to help Scots thrive in Europe

The National

21 hours ago

SWPL managing director Fiona McIntyre is hoping that the restructure can ultimately lead to a fully professional top tier but in terms of short-term goals, Ross can see the immediate benefit to fewer games.
'You definitely do see it at points when there are three game weeks in the season,' she said. 'At City we have worked really hard to manage the workload in terms of what we do off the park and with recovery but I do think that having fewer games definitely helps.
'If you have teams competing in the Champions League, which is obviously the highest level that you can get in club football, then not having such a hectic schedule to contend with can help you spread the load.'
City will hope to make it back into the Champions League this term with the competition restructured to mirror that of last season's men's competition.
It is an arduous road to get there with the non-champions route always particularly fraught. Last term Rangers drew eventual winners Arsenal at the qualification stage and while City's pairing against Austria Vienna – and then Minsk should they negotiate the first hurdle - is not quite so daunting, it is no walk in the park.
Quarter-finalists twice, they lost to Brann two seasons ago the last time they were in the competition.
'I think it could have been a harder draw when you look at the teams that were in there,' said Ross. 'It is a difficult pathway to reach the league stage of the competition and we are well aware of that.
'But there is a huge prestige that goes with playing Champions League football, as this club well knows. We can't be looking too far ahead of ourselves. It is important that we just focus on each game as it comes rather than imaging the scenario of being in there.'
Ross, meanwhile, has revealed that while there is much to excite City in the coming season, they cannot proceed without a look over their shoulder.
Runners up to Hibs in the league, City brought the curtain down on the campaign with a limp 3-0 defeat to Rangers in the Scottish Cup final at Hampden to ensure they ended the season trophyless for a second successive season.
'It is always difficult when you finish off the season with a defeat like,' said Ross. 'There is no game to prepare for and so no way to get it out of your system.
'The players all disperse for international commitments and holidays so it does stay with you.
'We don't shy away from that. I have looked back on it and when the players are back in for pre-season it is something that we will analyse again because it is important that you reflect on it.
'But these are the positions that we want to be in. We want to be competing in finals and challenging for titles. It is always going to be the ambition of this club.'
And Ross is also confident that there will be new faces as City look towards the new season.
'That work is always ongoing, it doesn't just start when the season ends and the window opens,' she said. 'We are always working on identifying players and preparing not just for this window but for the next one as well.
'I'm confident that when the season starts we will be in a good position in terms of where the squad is.
'It is always exciting looking towards a new campaign and this is no different. Our targets are always to go and be as successful as we can be. That has also been the approach from City.'