Scotland vs Austria: WSL star on Martinez-Losa impact and how SWNT can roar to Hampden victory

Everton midfielder Lucy Graham chats Scotland’s Spanish injection, the World Cup dream and why the Hampden roar can push them past Austria and closer to Australia and New Zealand 2023.

Scotland’s Lucy Graham and Spain’s Aitana Bonmati compete for the ball at Hampden Park (Photo by Ross MacDonald / SNS Group)

Yet to experience a major tournament with her country, the 25-year-old former Hibs player is confident the team can edge a step closer to next year’s World Cup by beating Austria in their first round play-off at Hampden Park tomorrow night.

A regular name in the Scotland squad since Pedro Martinez-Losa took charge last year, she heralded the Spanish boss’s appointment as a key reason for the team’s upturn in form and believes they are in their best position to qualify for a major tournament since 2019.

"Pedro and his staff have really flipped Scottish football upside down and added a Spanish style to our play. They have put a real stamp on Scottish women’s football as a whole.

Lucy Graham believes Scotland boss Pedro Martinez-Losa progressed the Scottish national team (Photo by Paul Devlin / SNS Group)

“It’s really testing us as players and characters because they are asking us to do things we haven’t really been exposed to before.

"In the last two or three years, we’ve really developed as a team and a squad as a whole. The players are taking it back to their clubs as well and that is helping to carry us further forward.”

Scotland’s top talents

And while Graham and her Scotland team-mates were forced to watch the hugely popular Women’s Euros from the sidelines, the Toffees midfielder is confident the country won’t miss out this time, citing recent performances against the likes of Holland and Spain as evidence they can sling it with the best.

"I think when Pedro first came in he wanted us to really start competing with the top nations in the world – he knew the players on paper within the squad are really top, talented players that play in the WSL and beyond, so there was no reason for us not to be competing and qualifying for these top tournaments.

"First and foremost, we needed to start competing and I think we’ve done that. We showed that against Spain, Holland and Sweden. The margins have been close.

"We had a heavy defeat against Spain a year ago and I think when we came back to face them in Hampden, we showed the fans what we could do. As a whole, I think it is about competing before we start setting expectations, that will give us the best chance.

"Being at home is a real bonus and hopefully we can get a big crowd that will be the 12th person and really egg us on.

"We know it won’t be easy. I watched Austria in the Euros and they went toe-to-toe with England who went on to win the tournament – so there’s lots of footage and analysis to be done, but we are going in confident on the back of some really competitive games.”

The growth of the Scottish Women’s Premier League

Graham, who started her career as a talented youngster with Forfar Farmington, also heaped praise on the emerging Scottish Women’s Premier League.

The league, which now boasts more professional and semi-professional clubs than ever before, is proving a real benefit at international level.

“It’s not just good for Scotland, it’s good for the whole world that these developing countries are competing at elite level – the differences in level between the teams are starting to shrink and become more competitive.

"I think it’s massive that the Scottish teams are putting their mark on the Champions League.

"I was watching Rangers against Benfica and they went toe-to-toe with a team that they had obviously never played before and in a competition they have never previously been in. It shows a real increase in the women’s game up in Scotland."

Scotland face Austria on Thursday night at Hampden Park, with kick-off scheduled for 7.30pm. Tickets are available here.