Scotland Women's manager Pedro Martínez Losa post 2-1 UEFA Nations League defeat to England
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00:00 [SIDE CONVERSATION]
00:20 All good?
00:22 Yeah.
00:24 OK, Pedro's here.
00:25 And BBC Scotland, want to start us off?
00:29 Pedro, I thought it was an impressive performance,
00:32 just want to get your overall thoughts and analysis on tonight's match.
00:36 Well, first, we're disappointed because we came here to win,
00:40 and I think that means the ambition that we have as a team, as staff,
00:43 and as a family, we wanted to come here to compete and to play the football that we can play.
00:48 I think we did in some moments.
00:52 I don't speak about referees normally, but I think there's a clear penalty,
00:57 and it can change the game, I think England was also an excellent level for some moments,
01:01 but also Scotland was brilliant in many other moments, I hope people enjoy it.
01:05 And I think this is what the performance that this team can put together,
01:09 and we want to do it again in the next matches.
01:12 It wasn't just the penalty shoot-out, there were chances as well on the counter,
01:15 and some low balls across that were so, so close,
01:17 and the cross-battle in the second half as well.
01:20 Yeah, I think there's two teams who prepared to the details,
01:22 this is the next level of the women's game,
01:24 and this is where we are bringing this team, and this is the level that Sarina
01:29 and the England players are bringing the team to,
01:31 so I think it's incredible for the game, the atmosphere,
01:34 again, we're not still happy, we will never be happy losing games,
01:38 but we want the ambition to win games.
01:41 We had the feeling that we could get something else than losing the game,
01:45 but now the only thing we can do is to take the positives,
01:48 to continue building, to make sure we can recover and go again on Tuesday.
01:52 And you've said a big thing is the change of mentality,
01:54 which has been there in your time,
01:56 what does tonight do for the change of mentality going forward in the players?
01:59 Well, I think, especially as we showed in the second half,
02:03 we are a team that we need to give our identity, which is work hard,
02:07 it is a level of pressing, aggression, go to ball as quick as we can,
02:13 but also we want to have the ball,
02:14 I think both teams proposed similar things during the game,
02:18 I think there were moments where we showed our level,
02:21 but I think still we can do better on the ball,
02:23 and also defensively we were good, concentrated,
02:27 the dirty part of the game, I think both teams had to play that at some moment.
02:31 And the last minus I think was England,
02:34 who has been forced to play that part of the game because Scotland was good.
02:39 And finally a win for Belgium, I think it was tonight, against Netherlands,
02:42 so that sets things up for Tuesday now?
02:45 Yeah, I think every game, I think in this level,
02:48 if we are at our level it's going to be decided for small margins,
02:51 and today it was decided on the side of England,
02:53 but next time we hope it can be decided,
02:57 you know, football sometimes takes things from you,
02:59 but then also other times give you things and you keep working,
03:01 and I think this team is ready to put a good performance again on Tuesday
03:06 and the following games.
03:07 - Thank you, Pedro. - You're welcome.
03:10 Pedro, can I just ask you, to go back to the penalty,
03:13 did you have any dialogue at all with the assistant,
03:15 and what did Marta say about it?
03:18 For me, the only way I speak is because I have seen it very clearly,
03:23 live, and I have no question, so yes, obviously we are polite in this level,
03:28 so I say I think it's a clear penalty, I can't do anything else,
03:32 just to tell my opinion.
03:35 So I think, yeah, hopefully we have another day,
03:39 the decision is on our side, that's also part of football.
03:43 Marta particularly aggrieved in the aftermath,
03:45 she clearly felt as though she'd been impeded?
03:47 Yeah, I think it's a clear contact from behind,
03:50 so it's very easy to perceive that that was a penalty,
03:53 but there's nothing we can do now.
03:55 Is it frustrating for you that you leave with a very Scotland story,
03:59 a plucky story of courage and bravery in the second half,
04:02 but little to show for it?
04:03 No, no, I think the perception can be that,
04:07 but I think we came here to win, that's what we have said from the beginning,
04:10 I think we showed that we wanted to win, as well as England,
04:14 and we will continue with this idea to not be in a scare,
04:17 I think the first 20 minutes probably took some time for us to adapt to the scenario,
04:22 but that's why we are here, it was an incredible atmosphere,
04:26 and we want to be ready for these scenarios,
04:29 if we want to play major tournaments,
04:31 and I think all my recognition to my team, the players and staff,
04:36 because I think they put everything on the pitch.
04:38 Thanks Pedro.
04:39 First of all, I need to know where to get that tie from,
04:43 and secondly, we are in the closing stages to change formation,
04:47 I thought you freshened up the legs, but was there any temptation,
04:49 or were you happy with how that was going?
04:51 No, I think in the second half we were trying to think solutions
04:56 to damage England more, but I felt we had the momentum,
05:01 so sometimes not doing anything is the best thing,
05:04 but also when the fatigue appears,
05:06 you don't know how much the players are going to be capable to do effort,
05:09 when we felt the fatigue was appearing, then we made the substitution,
05:13 and at the very end we were going to change the formation,
05:17 but I think the Kirstie Hansen situation appeared,
05:19 so we had to just adapt to that situation, and it's part of our job,
05:23 we wanted to be a little more direct,
05:25 but I think England also controlled well in the last minute,
05:28 so I think that's part of competing.
05:30 How is Kirstie, do you know what the injury was?
05:40 I have not the full medical report, but I think she's OK.
05:44 Thank you.
05:45 Just a quick one, Emma Watson wasn't in the squad today,
05:49 can you tell us anything about that?
05:51 Yeah, we had a medical issue with her in the last training,
05:56 and we can provide further information, but she was not available for today.
06:00 Amy Gallacher came on for her debut after getting her first call-up,
06:06 and that will be really promising for the players domestically in Scotland
06:08 in the Scottish Women's Premier League, too, that there's opportunities there.
06:11 It's a strong debut you've got, but there's chances
06:14 and you're willing to give them call-ups when the performances are there to back it up?
06:19 Yeah, I think one of the secrets of this team is, for a long time, not today,
06:24 the players come to camp, put everything,
06:26 they have been...
06:27 Their attitude and capability to produce training sessions at the high level,
06:37 and to understand details for the preparation for the big games has been unbelievable.
06:42 Then you have to give them time to transform this one in performances, too.
06:46 So, the other objective that we have is also to increase the standards of the team,
06:50 not at the top, but also at the bottom,
06:52 so the players who are joining the team for a long time ago,
06:55 every day to train better and better.
06:57 So we wish we could have more time with them, but international windows are short.
07:01 And this is what is happening, I think players like Jamie Lee, Amy Gallacher,
07:06 Lisa Evans, who is very experienced,
07:08 but coming to give us a very good level of competitiveness in training,
07:11 I think that competitiveness in training and that feeling of fighting for a position
07:15 in a healthy way and following the same idea is what will help us to continue improving,
07:20 and that's one of the secrets of, for example, this performance today.
07:23 Hi, Pedro.
07:26 You seem to have some success in the wide areas against England's back three,
07:30 with the wing-backs, was that something you'd seen during the World Cup
07:32 and deliberately wanted to try and target tonight?
07:35 I think it's both ways.
07:36 I think England also has a lot of dangerous situations in the wide area,
07:41 so I think we all have to play our way,
07:45 especially with England, as you know,
07:47 they have been using two different formations.
07:50 Today they used the three in the back,
07:52 so naturally, tactically, you are going to have a space there.
07:55 But obviously, I can see how Lucy Bronze was very focused on trying to stop Kirstie Hansen.
08:00 Kirstie Hansen was very focused on stopping Lucy Bronze.
08:02 So it's how much, when you're winning the battle,
08:05 then Kirstie was very important in the game for us,
08:07 and in the first half, it was pretty much maybe more Lucy.
08:12 Well, first you have to win the battle in the middle.
08:14 I think football is played in the middle.
08:16 You have to be solid defensively.
08:17 When you are solid defensively, then you are in the game,
08:20 and then when the ball can pass through the middle,
08:23 then England has very important players individually and collectively.
08:27 And we also have some players,
08:28 and I think when our players were comfortable to appear and find the space to progress,
08:32 we looked dangerous, and that caused us to explode the wide areas.
08:37 I think one of these crosses could go in too, but yeah, that's part of the game.
08:41 And congratulations on the extended contract which was announced.
08:44 Could we just get your reaction on that,
08:45 and maybe just how much is the World Cup the target in mind with that extension to 27?
08:50 Well, first for me, it's a privilege to represent Scotland and to be part of this group.
08:56 I decided to extend the contract because I feel this is my team,
09:01 and this is where my heart is, and this is where the work has been put from the players and staff.
09:05 And now we are in a situation where we are looking for the objectives,
09:08 and I think it's important that we all know where we are,
09:11 and we have a clear vision together.
09:14 So I'm very proud to be given the opportunity from the SFA,
09:17 but I think it's even more than from the SFA.
09:19 It's for the whole country, and I hope we can inspire the whole nation.
09:23 And I think these kind of games, yes, we didn't win the game,
09:27 but I think people in Scotland will feel proud of what the players did today.
09:31 Even say that we are not happy because we didn't win, which was our objective.
09:36 But I think that's what we can continue building.
09:39 - Thanks, Pedro. - You're welcome.
09:40 All good?
09:43 Excellent.
09:44 - Thank you, guys. - Thank you.
09:46 Cheers.
09:47 [BLANK_AUDIO]