Scotland boss Pedro Martinez Losa has praised Christy Grimshaw for her ‘good values’ as he named the AC Milan star in his 26-player squad for the Pinatar Cup.
Stonehaven-raised Grimshaw will travel to Spain next week as part of a strong squad that includes a mix of experience and in-form players, with Lisa Evans, Rachael Boyle and Rachel McLauchlan being the only notable absentees who miss out due to injury.
The AC Milan midfielder has been ever-present in Martinez Losa’s line-ups since he took charge in July, having started five out of her six appearances under the Spaniard, and scored two goals in the World Cup qualifiers at Hampden.
At international level, she has proven her versatility having played in both defensive and attacking positions as part of the starting XI.
Grimshaw continues to impress in her second year in Serie A with AC Milan and Martinez Losa reckons her success for club and country is down to her qualities on and off the pitch.
“I like to raise Christy a lot, as well as other players, because since we arrived to our position the attitude of the players and how they engage in training, in every task and plan that we propose has been incredible,” Martinez Losa said.
“In the case of Christy, she’s a very versatile player who has been scoring goals and proving her level for her club and with the national team.
🏴 Your Scotland squad for the 2022 Pinatar Cup.
➡️ Read more: https://t.co/XA3SHovAYN#SWNT | #PinatarCup pic.twitter.com/Hu8WQb9agN
— Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) February 8, 2022
“She’s a great girl who brings a lot of good things and good values to the group too which is what we want to have in our team.
“We want to have a balance of the player’s quality attributes and with human values too, and at the end of the day that is going to link us into being a great team.”
Scotland skipper being closer to home
Scotland captain Rachel Corsie was also named in Martinez Losa’s squad for the Pinatar Cup, and in Spain, she will play for the national team for the first time since her move to Aston Villa.
Aberdeen native Corsie made the deadline day move back to the FAWSL from Kansas City Current in the United States, which the Scotland boss thinks could prove beneficial to both the skipper and the national team.
A claret & blue bow for @RachelCorsie14. 🎬 pic.twitter.com/cdaLRP29Fv
— Aston Villa Women (@AVWFCOfficial) January 30, 2022
Martinez Losa said: “It was not my decision, and Rachel needs to make her own decisions in terms of what is best for her future.
“But obviously, from the travelling perspective, we had a chat before and I think she felt that it was a good move for her.
“And I agree with that in terms of having a good football programme with stability.
“She can play regularly closer to home and then hopefully continue to bring her best level to the national team.”
Processes then results
Scotland will travel to Spain as the Pinatar Cup reigning champions, having won the inaugural tournament back in 2020.
The round-robin tournament has changed format this time round by including eight teams, and between February 16 and 22 Scotland will play three games with the first being a home nations clash against Wales.
In his time as Scotland boss so far, five of his six games have been must-win World Cup qualifiers, and Martinez Losa admits the Pinatar Cup presents an opportunity to play without that pressure.
“We’ve been looking forward to this one since we arrived, it gives us a little more of a break to be focused on training, focus on processes and give the attention to the players,” Martinez Losa explained.
“It’s also a totally different scenario where we are having 26 players, three games and a totally different kind of objective – something without the pressure of the World Cup qualifiers.
“But we also have high expectations of doing well and winning matches, so it’s great to have this experience and be able to put the group together and be more focused on the process rather than the results.”
The tournament in Spain might also act as a ‘warm-up’ tournament ahead of Scotland’s crucial World Cup qualifiers against Ukraine and Spain in April.
But Martinez Losa insists he won’t rely on the Pinatar Cup as his sole preparation ahead of those games.
He added: “Hopefully we can have continuity in terms of the work that we do with the players and we can create that energy from once camp to the other.
“You always have this kind of energy from one camp and going into the next one, but I’m aware we have to deal with the competitions the players are in and hopefully we’re in a good place in April when we travel to Ukraine and then play Spain in Scotland.
“It’s good preparation, but from February to April, a lot of things can happen.”