Scotland women boss excited to see World Cup progress

Shelley Kerr believes her Scotland women's team will get a World Cup progress report when they fly to Spain for a friendly double-header against Norway and Iceland.

The trip to La Manga club is part of the preparation for the finals in France this summer where the Scots will take part in the competition for the first time.

Kerr noted that Scotland lost 3-0 to the Norwegians in a challenge match at the same venue a year ago and speaking at Hampden Park where she announced the 23-women squad for the game against Norway on Thursday, January 17 and Iceland on Monday, January 21, the national team head coach looked forward to seeing how much improvement has taken place in the last 12 months.

She said: Getting to the World Cup finals has been a massive achievement but to do ourselves justice we need to make sure we plan and prepare properly.

We are about to go to La Manga in the first international window for a training camp where we will play Norway and Iceland, two fantastic opponents.

We played Norway this time last year and lost 3-0 and it was the starting point in bedding down our philosophy in terms of the way want to play.

So it will be a great measure in terms of where we are at and where we have come from.''

Kerr stressed the build-up to the finals, where Scotland face England, Argentina and Japan in their group, will be methodical and calculated.

The former Scotland defender said: Everyone is excited when you talk about the women's game in Scotland, there are so many good things that have happened on the back of World Cup qualification.

It is an exciting time but we have to focus on one step at a time. We can't think too far ahead of ourselves.

The important thing is that myself and the staff are ready, we get the right plans in place, out scouting our opponents, scouting as many players as possible because we need to make sure we select the best players and the players that are on form.''

Kerr has several key players unavailable through injury while skipper Rachel Corsie has remained with Canberra United in Australia.

However, the Scotland boss insists the door 100 per cent'' remains open for all players to make the final squad for France.

She said: I think we have proved that.

There are players that have been in the squad, out the squad and then have come back in. It is going to be on merit.

We have a window in February and March where we will go to Algarve Cup, we have another international window in April and then a pre-camp before we go to the World Cup.

We will constantly be out there looking out at all the players.

The message to the critical mass of players we are looking at, it is going to be about attitude, performance and application and players that are form.

It is up to myself and the rest of the coaching staff to get out there and constantly look and scrutinise how the players are doing.'

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