SHELLEY KERR has added just one player to her squad for Scotland’s friendly double-header this month. The national team take on Norway and Russia in Spain in two weeks, with Rachael Small of Hibs replacing team-mate Lucy Graham.

The Scotland coach is delighted about the strength of the squad, although two mainstays – Kim Little and Lizzie Arnot – are still absent as they recover from cruciate injuries.

The former Arsenal Ladies manager has been in charge of the national team for just over six months and while there is a way to go before the team are where she wants them to be, she is pleased about the direction the squad is going in.

“The squad is still a work in progress,” she said. “Anna [Signeul] has done an amazing job in her 12 years and with that comes the transitional period where you want to develop a new style of play.

“We’ve been renown for being a tough team to beat but now we want to get to the next level by playing attractive football with more freedom. That has maybe eluded us in the past.”

This month’s friendlies come ahead of the team’s next two World Cup qualifying matches against Switzerland and Poland in April, and with

Scotland having claimed the maximum six points from their first two matches of the campaign against Belarus and Albania, Kerr is keen for the team to maintain momentum.

“If we can see elements of things we are trying to implement on the training pitch in the games then we will be happy but to create that culture and winning habit, we want to maintain that winning momentum.”

The 20-year anniver-sary of a Scottish football team qualifying for a World Cup looms and no one is more aware than Kerr of the desperation of the nation to see that run halted.

“It is a long time [since we last qualified for a World Cup] and it is very, very difficult,” she said. “However, we have got off to a good start and we have the players who, on our day, if we get things right, can cause the er teams problems.”