NEW Spartans manager Suzy Shepherd takes her side to Aberdeen tomorrow for what is the pick of the League Cup quarter-final ties. Shepherd, who replaced Debbi McCulloch at Ainslie Park, has made a flying start to her managerial career. Her side sit top of SWPL1 with six points from their first two games, and they hammered top-tier Stirling University 5-1 in the first round of the League Cup.
All three matches, including a 2-1 defeat of Aberdeen, were at home so the trip to Heathryfold Park presents a new challenge.
Former Scotland international Shepherd, who played for Celtic and Hibernian as well as clubs in America and Iceland, knows the Spartans set-up well, having joined them in 2013 before stepping up to the manager’s post. She has wasted no time making her mark, bringing eight new players into the squad and promoting three from the reserves.
“All in all there are 11additions which is quite a big turnaround,” Shepherd said. Nevertheless, she has ensured continuity by retaining captain Katie Reilly and vice-captain Alana Marshall, the latter smashing home an eye-catching strike in the league win over Aberdeen.
“Both our goals in that game were from set-pieces,” Shepherd said. “In open play there wasn’t much between us. I felt when we were winning 2-0 we were in control without creating too much, but when they got their goal they definitely came back into it.
“We know Aberdeen is a very tricky place to go. The pitch is going to be tighter and it’s a grass park, which we aren’t used to. They also had a number of players missing when they played us. I think it will be a totally different game.”
Shepherd, who is aiming to improve on last season’s fifth-place finish in the league, is the only female manager or head coach among the eight teams in SWPL1. She has taken inspiration from former Scotland team-mates Shelley Kerr and Pauline Hamill, both of whom are enjoying successful coaching careers.
Shepherd is well down the road to getting her B Licence, but the future criteria for SWPL1 managers will be possession of an A Licence – or at least working towards one.
Tomorrow’s other ties are Forfar Farmington v Hibernian, Glasgow City v Glasgow Girls and Rangers v Buchan Ladies.
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