In 10 days time, the Scotland Women’s National Team kick-off their return to Group A of the UEFA Women’s Nation’s League without a permanent manager in place.

It will be two months this week since previous manager Pedro Martinez Losa left his post as leader. after steering his side to the top of their European Championship qualification group, with expectations and hope high.

But Scotland were knocked out of the final round playoffs by Finland, with the Scots failing to score a single goal over two legs.

The result means that Scotland Women’s National Team have been absent from the last three major football tournaments, since a cruel experience at the 2019 World Cup in France.

Last month, the head of Women’s Elite Football for the Scottish FA, Michael McArdle was announced as the interim Head Coach to see them into the new competitive campaign.

There was surprise from supporters that the nation will be set to take on Austria and the Netherlands this month with managerial uncertainty still hanging over them, but former Scotland international Emma Black, believes the decision of Spain’s Pedro Martinez Losa to depart in December, was the correct one.

Emma said: “When you’re in that position, you’re brought in to go and take the national team to major tournaments. We failed in World Cup qualification and now unfortunately, we’ve failed for the Euros. So the time come to make a chance and I feel it was the right decision.

“Performances weren’t there and we are more than capable of competing against those teams around us where the rankings are.”

McArdle will be well aware of how difficult Group A in the Nations League can be. Scotland are the lowest rank side of the four in their bracket with the Tartan Army’s girls sitting 14^th, and will work their way up firstly facing 11^th ranked Austria, and Netherlands in 8^th, before taking on the team rated 2^nd in Europe, Germany, in April.

SFA Chief Executive, Ian Maxwell, has full confidence in the coach as the squad enters another period of transition:

“Having Michael step in as interim head coach means that we can fully prepare for the nations league games, while the recruitment process for a permanent head coach continues”

Black, capped 42 times for her country, feels the future permanent head coach should have more of a focus on football in Scotland:

“What we need now from the manager is somebody a bit more home based, someone who knows the players better. I think we maybe need someone that knows our league as well. There are good players within our Scottish Women’s Premier League, who have not had the opportunity to obviously go and sample international football and they’re quite capable of doing so. We’ve got a very good squad, there’s no doubt about that and we’ve obviously got the standard there to go and compete in these major tournaments.”

These are thoughts that look to be shared by the temporary boss, as McArdle calls up five uncapped players from Scotland’s football top flight.

Goalkeeper Erin Clachers, on loan at Hibs from Glasgow City, joins her current team-mate Eilidh Adams and capital city rival Eilidh Shore of Hearts, plus Rangers magical teenage winger, Mia McAuley.

Celtic’s Emma Lawton also continues a remarkable rise in her career, as the 23-year-old moves from an end to a European football campaign with her club on the continent, and now looks for her premier senior cap.

The defender’s adventure is one that SWPL title winner Emma Black, feels can be a big advantage to the team: “Players are much more better prepared. The majority of top players in our league are professional now and are in an environment of training every day, resting, recovering, and travelling in the Champions League, so they’re almost sampling International Football. So our players within our league, the English league and overseas are much better prepared now.”

Captain Rachel Corsie is missing once again as she has suffered a set-back to her most recent injury, that meant she was unavailable for the last two matches.

There are two surprise absences, with Glasgow City wide player, Lisa Evans and Rangers captain, Nicola Docherty, with 115 caps and 63 respectively, both omitted.

Big decisions have been made, and big results are required for the Tartan Army to be able to start dreaming of qualification for the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil further down the line.

At this moment, they don’t even know who will be in permanent charge for qualification.

For former international Black, she also feels home focus can provide the perfect candidate: “I would like to see Brian Graham come in and take over. No doubt about it, it’s a huge job and a huge opportunity for anyone in a managerial position at the moment.

“He’s very passionate, and has done wonders at Partick Thistle, taking them from the bottom, up to the top and competing at that top end of the table with a minimum budget compared to other teams. He’s obviously able to get the changing room and group of players together to show that real passion and desire, and that transmits from him onto the pitch.”

Scotland travel to face Austria Friday February 21 with kick-off at 5pm (available on BBC Alba), then a home match at Hampden Park against the Netherlands on Tuesday February 25 at 7.30pm, also available on BBC Scotland.