As Celtic said goodbye to a favoured son this week with Kyogo Furuhashi exiting for Rennes, there was an equally notable hole left in the women’s team as Caitlin Hayes headed south of the border to Brighton.
The defender’s trademark pink hairband was not quite so significant as her goal contributions; 40 goals in 153 games is not too shabby a return. That a number of those goals came in high profile matches arguably made her the first real player of note within Celtic’s women’s team, their player of any real status to attract a bit of recognition and attention.
That’s reflected in the fact that little girls can be spotted on football parks across the city sporting the same hair attire, underpinning the whole ‘see it to be it’ perspective.
But from a Celtic perspective, Hayes’ exit and the timing of it is interesting.
Signed by former Celtic manager Fran Alonso who took her from Lewes to Celtic when he first arrived in Glasgow, it is worth pointing out that Celtic was as good to Hayes as Celtic was to Celtic.
One of the first players on a professional contract at Celtic, her athleticism and commitment to her trade was laudable; personal trainer for 5am sessions on public parks as she dodged the dog poo, strict dietary regulations and a determination to make the most of the opportunity have all paid off.
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As she rose to prominence with Celtic, Hayes was desperate to tap into her Irish connection as she made it into the Republic squad after the World Cup. If she needed to give them a little nudge to get their attention, she has not done much wrong since then as she has stayed very much a part of the Irish set-up, amassing 18 caps since gaining their recognition.
But with swirling rumours of unrest this season and suggestions of a suspension in the midst of arguably Celtic’s most important run of games this term – denied by the club and by Elena Sadiku – there was always a suspicion that the end of the road was looming.
As managers do, Sadiku brushed away talk of an exit a few weeks back, suggesting it was little more than agent talk. As news was confirmed this week it raised an eyebrow when the Hoops manager spoke of being aware of concrete interest in Hayes and the likelihood of a move in December.
Her real headache now, though, is a replacement. Celtic’s game against Hearts was put to the sword on Friday night as Storm Eowyn denied Sadiku’s side the chance to move into second spot in the SWPL.
Sadiku revealed she had identified a replacement central defender but it looked unlikely that a deal would get over the line before the end of the window. Celtic losing a player of international quality as they look to retain their title gives them an issue but equally pertinent is the question of just how to replace the leadership of Hayes on the pitch.
At 29, Hayes will know this is the last real chance to go and test herself in the WSL but for a Celtic side keen to defend a title it poses real questions about their commitment to doing so, all the more so when there is no replacement in the wings.
AND ANOTHER THING
Mick McArdle’s wok behind the scenes at the SFA has invited compliments across recent seasons as Scotland’s youth players have shown an ability to compete at elite level under his watch.
The former Ayr United assistant is head of women’s elite football for the SFA with his body of work quietly amassing recognition.
Having been named this week as the interim manager of the women’s team following the departure of Pedro Martinez Losa, McCardle will take charge of the Nations League games at the end of February.
For a Scotland side who have now failed to qualify for the last three successive major tournaments, it will be interesting to see just what the mood is among the players.
The SFA are right to take their time over a permanent appointment. The objective has to remain getting back to tournaments, the only real barometer of success for the national team.
McArdle, who has his pro licence, may well find that with a strong set of performances and results in February that he plays himself firmly into contention for the job on a full-time basis.
AND FINALLY
This season’s Sky Sports League Cup final will be at Fir Park as Rangers and Hibs battle it out for the trophy.
The last time the stadium hosted such an event it prompted a scathing column from pundit Tam Cowan as he suggested that the ground of his team “should have been torched to cleanse the stadium after it played host to women’s football.”
The notoriety it generated meant that it is still referenced at points in the women’s game – nearly 12 years after it was written.
There are few who would escape Cowan’s ridicule at some point across the football landscape, male or female, but the undertones in the copy elicited, inevitably, considerable condemnation.
Then Scotland manager Anna Signeul was livid. There was no real argument as she pointed out just how it made Scotland look like a small backwater compared to the rapidly changing cultures across the rest of Europe.
More than a decade on, though, have attitudes really changed?
