Fiona McIntyre: SWPL player drain could become part of economic model
SWPL managing director Fiona McIntyre insists that the trend of players moving to England can serve as a positive indicator for the quality of Scottish women's football.
SNS
The managing director of the Scottish Women's Premier League (SWPL), Fiona McIntyre, has addressed the trend of players moving to English clubs. This summer has seen a significant exodus, with Ipswich Town signing six players from the league, while others like Mia MCaulay have moved to WSL side Aston Villa.
McIntyre acknowledges that the financial resources available in England make such transfers difficult to prevent. However, she views the interest in Scottish-based players as a reflection of the high standards being set within the domestic league.
We don't want to lose talent, but when you're on the border of one of the best resourced leagues in the world, the fact they're coming to Scotland is a real positive in the sense it reflects well on the standard we have. Fiona McIntyre
While the league's priority remains keeping the best players in Scotland, McIntyre believes this situation must evolve into part of the economic model for women's football. She hopes that Scottish clubs will increasingly receive financial rewards for their development work, as many of the recent moves were completed under freedom of contract without compensation.
Beyond the financial perspective, McIntyre emphasizes that these departures create opportunities for younger players to step up. She cited the example of Hearts, who have performed well in the Champions League qualifiers by integrating younger squad members into the team.