Scotland boss on the brink as crushing Finland Euros play-off loss prolongs tournament exile

Optimistic in the aftermath of Friday’s disappointing 0-0 first-leg draw at Easter Road, the Spaniard said Scotland needed “only one goal” and backed them to “be better on the ball and a little bit more relaxed” but found the game beyond his side after just half an hour following strikes from Natalia Kuikka and Nea Lehtola.

Arriving in July 2021, the hope was that his appointment could take Scotland to another level by developing a style that suited the team and helping them quality for major tournaments again. But with back-to-back qualification failures now under his belt, there can't be many left who truly believe that Martinez Losa will ever lead Scotland back to the promised land.

The pain of Scotland’s last two failed qualification campaigns have proven extremely difficult to heal from. While the world celebrated last year’s record-breaking Women’s World Cup in Australia, midfielder Erin Cuthbert admitted she was “not interested” in watching. She won’t have been alone in that.

Still haunted by their last play-off defeat to Republic of Ireland in October 2022, the raucous sound of celebration in the opposing dressing room was all that pierced the Hampden Park silence that night. It had surely rang in their ears ever since. Scotland would show faith in the Spanish head coach though, handing him a brand new four-year contract that led up to 2027, despite serious concerns over his management.

When a crushing 6-0 defeat to the Lionesses at Hampden Park left them rock bottom of their Nations League group, humiliated on their own patch by their nearest rivals and without a win in six, calls for a change at the top only grew in volume.

In fairness to the head coach, he bounced back impressively, leading his side on a seven-game winning run ahead of last week’s first leg of their qualifying play-off. But when an underwhelming Scotland performance meant they could only muster a 0-0 draw at Easter Road, few were left surprised. The story of Scotland under Martinez Losa has meant hope has become a prison.

At times, it has felt like the only person confident he could take Scotland to next year’s tournament was the Spaniard himself. No doubt a well liked individual. Martinez Losa is, in my own experience, a kind, polite, welcoming and warm man. But football has no time for sentiment. Only results and performances.

Calm and collected after Friday’s goalless draw, he insisted Scotland only needed one goal and could finish the job in Helsinki. But it tells its own story that Scotland needed at least double that to simply take the game to extra time after just 30 minutes of such a crucial game.

He’s always remained steadfast in his belief that Scotland are progressing under him and that, crucially, he would take them to next summer’s Euros in Switzerland. But after tonight’s dismal defeat in the Finnish capital, even he must be wondering if he truly has what it takes to get this talented squad back to a major tournament.

There may be three years still to run on his deal, but his time is surely up.