Gordon Shepherd has been appointed coach for Scotland`s senior women in a bid to achieve success at the World Cup Qualifier in Chile this April and then the Delhi Commonwealth Games in October.
A delighted Shepherd, who played 65 times for Scotland in his day, sees this chance as the pinnacle of his coaching career. ÔÇ£It`s a dream come true to be given this opportunity, I`ve been given an eight month career break by Tayside Fire Brigade and this has allowed me to do something which I did not think possible,ÔÇØ he said.
The former Dundee Wanderers and Scotland striker will head up the coaching team until the start of November when he will revert to his fire fighting duties. But until then, the 44-year-old Taysider has clear targets.
ÔÇ£Firstly I want to finish above our ranking of fifth in the World Cup Qualifier, then in the Commonwealth Games to equal or better our position of 5th from Melbourne, but in the long term to start to develop the squad for the next Europeans in 2011.ÔÇØ
While the single qualifying spot for the World Cup finals will be a touch challenge, victories over sides Ireland, Malaysia, Trinidad and hosts Chile would be a real feather in Shepherd`s cap.
And Shepherd believes he has the squad equal to the task. ÔÇ£There is great potential in the team, not just in a few players, and I really feel that if we can get them working together, they are capable of playing some great hockey.
ÔÇ£But there is work to be done over the next couple of months, we need to get a style of play that suits the make-up of the squad, we need to get them enjoying their hockey and working towards a common goal.ÔÇØ
Shepherd`s coaching career is littered with success over the years, most recently he took Scotland women`s squad to the Indoor World Cup in 2007, where they finished a very creditable eighth, and on the club front he has elevated Greaves Clydesdale from the second division to their present third place in the top flight at the winter break.
Also Shepherd is no Commonwealth Games novice either, he was assistant coach to Mathias Ahrens for the men`s squad in the Melbourne Games four years ago, and has also assisted at three European Championships.
The Dundonian is due to open his account at the start of next month when the Scots travel to Nice for the annual Celtic Cup, a trophy they have held for the last three years. But more importantly Shepherd will be able to run his eye over Ireland, one of Scotland`s opponents in the World Cup Qualifier.
Source: Scottish Hockey Union
