Head coach confident Caithness Ladies can challenge for honours
Head coach Tom McKenna is confident that Caithness Ladies can “release the shackles” and challenge for honours this season.
They start their SWF Highlands and Islands League campaign with a trip to Sutherland on Sunday, and McKenna is pleased both with the numbers available and the commitment in the squad.
He hopes Caithness can make the same kind of impact they did in 2023, when they reached the final of the League Cup and finished third in the table.
“The girls have been working hard,” McKenna said. “I’ve asked them to train three times this week and they’ve responded really well to that regarding numbers.
“We want to fine-tune our shape and that’s what we are focusing on this week.
“We’ve got 18 players for Sunday. The girls organise everything. I just turn up, do my coaching and I pick the team on a Sunday. Outwith that, the girls have got everything organised.
“It’s a breeze compared to what I’ve been doing in the last few months [as manager of Thurso in the North Caledonian League].
“I’m hoping for a good year. Two years ago the girls got to the cup final and finished third in the league.
“I think there was probably a wee bit of pressure on them to try and emulate what they’d done the previous year and they couldn’t cope with that pressure and that expectation – so I’m hoping this year they can release all the shackles and just go out and enjoy themselves, and see if we can achieve a wee bit more than last year.”
The league was launched in 2019 when Clachnacuddin lifted the title. Since then, Inverness Caledonian Thistle Development, Buckie and Ross County have all been crowned champions.
While Ross County are not returning to the division, there will be some new faces in the League Cup as Shetland join the competition for the first time.
McKenna said: “I’m quietly confident that we won’t be far away from doing what we did a couple of years ago, especially with Ross County pulling out of the league – that has given a level playing field for all the other teams.
“The girls’ enthusiasm has always been evident and that’s what motivates you as a coach. You want to do your best for them and do everything to help them develop.
“I’m going to try and be positive this year in everything we do.
“I’m looking forward to seeing what we can achieve. We’ll just go out and hopefully do ourselves proud.”
Caithness got to the semi-finals of the League Cup last year, losing out 1-0 to Sutherland.
Fixtures – SWF Highlands and Islands League – Sunday, March 30: Clachnacuddin v Buckie; Orkney v Nairn St Ninian; Sutherland v Caithness (Golspie, 2pm).