Scotland boss says women's criticism 'crossing a line' as he makes James comparison with Rangers talent

Speaking ahead of his team's Euro 2025 qualifiers this month, the Spaniard was asked for his thoughts on former Burnley midfielder's blast at women's football in the aftermath of the Sky Sports Cup Final on Sunday, which saw Barton take aim at a teenage Scottish goalkeeper.

"For me, the progress and the visibility of the game can cause this... I have seen this before," said Martinez Losa. "I will not go into who said what but I think we have to focus on supporting the player. She's a really talented player.

"We have a scenario where we see the wrongs now, but we also see the scenario with Emma Watson, Kirsty McLean and emerging talent like Mia McAuley. We have to work with them to make sure the people around them, the managers, clubs and structures to protect them. We have to consider that when you play a final you are subject to criticism but when we are talking about under 18 players, we have to be really careful and there are lines that should never be crossed."

His Scotland side face a double header against Serbia and Slovakia at the beginning of next month and Martinez Losa hinted that he had a temptation to include 16-year-old Rangers talent McAuley in his squad after her 15th goal of the season opened the scoring in the 4-1 Sky Sports Cup Final win on Sunday as the Spanish boss explained how his experience with Lionesses superstars Lauren James and Chloe Kelly help him to decide when a player is ready for the international bow.

"It is always a challenge," the 50-year-old continued. "Emma (Watson) is a very mature player, for example. You don't feel you're talking to a 17-year-old. The first thing they have to do is prove they are ready to train, in terms of football. I had this exact same scenario with Lauren James when she was 14-year-old (during his time as Arsenal manager), Chloe Kelly and many others. I feel I have plenty of experience with this.

"I don't have a magic ball and pretend to be always right. Every player is different. You start having signs that a player is ready when they are consistent in their performances and the level she plays day to day. The second sign is to have a chat with people who work with them in the day to day. Lauren James was the best player playing with the youth 17s and 19s at Arsenal when she was 14. That is a sign of maybe we should bring her in to see.

"The example of Emma Watson was clear. She looked like she had been playing in the national team forever. But not all players are like that - it isn't normal, they normally need more time. We have examples of players who have came in over the last couple of years and really struggled to train but then we give them guidance and support from meetings and from that they raise their level. The likes of Jenna Clark and Sam Kerr are also raising the level through all those aspects" added the 50-year-old.

Scotland Women begin their Euro 2025 qualifiers with an away clash against Serbia on April 5 before they return to Hampden Park to take on Slovakia - with tickets available via this link.