Shelley is brave to be a boss in the men’s game

Anyone who suggests women can’t manage men must have short memories.

From 1979 to 1990, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom was Margaret Thatcher. Some people might not have liked her politics, but I don’t recall anyone questioning whether she was able to lead.

She came to mind on learning of Stirling University’s decision to appoint Shelley Kerr as the first female manager in British men’s senior football.

It was a bold move.

Back in June, the Portuguese-born Helena Costa made world-wide headlines when she was named as the first-ever female boss of a professional football club in France, Clermont Foot 63.

Within hours she had resigned, claiming she had only been hired as a ‘face’ and had been given no authority to sign players.

Like Costa, who had managed Iranian and Qatari women’s teams, Kerr is well qualified for the position she has been given. She joins from a post with Arsenal Ladies, with whom she won three trophies in a 16-month spell in charge.

Now 44 years old, she is also a distinguished former player, who was capped 59 times by Scotland.

She has, in short, accomplished more than any of the men who will come under her charge at the Lowland League club. The potential pitfall is that the players might not see it that way.

I know from my time in the game there can be snobbery on the part of men towards their female counterparts.

Many would accept that the best woman pros would be technically superior to players found in men’s non-league and lower-league teams. But at the same time, they know that the physical difference between the sexes means that woman could not compete in an open contest. Men are simply bigger and stronger, and that can be a source of discrimination.

That is wrong, and those who follow that way of thinking have to be dissuaded otherwise. Capability to do the job is all that counts.

I think Shelley Kerr looks an ideal candidate for the Stirling Uni job. I have no doubt she will give everything she has to the role, and do her best to help the club take advantage of the pyramid system to progress up into the senior ranks.

But you have to say it is a brave move on her part if for no other reason than the fact she will have so much attention coming her way. It will be a shame if that prevents her from achieving her ambitions.

If she does find it tough, I would urge her to think of not only of the late Prime Minister but also of the other women who have made, and are making a mark, in the game.

Of Leeann Dempster, the Chief Executive of Hibernian, and of Karren Brady, the Vice-Chairman of West Ham United.

And of Vivien Kyles, the ex-Vice Chairman of Livingston, who I always found a pleasure to do deal with when I was working as the SFA’s Chief Executive.

The game is changing, and in many respects it is changing for the better.

As I said earlier, the appointment is to be welcomed and we should both wish Shelley Kerr every success in her new role and applaud Stirling University for making the appointment in the first place.