Hearts women make semi-pro step with budget to recruit and pay players

Hearts have announced that they will start paying their women’s team for the first time after establishing a budget in preparation to become semi-professional.
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Having secured an initially small group of first-team players on semi-pro contracts until 2023, more changes will begin to take effect over the coming months.

That includes a budget to recruit and improve the squad for next season.

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With most of SWPL1 already semi-professional, Hearts are having to move quickly to keep up and sporting director Joe Savage has revealed that the long-term vision is to establish a fully professional women’s team.

Sporting director Joe Savage is working with head coach Eva Olid to implement a new semi-pro structure for Hearts women next seasonSporting director Joe Savage is working with head coach Eva Olid to implement a new semi-pro structure for Hearts women next season
Sporting director Joe Savage is working with head coach Eva Olid to implement a new semi-pro structure for Hearts women next season

Rangers, Celtic and Glasgow City already have full-time professional squads, with Hibs some players on semi-pro contracts.

The Easter Road club handed out its first semi-pro contract two years ago and Edinburgh neighbours Spartans also made the move to semi-pro status at the start of this season.

Since taking charge at the start of this season, Hearts head coach Eva Olid has already implemented a rigorous and more structured training regime alongside the dedicated sports science department and nutritionist at Oriam.

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With elite women’s football in Scotland set to come under the control of the SPFL from next season, the club is now ready to continue that process by paying players and reflect the upcoming merger with the professional game.

The change in status has been backed by the club’s board of directors, with Savage overseeing the upgrade in its initial stages to support Olid.

He told the club website: “We absolutely needed further professionalisation for the women’s team. They’ve been working on a voluntary basis for a long time, so if we want to take the next step as a club and attract a better calibre of footballer – we need to start paying players.”

Savage will continue his work alongside Olid to establish the new semi-pro infrastructure and pathway for Hearts women and says the long-term aim to become a top-five club.

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“We’re realistic,” he added. “We know about the resources that the Glasgow sides have, but that’s the benchmark we should aspire to if we want to be a top four or five club. We’ve got belief in Eva and her ideas to do that.

“We want to give these women a platform to showcase their talent. The club will continue to back Eva; the team has sports scientists, a nutritionist, a head of operations, along with an analyst to come.

“The vision is to one day have a full-time women’s team: that’s the scenario we’re all chasing.

“We’re not there at the moment – but with the backing of the board, the fans, and the Foundation of Hearts, it’s something we can do in the next few years hopefully.”

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Olid says she has already noticed a big improvement in her young squad this season and believes moving to semi-pro will help Hearts bridge the gap between them and the top teams in the women’s game.

Her young team are currently second bottom of SWPL1 but there is no relegation this season and Olid is predicting a “bright future”.

She explained: “The merger with the SPFL gives us possibility and the aspirational goal of having a professional future for Hearts women.

“Our aim of having professional players, focused entirely on competition instead of working jobs or studying.

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“My vision for the women’s game in Scotland is that we reach a stage where every team is in the same position under a professional league. This will make the game more competitive and balanced, and the differences will not be as big as they are now with the gaps in resources.

“Since I have arrived here, I have seen the difference increased training has made to the team. They couldn’t create many opportunities to score but we have now seen a big change in attack and their style of play with the ball.

“Our next task is to find that balance, but I am confident that we will make the adjustments and our future will be very bright.”

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