Pedro Martinez Losa has insisted that the task for Scotland’s women is straightforward as they head into their European Championships campaign. The Scots will take in Serbia, Slovakia and Israel as they look to make it to Switzerland next year.

After their relegation from League A into League B, Scotland’s route to the tournament needs to be via the play-offs after the group stage.

The top three countries from the four groups in League B will meet to go forward to final play-off games.

And Martinez Losa is confident Scotland can avoid a hat-trick of major tournaments passing them by.

“It might sound complicated on paper but in reality it is very straightforward,” said the Spaniard. “It is in our hands.

“For every player, the pinnacle of their career is representing their country at a major tournament and that is the same for managers and for coaches. It is what we all want.

“We narrowly missed the last tournament with the play-off defeat to the Republic of Ireland. This is another exciting opportunity for us and this is what we have been searching for, for this chance to go and compete on a major stage.”

Martinez Losa admitted that he had hoped to avoid Serbia but insisted that Scotland should not fear anyone.

They go into the qualifiers in the back of what was a harrowing Nations League campaign that finished winless while they lost out in the Pinatar Cup last week in Spain after a penalty shoot-out defeat to Finland.

Still, Martinez Losa maintained that his side are ready to compete to make it onto the plane next summer.

“I’ll be honest and say that I had wanted to avoid Serbia,” he said. “They are a very difficult team and very competitive, but we cannot change the draw.

“I am confident we can beat all three opponents. We have been searching for this outcome since the FIFA World Cup play-off defeat.

“We are united and we know that we can go and compete.

“We have to play the group one game at a time. We will have to face challenging moments but I am confident.”

READ MORE: Rodgers Celtic criticism of Beaton branded 'uncomfortable'

Caroline Weir and Emma Watson are both back in tentative training as they look to return from ACL injuries.

There is no time frame on when they are expected back to full fitness although inevitably Martinez Losa is watching with interest given the massive gap they left in his squad.

“I am not sure of the timeline of when they are potentially available and also when they will be not just available but fully ready,” he said. "We have to respect all the different steps. 

“If we could involve them at some and available and best way to compete we have to respect the different steps. If we could involved them it would be great but for the play-off they will be more than ready.”