Women's WC China 2007

[The Ref]

So since there is no Linford anymore, who from the CSA went to China as Head of Delegation?

[JB_Tito]

News from todays papers,and just another reason to SACK THE CSA

Toronto Star

Qoute:

Canuck women's team stands united

Sixteen set sights on top prize

Squad hopes to rebound from adversity after being ignored by its own national association

Sep 10, 2007 04:30 AM

Randy Starkman

SPORTS REPORTER

The Canadian women's soccer team has faced their own Great Wall of China en route to the women's World Cup that starts today.

Among the obstacles: Three key players leaving the team in a dispute; their own soccer association pretty much ignoring them; and a disastrous performance at the Pan Am Games.

As they prepare for their opener on Wednesday against No. 4-ranked Norway in Hangzhou, China, the question hovering over the ninth-ranked squad is whether all the adversity will pull the team together.

"We'll soon find out," said head coach Even Pellerud in an interview from China.

Veteran midfielder Andrea Neil of Vancouver marvels at the unity amid all the chaos.

"It can either completely tear you apart or it can pull you together," said Neil, who has played in all the World Cups (this is the fourth). "In this case, I think it has pulled us together."

Neil said that was evident at the Pan Ams in Rio de Janeiro in July, where they were shredded 7-0 by Brazil and were then humiliated 2-1 by a U.S. under-20 team.

"I sat there when we just had a players' only meetings down at the Pan Ams and I said that at this point you would expect people to be at each other's throats, questioning themselves, questioning each other, wanting to blame each other," she said. "That's never happened. Not once were people pointing fingers.

"Through Pan Ams, the arbitration, the CSA (Canadian Soccer Association) lack of support, this group of players still wants to play for their country, wants to play for each other and the coaching staff. It honestly is a very unique and incredible group."

One person impressed by their resolve is three-time Olympic rowing gold medallist Marnie McBean, who worked with them through her job at the Canadian Olympic Committee. She's been shocked by the CSA's treatment of the team, which didn't get to play a single game at home this year.

"If you look at where all the successes have come for soccer in Canada, it's been the women's team," said McBean. "And yet they get completely disrespected by their board pretty regularly."

An impressive fourth at the last World Cup in 2003, Canada opens against Norway, an opponent they've never defeated. Norway thumped Canada 7-0 and 7-1 in their previous two World Cup meetings.

A native of Norway, Pellerud coached the Norwegians to the World Cup title in 1995.

"Norway has developed a very strong passing team," said Pellerud, who won't be behind the bench for the opening game because of a previous suspension. "And if we allow them to pass the ball through us, we will face problems in the end. That's the main challenge for us, to be defensively well organized."

Canada's other Group C opponents are Ghana, No. 47 in the world, and Australia, rated 15th. The top two advance.

The Canadians will be looking to captain Christine Sinclair of Burnaby, B.C., to key their offence. One of the best players in the world, Sinclair has scored 81 goals in 100 international matches. She'll be helped out by the likes of Oakville's Kara Lang who has been showing good form following reconstructive knee surgery.

Sixteen set sights on top prize

WHAT: Women's World Cup of soccer; 16 teams vying for title.

WHEN: Today to Sept. 30, across China.

FAVOURITE: U.S. followed by defending champion Germany.

PRIZE MONEY: $1 million (U.S.) to the winner.

CANADA'S SCHEDULE: Wednesday against Norway, Saturday against Ghana, Sept. 19 against Australia (top two in Group C advance)

How women's soccer rates around

the world ...

CANADA: No games at home this year; team sponsor Winners signed up last week; no bonus money for performance.

U.S.: Six games at home; sponsors include Nike and McDonalds. Players will receive $50,000 each if they win.

NORWAY: Two games at home; sponsors include biggest oil company in Norway; about one million of 4.5 million people will watch final if they make it.

GERMANY: Four games at home this season, all televised live; sponsored by candy company.

SWEDEN: Two games at home; sponsors include supermarket chain ICA and financial company Forex.

[Trillium]

Its pretty telling the Canadian Olympic Ctte representative to the team ...who helped put their heads together in Rio after the mess

Look to see some backroom stuff coming to the fore from the COA.

[JamesW]

quote:Originally posted by JB_Tito

News from todays papers,and just another reason to SACK THE CSA

I disagree. I know that the women didn't get much prep, if hardly any. But isn't that what we wanted? I mean I feel bad for the women, but the CSA should do as Colin Linford wanted, spend the money on the men.

[Massive Attack]

The women actually had decent prep. Most of the complaining is just whining. I think the residency program has been great. If the team fails, I think most of the blame will have to go to Pellerud and his archaic tactics more than any other reason.

[Cheeta]

People sometimes forget that the MNT went almost 4 years without playing a home fixture. So no surprise on the womens side, just more disappointment.

Not sold on the residency program. Yeah, it's wonderful everybody's such great friends now. So what? That's not enough.

Now had the residency program been blended with a more regular number of challenging fixtures I think the program would be very useful but as it wasn't. Leaving the lasses with their clubs might have been the better way to go.

Did this crop of ladies really need 6 months exclusively together to get Pellerud's program down and to develop an understanding between each other? Doubt it. But we'll see I guess.

Best line from the article above; "Norway has developed a very strong passing team," said Pellerud.

Yeah, ever since Evan has been in Canada.

I am so cynical it's depressing and I don't even really follow the womens game at all (which means I'm just like the other 95% of the people who'll be watching).

[Ivan]

I agree that this whining about the women's prep is just that - whining.

In the past year, the women have gone to Japan, New Zealand, Brazil and a few trips to the US. On top of that, they have the residency program. It only makes sense for the CSA (and I am not an CSA apologist, but will still wait for the retorts from the same old posters who clog every thread with this garbage) to direct funds elsewhere if a private citizen is funding/sponsoring a residency program.

[Former Champ]

0-3

[Free kick]

quote:Originally posted by JB_Tito

Among the obstacles: Three key players leaving the team in a dispute; their own soccer association pretty much ignoring them;

This part bugs the hell out me. Three key Players?!?!?!? what makes Randy Starkman quaified to judge that they are key players. When was the last time Starkman wrote a piece on soccer? I'll repeat what i said before: If they were key players, they would be there, dispute or no dispute.

[The Ref]

quote:Originally posted by Free kick

This part bugs the hell out me. Three key Players?!?!?!? what makes Randy Starkman quaified to judge that they are key players. When was the last time Starkman wrote a piece on soccer? I'll repeat what i said before: If they were key players, they would be there, dispute or no dispute.

They are key players and they are not there because the CSA didn't have the guts to tell Pellerud to quit farting around. Now Pellerud is an old man who will go back to Norway in shame. He made his own bed.

[Free kick]

quote:Originally posted by The Ref

They are key players and they are not there because the CSA didn't have the guts to tell Pellerud to quit farting around. Now Pellerud is an old man who will go back to Norway in shame. He made his own bed.

Oh Ok now I get it now. The CSA is a better judge of talent and better able to determine who should and shouldn't be on the team than the coach and therefore should be telling the coach who should be on his team. And, the coach, well, he is not interested in winning so he doesn't care who he selects.

[Guest Ed]

quote:Originally posted by Free kick

This part bugs the hell out me. Three key Players?!?!?!? what makes Randy Starkman quaified to judge that they are key players. When was the last time Starkman wrote a piece on soccer? I'll repeat what i said before: If they were key players, they would be there, dispute or no dispute.

They didn't want the coed slumber party scene and now they are not 'key players'? F moi. Hooper has done more for Cdn soccer than any living or dead Cdn player. She carried the team on her back for over 10 years and had the (pardon the metaphor) stones to speak up on behalf of those who could not or would not.

Latham is no slouch either, finalist for college soccers' top player 3 years running with Nebraska.

When's the last time you wrote a piece on soccer BTW?

[Richard]

"The CSA is a better judge of talent and better able to determine who should and shouldn't be on the team than the coach and therefore should be telling the coach who should be on his team."

And these are the same people complaining that the CSA is a total disaster because it is run by a bunch of incompetent, bumbling amateurs.

[AvroArrow]

quote:Originally posted by Richard

"The CSA is a better judge of talent and better able to determine who should and shouldn't be on the team than the coach and therefore should be telling the coach who should be on his team."

And these are the same people complaining that the CSA is a total disaster because it is run by a bunch of incompetent, bumbling amateurs.

I think you missed the sarcasm....

[CoachRich]

quote:Originally posted by Ivan

I agree that this whining about the women's prep is just that - whining.

In the past year, the women have gone to Japan, New Zealand, Brazil and a few trips to the US. On top of that, they have the residency program. It only makes sense for the CSA (and I am not an CSA apologist, but will still wait for the retorts from the same old posters who clog every thread with this garbage) to direct funds elsewhere if a private citizen is funding/sponsoring a residency program.

Here you go--------->

And what did the CSA pay for?????

"private citizen is funding/sponsoring a residency program" seems like only way the WNT gets funding. And it get the CSA off the hook & avoids issues w/ Soccer Properties (IMG)

Sports Canada doled out $600K because the WNT scored high on the performance matrix. MNT don't think so.

Did anyone see any money come from the U20 sponsors or any others go to the WNT program. Nope, not even Winners....hmmmm funny no one from the WNT was there to say thank you.

It's been how many years the CSA & Soccer Properties have had time to get a sponsor???

Pretty sad for a NSO to not support 4x WC team regardless of what sex they are.

Marnie McBean says it all -

One person impressed by their resolve is three-time Olympic rowing gold medallist Marnie McBean, who worked with them through her job at the Canadian Olympic Committee. She's been shocked by the CSA's treatment of the team, which didn't get to play a single game at home this year.

"If you look at where all the successes have come for soccer in Canada, it's been the women's team," said McBean. "And yet they get completely disrespected by their board pretty regularly."

[hamiltonfan]

yup...thats right. the MNT gets all the glamour...

this is the CSA people...all the teams are run like sh*t.

[Richard]

quote:Originally posted by AvroArrow

I think you missed the sarcasm....

Didn't miss it but picked up on it and carried it further.

[Ivan]

quote:Originally posted by CoachRich

Here you go--------->

And what did the CSA pay for?????

"private citizen is funding/sponsoring a residency program" seems like only way the WNT gets funding. And it get the CSA off the hook & avoids issues w/ Soccer Properties (IMG)

Sports Canada doled out $600K because the WNT scored high on the performance matrix. MNT don't think so.

Did anyone see any money come from the U20 sponsors or any others go to the WNT program. Nope, not even Winners....hmmmm funny no one from the WNT was there to say thank you.

It's been how many years the CSA & Soccer Properties have had time to get a sponsor???

Pretty sad for a NSO to not support 4x WC team regardless of what sex they are.

Marnie McBean says it all -

One person impressed by their resolve is three-time Olympic rowing gold medallist Marnie McBean, who worked with them through her job at the Canadian Olympic Committee. She's been shocked by the CSA's treatment of the team, which didn't get to play a single game at home this year.

"If you look at where all the successes have come for soccer in Canada, it's been the women's team," said McBean. "And yet they get completely disrespected by their board pretty regularly."

I still cannot understand how you can say they got no suppport when they went to China, New Zealand, Brazil, Japan & US, this despite the funding from Mr. Kerfoot. They were/are as well prepared as any Canadian NT has ever been.

Marnie MacBean is a lobbyist for women sport and good for her. She is a decorated athlete and we should all be proud of her and respect her comments. She does a great job at keeping women's sport at the forefront with the media.

By the way, you weren't one of the thread cloggers to which I referred.

[loyola]

Our WNT has had a residency program for the first part of the 2007 year and since then have played in 11 international games.

Among the others teams at this year WWC, here's some of the stats about games they've played in 2007:

USA 15

Germany 14

Australia 13 (5 of those games had crazy scorelines like 10-0)

Canada 11

Norway 10

Brazil 10

England 9

New Zealand 9

Denmark 7

There's no reason for us not to perform well with that kind of prep if you compare it to the other teams in the tournament.

[AlanDouglas]

quote:Originally posted by Ivan

I still cannot understand how you can say they got no suppport when they went to China, New Zealand, Brazil, Japan & US.

Expenses for the trips are paid for by the host countries. So yes the women have been getting financial support, but it's from the FAs of China, New Zealand, Brazil, Japan, and the US, not from the CSA.

[terpfan68]

Since Canada is a top 10 team it is an attractive opponent. If other countries want to finance a trip for our women then we have more money for other developmental programs such as the under 20's, 17's and 15's and our women get to see a bit of the world. I would think with the U.S. college program so handy for us our women get more top level matches than most of the other countries players (U.S. excepted). Is the professional level in European women's soccer at a higher level than the top 20 U.S. college system? I doubt it, but don't really know for sure. Has anyone out there seen an European women's club matches?

[CoachRich]

The money saved by the WNT Senior teams didn't go back into other women's programs. That's why Ian Bridges was resigned to the Senior team quite awhile ago.

When the other WNT programs get together they usually have to go out of the country just like the recent trip down to the US universties.

WWC for U20 in next year but there is no money for them to prepare as now is when they should be preparing. Thankful there were some U20's included in the senior's training program. It will be interesting to draw parallels from the WMT U20 to the MNT U20.

Residency is only part of the program & the team has stated that. This was found out when playing Brazil you need to benchmark the team w/ top competiton like playing the Euro teams who play in Euro women's league. That is one of the reasons Brazil & the Euro's are strong.

One of the most important statements made by the WNT was being able to play home games w/ their fans there. It gives them support & motivation as we all know only home games can do that. Further, they have been on the road so much that many of them haven't seen their families or fans for quite awhile. Also, for female youth clubs they are being denied the opportunity to see & interact w/ their role models & hereos they are paying for via their fees. Both the WNT & youth players want & desire the chance to connect but the CSA has caused a huge disconnect from the members & their fans.

[loyola]

Since 2002 our MNT has played 17 friendlies in Canada (plus 3 GC games). Since the same year our MNT has played 2 friendlies at home (plus the 5 WCQ).

I'm in the opinion that our WNT has been better treated than our MNT in the past 5 years. Maybe things should've been done differently in 2007 and I would've love seeing 1 or 2 games in Canada but in the end they still had great preperation with those 11 games and residency camp, no excuses not to perform well.

[CoachRich]

Your math says what the WNT has complained about. 17-2=15. To host those 15 games costed the CSA a ton of $ & gave no connection for the WNT w/ the people who are paying fees.

Statements made by the WNT does not support your opinion. As Amy Walsh stated in her interview the support they have gotten from the CSA has been "crap". That is coming from a player in the program that is directly in the know.

[loyola]

quote:Originally posted by CoachRich

Your math says what the WNT has complained about. 17-2=15. To host those 15 games costed the CSA a ton of $ & gave no connection for the WNT w/ the people who are paying fees.

Statements made by the WNT does not support your opinion. As Amy Walsh stated in her interview the support they have gotten from the CSA has been "crap". That is coming from a player in the program that is directly in the know.

I can find similar comments among MNT players, Onstad in 2004 was very critical. Brennan and a few others were also critical of the support they got from the CSA. The reality is that the CSA is incompetent in running their teams but in the end the women's have a lot more preperation times and games than the MNT.