CP: Pellerud Slams CSA

[Winnipeg Fury]

Pellerud slams CSA

Coach says more money needed

By Jim Morris, THE CANADIAN PRESS

Canada women's soccer coach Even Pellerud blamed the CSA for not spending enough money so his squad could play more games against international competition. (AP File/Chris Putman)

WEST VANCOUVER, B.C. - The Canadian Soccer Association must solve its internal problems and devote more resources to the men's and women's programs if the country's soccer teams are going to succeed at the international level, says women's coach Even Pellerud.

"The sad fact of the matter is we are not professionally running the national teams," Pellerud said.

The plain-speaking coach says Canada's disappointing early exit from the FIFA women's World Cup can partly be blamed on the CSA not spending the money so the women could play more games against international competition. The same disappointing result could occur at next summer's Olympic Games if the team doesn't travel abroad and host games in Canada.

"If our leaders haven't learned a lesson now, they never will," Pellerud told The Canadian Press in a wide-ranging interview.

"As a soccer team going into the biggest sports event on the globe, in the biggest sport on the globe, unprepared, I don't think anyone would like to be accountable for that."

The women's team didn't play one game in Canada in the months leading up to the World Cup. Their only games against World Cup qualifying countries were on the road against China, Brazil, the U.S., and New Zealand.

"This missing link in the rest of the program was the international games," said Pellerud. "We didn't have that and that hurt us."

Pellerud was further frustrated when the CSA declined a chance to host the CONCACAF Olympic qualifying tournament in Victoria, citing a lack of money as a reason.

"I have almost stopped to hope," he said. "Deep inside me there is hope but there is no indication of any changes at this time. They have other agendas right now."

Coming home empty-handed from the World Cup will put extra pressure on Canada to qualify for next summer's Olympics and win a medal in Beijing, Pellerud said.

"There is no doubt to qualify is a given," he said. "To go to the Olympic Games and do well, which for us would be a medal, absolutely."

If Canada qualifies for the Olympics, Pellerud hopes the Canadian Olympic Committee will make money available so his team can play more international matches.

"They believe strongly in us, we are a priority for them," he said.

The CSA was thrown into turmoil shortly before the World Cup when association president Colin Linford resigned. Fred Nykamp, Linford's choice for chief executive officer, is suing the association after it opted not to go ahead with his hire.

The CSA is currently without a president, CEO and technical director.

"They have quite another agenda at the moment," Pellerud said. "I don't think soccer on the field is very high on their agenda right now. The unfortunate thing with the president leaving, it leaves the position open and you leave the people behind to fight for that position. It becomes more political than technical."

The women's program has a budget of $700,000, of which the CSA contributes around $155,000.

"Close to nothing," Pellerud said.

Most of the team's funding comes from the Canadian Olympic Committee, Sport Canada, and Greg Kerfoot, a Vancouver millionaire who helped finance a residency program.

"The CSA needs to attract corporate sponsorships," said Pellerud. "We need marketing people to sell our programs. This would be the main resource of the national teams."

Canada headed into this year's World Cup confident on improving its fourth-place finish from the 2003 tournament.

The Canadians lost their opening game to Norway 2-1, then beat Ghana 4-0. That set up a showdown with Australia. In a game they had to win, the Canadians gave up a goal in injury time for a 2-2 draw that knocked them out of the competition.

Pellerud refused to call the tournament a failure for ninth-ranked Canada.

"If you look back to where we were, there was a lot of achievement," he said. "There was a lot of positives to build on."

There were concerns the women overtrained and were tired heading into the World Cup. Those issues will be addressed when the team opens camp in November to begin preparation for the Olympic qualifying tournament.

"We will do some things differently," said Pellerud. "We will go through a very thorough evaluation process on the number of practices, the hours of fitness training, the content of the fitness programs, the timing of the sessions."

Pellerud coached Norway to the 1995 women's World Cup championship and a bronze medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics. He was hired to take over the Canadian program in 1999.

His contract with the CSA expires after the Olympics. His family enjoys living in Vancouver but he isn't sure of his future with the women's program.

"You need to see a direction," Pellerud said. "I think you need to see a commitment from my leaders. If I can't win the fights anymore, then other people should have the chance to win the fights."

Would he want to coach the men's team?

"It would be interesting to take on that challenge," he said.

The CSA also needs a technical director.

"That would definitely be of some interest," Pellerud said.

Pellerud said he would consider offers to coach in the new women's professional league that is scheduled to begin play in the U.S. in 2009, or even a position with an MLS club.

He also doesn't rule out staying in his current job.

"I'm not closing the door," he said with a smile.

[Gian-Luca]

This has already been posted in the women's forum.

I'm not sure what horrifies me more, the thought of Pellerud as the men's team coach or the CSA's technical director.

[VPjr]

quote:Originally posted by Gian-Luca

This has already been posted in the women's forum.

I'm not sure what horrifies me more, the thought of Pellerud as the men's team coach or the CSA's technical director.

While I am obviously pleased to have a Curently Employed employee of the CSA blasting the organization for their obvious shortcomings, I can't put myself in the EP fan club. His teams play a horrible brand of soccer.

[greenfield]

quote:Originally posted by Gian-Luca

This has already been posted in the women's forum.

I'm not sure what horrifies me more, the thought of Pellerud as the men's team coach or the CSA's technical director.

What about as the person to reorganize the CSA?

Someone who could maybe help get us in line with successful FAs around the world.

I'm not a big fan of Even's, but think he is one who should at least be involved in the process of reforming the CSA.

[Footy]

quote:Originally posted by VPjr

While I am obviously pleased to have a Curently Employed employee of the CSA blasting the organization for their obvious shortcomings, I can't put myself in the EP fan club. His teams play a horrible brand of soccer.

Curently employed ... may be pushing it

[Trillium]

quote:Originally posted by greenfield

What about as the person to reorganize the CSA?

Someone who could maybe help get us in line with successful FAs around the world.

I'm not a big fan of Even's, but think he is one who should at least be involved in the process of reforming the CSA.

Absolutely not..Even still has a shaky understanding of the games structure in this country ..especially on the female side.

I doubt he has the skills..no I dont doubt I am sure he lack structural and oganisational skills he is self serving politico..whose time is up..fire him.

[Richard]

CSA needs a skilled and experience senior corporate executive to take over the reins and pull the organisation together. Need not be a soccer afficionado although that might help. I doubt the average retired professional soccer player or coach would be up to the job frankly but there may be the odd exception. Piddling around with more low level people is not going to make the difference needed, soccer needs to think big right now.

[Guest speedmonk42]

quote:Originally posted by Gian-Luca

This has already been posted in the women's forum.

I'm not sure what horrifies me more, the thought of Pellerud as the men's team coach or the CSA's technical director.

Dammit.

GL you owe me dinner.

Just considering that possibility I threw up.

[Gian-Luca]

quote:Originally posted by speedmonk42

Dammit.

GL you owe me dinner.

Just considering that possibility I threw up.

It's Jim Morris & Even Pellerud that owe you, they are the ones that put the thoughts out there in that article.

I'm considering suing them for mental trauma.

[Soju]

Pellerud makes the beautiful game look so ugly. Fire everyone who knows him and their dogs.

[The Ref]

Pellerud thinks of himself as walking on water. He will have a rude awakening when he realizes he is wearing led boots and is replaced by a real coach. Canada has no use for him in any way shape or form. I can see big changes in the WNT after his demise.

[Trillium]

quote:Originally posted by The Ref

Pellerud thinks of himself as walking on water. He will have a rude awakening when he realizes he is wearing led boots and is replaced by a real coach. Canada has no use for him in any way shape or form. I can see big changes in the WNT after his demise.

I think your right...if the CSA blunders its way to appointing the right coaching squad to lead the womens programs from U15 up....I really think it needs a full review of coaching talent and then a process of replacement on four year contracts...for all the national age group coaches.

We likely need a much better visionary then Pelerud has been...his legacy is actually very weak in my opinion.

[Guest speedmonk42]

quote:

We likely need a much better visionary then Pelerud has been...his legacy is actually very weak in my opinion.

His legacy isn't weak, it's just a really shty one.

[Daniel]

Interesting to finally see budget numbers. I wonder what it is for the men.

So the CSA put in $155k from $11m in revenue for the women's team during a WC year? Did I read that right?

[VPjr]

quote:Originally posted by Daniel

Interesting to finally see budget numbers. I wonder what it is for the men.

So the CSA put in $155k from $11m in revenue for the women's team during a WC year? Did I read that right?

Yup...you read it correctly. The CSA was not even the main funding source for the Women's national team in a world cup year. Pretty pathetic frankly.

[Cheeta]

quote:Originally posted by Daniel

Interesting to finally see budget numbers. I wonder what it is for the men.

So the CSA put in $155k from $11m in revenue for the women's team during a WC year? Did I read that right?

I don't know about interesting. Misleading maybe.

That $700K means what exactly? Odviously it doesn't include the moneys from the residency program because we were told the residency program had a $1M purchase tag all on it's own. Maybe some of the residency program moneys are included in that $700K? If not, the womens entire program budget was $1.7M. For an amateur program sounds pretty sweet to me.

If the CSA wiggled a half-mill out of other government sporting programs and took advantage of a million dollar residency program from a sponsor I say job well done. Maybe they could have put more cash in themselves but from where I sit it looks like the preparation for the WNT was pretty good. Not the best in the world, but taken all in all right up there.

I mean really, as soon as the WNT went with the residency program as their model for the WWC preparation there isn't a lot more the CSA could have done differently that would have made an improvement.

A couple more games maybe? A tour against US college teams? Both of those ideas are dependent on if anyone would have us.

[mjd]

i saw the wnt play back in the summer. it was painful to watch. i don't think they put 3 consecutive passes together in that game. all game long all they tried to do was kick the ball long to Kara Lang. when Pelerud's contract is up, maybe its time for serious review. i agree with alot of what Pelerud says, what with more money and more international games but he has to take alot of the blame himself. Duh, he is the coach and his team is a reflextion of his style of play.

[analyst]

Pellerud's strategy is to blame the CSA so peopel will overlook his his incompetent coaching. He's the guy who had problems with Hooper and Latham which led to both them leaving the WNT. He's the guy who had a residency program, for the first time ever and still got poor results. He's the guy who chose to play two of his exhibition matches gainst lowly New Zealand, rather than against better teams. The WNT needed to play against good teams to properly prepare for the World Cup, not twice against New Zealand.

[rick titus]

Team needs a new coach. I miss Charmaine Hooper. I thought she was the best leader womens soccer ever had. The team had an air of confidence wih her in the line-up. That is now missing. The teams organization doesn't seem to be all there either. I know CSA is bumming the mens and womens programs out, but there are ways around that. Preparation is 90% mental, and they did not look mentally prepared. Evan must take some blame for that, because he is the teams leader. Other than that I feel the mens program might fair well because with the right players on the field they will look pretty good.