Canadian front and centre at FIFA Awards Gala

[Martyr]

Interesting there has been no mention in the Canadian press about Charmaine Hooper being given the honour by FIFA to be the one to award Marta with her record fourth consecutive World Player of the Year award.

It's not too often a Canadian gets to occupy centre stage of a FIFA event. I hadn't realized she was actually on the FIFA Women's football committee. I guess it just goes to show how much respect she has within the world of women's football.

[Richard]

Perhaps because her name was not mentioned in any of the FIFA media releases?

[The Ref]

quote:Originally posted by Martyr

Interesting there has been no mention in the Canadian press about Charmaine Hooper being given the honour by FIFA to be the one to award Marta with her record fourth consecutive World Player of the Year award.

It's not too often a Canadian gets to occupy centre stage of a FIFA event. I hadn't realized she was actually on the FIFA Women's football committee. I guess it just goes to show how much respect she has within the world of women's football.

Thank you Marty. In fact our Charmaine Hooper has been a presenter at FIFA annual Galas for the last 3 years. In my opinion Charmaine is highly regarded in FIFA. She was chief FIFA commissioner at the U20 WC in Chile. Previous to that she was sent to China also.

In the previous two years I personally email the CSA to ask them to write a head-up news article about the Gala. The first year I got no reply, the second year they told me FIFA had not sent them the official news.

You draw your own conclusions. This year I didn't even bother with the CSA. If they can't show any initiative and gain in the fact that Canada is represented, well, we are talking of the CSA.

[Martyr]

quote:Originally posted by Richard

Perhaps because her name was not mentioned in any of the FIFA media releases?

She is mentioned, albeit briefly, in this FIFA release...

http://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/awards/gala/news/newsid=1151348.html

But as The Ref pointed out she is a regular presenter at these events, despite her persona non grata status with the CSA.

It's just a little bugbear I have with the more mainstream Canadian sports press really. I know the soccer reporters are still swimming against the tide but I think it would have made a great feature story. I try to keep up with most of the fan podcasts, blogs etc and it doesn't seem to have made a ripple with them either.

We might have found out a bit more about where the CSA now stands on the question of Hooper (I'm thinking now in terms of coaching) now that there are new people involved (Morace, Montopoli). Eventually, for the sake of the game, both sides are going to have let bygones be bygones. Morace and Hooper must know each other as I'm sure they travel around the same FIFA circles.

Also that leads to the question of what Morace thinks about Nonen and Latham. Is she being told that they are not to be called for national team duty? Or does she simply not rate these players? Or have they declined invitations since Pellerud left?

[Guest Ed]

Latham plays in the top women's league in the world which is more than I can say for over half our women's team.

[Richard]

I know the default condition for most Voyageurs is to blame the CSA for everything that goes wrong but has it occurred to anyone that one or more of the 'persona non grata' players may have turned their backs on Canada from a soccer POV which would explain why we're not hearing anything about them or seeing them included in any WNT activities?

I also find it extremely difficult to believe that somebody of Corolina Morace's international standing would tolerate the kind of interference that being forbidden by the CSA from calling up certain players because of an historical spat with a previous coach would be.

[Martyr]

^

I very much see your point Richard... but I would still really like to hear whether that is the case or not from Morace, the CSA and those players. In regards to Hooper, no matter what people personally think of her conduct she is a legend within in the Women's game. Other than handing out awards, what are her duties with the FIFA committee? What is her working relationship with the CSA in regards to her FIFA duties? Canada hopes to host the Women's World Cup - Hooper's opinion obviously holds a lot of sway within FIFA. Does she support it? Has anyone from the CSA sought her opinion putting forward the best possible bid?

The other story writes itself. Nonen and Latham are solid players in the best women's league in the world. Has Morace spoken to Nonen or Latham about playing for the national team again? If not would either one of them consider that scenario? Have they officially retired from international game?

Even if it turns out as you propose, it would make a very interesting story and perhaps stop the speculation that paints the CSA as the bad guys.

[The Ref]

quote:Originally posted by Ed

Latham plays in the top women's league in the world which is more than I can say for over half our women's team.

and so is Nonen.

[Richard]

No argument there Marty but these players did rather burn their bridges with the Canadian soccer establishment whether one agrees with their behavior at the time or not.

While we are in the wondering mode, I wonder just how seriously FIFA actually takes their women's committee other than using one of its members to present awards, or if it is just a well compensated nominal position, nominal like another women's soccer committee we all know about (or would like to know more about).

[The Ref]

Would like to clarify that the committee being mentioned is not a women's committee, like somebody said, but rather FIFA's full fledge Football Committee which consists of 29 members, several of which are women.

(and that is not an opinion but a fact)

[Richard]

Well that's one question answered, thanks. How does one become a member of this committee?

[Guest Ed]

^ Being a legend helps. Being a sycophant to the CSA apparently doesn't matter one way or the other.

[Guest Ed]

quote:Originally posted by The Ref

and so is Nonen.

If they had played a game in the WPS last season, I would have added her name.

[The Ref]

quote:Originally posted by Ed

If they had played a game in the WPS last season, I would have added her name.

Were you referring to Sharolta Nonen? If so, she played several games for L.A. Sol of the WPS.

[Richard]

quote:Originally posted by Ed

^ Being a legend helps. Being a sycophant to the CSA apparently doesn't matter one way or the other.

Free trips to Geneva, 5-star hotels, gracious living, maybe even a stipend... nice gig if you can get it. But being a playing legend doesn't guarantee being a legendary administrator by any means.

[Vic]

Right now there are just six active Canadian professionals in the highest women's league in the world. Four of them are the central keys on our national team: Sinclair is the main attacker, Chapman is the central anchor in our defense, and LeBlanc and McLeod run the pipes. The other two are nowhere to be seen and we're calling up students from a two-month CIS season. No disrespect intended to the CIS, the quality goes up every year and there are some wonderfully talented players - but it's light years away from the WPS.

Late last year amidst a media frenzy five starting players on the Norwegian national women's team refused to report and quit the team because the male coach was another tyrant. He is now tossed and the only reason he lasted another nine months before they heaved him was he came out shortly after the player revolt saying he would resign in the Fall. He has been replaced by a well-respected and bright lady who is not only a storied coach but an ex-Norwegian international. She took over in September and just called a January camp and has four of the five in it.

The five brought about positive change. It took guts and a year of suffering but they made things better for the entire team by being adult enough to know right from wrong and confident enough in their ability to stand up and be counted.

No doubt there are petty little minds in Norway that say they turned their backs on the country, but the association and new coach are not included in that group.

[hc1]

quote:Originally posted by Vic

Late last year amidst a media frenzy five starting players on the Norwegian national women's team refused to report and quit the team because the male coach was another tyrant. He is now tossed and the only reason he lasted another nine months before they heaved him was he came out shortly after the player revolt saying he would resign in the Fall. He has been replaced by a well-respected and bright lady who is not only a storied coach but an ex-Norwegian international. She took over in September and just called a January camp and has four of the five in it.

The five brought about positive change. It took guts and a year of suffering but they made things better for the entire team by being adult enough to know right from wrong and confident enough in their ability to stand up and be counted.

I stand to be corrected (and probably will be), but here are my thoughts. If I recall, way back when, before Pellerud was appointed, Hooper publicly spoke out against the CSA and refused to play until the CSA got serious about womens soccer. At that point in her career, she was among the top 3 women in the world, and her stance forced the CSA's hand. They hired Pellerud and made some major changes. I would say that at that point she too "...made things better for the entire team by being adult enough to know right from wrong and confident enough in their ability to stand up and be counted." She also had the weight to push the CSA around.

If you then move forward to the more recent incident, things had changed. Although certainly still a force on the field, and her history was legendary, she was no longer among the top dozen in the world. If I recall, she was getting regular minutes, but rarely played a full game. Regardless of whether she was "right" in her stance (and I would debate that too), she no longer held the same stature on the field. Probably more importantly, she no longer was the team's spiritual leader. When she made her move, she had 2 players supporting her who, where getting regular minutes, but were not among our "plays 90 minutes each and every game" group. If, in addition to those 2, Sinclair, Lang & McLeod had joined her, you could bet the CSA would have been forced to take notice. The current situation in Norway involves 5 starting players. Her situation did not.

Her mistake was thinking that her legendary status carried more weight with the CSA, and the public. Perhaps she felt more teammates would fall into line. But they didn't. She should have checked first. The CSA has long memories, and I think they still remembered her earlier rebuke. The public had fallen in love with the girls who had graduated from the U-20 program, and was generally unaware of Hooper's past status. The public put no pressure on the CSA to bow to Hooper's demands.

So she, and her compatriots chose stand up and protest what they felt was unfair treatment and were dropped from the program. I guess many respect them for standing up for what they believe in. I am not among them. I view it as a failed powerplay on her part. Ultimately, she was willing to stand by and watch while her country struggled, rather than swallow her pride and play.

I am not saying that Pellerud and the CSA are blameless - but IMO, she should have privately expressed her dissatisfaction, but continued to play. She could have then and then publicly expressed her opinion and exposed the details in her end of career autobiography. Alternatively, she should have waited and built support among the team's more influential players before making her move.

As it is, her brilliant career ends in a fizzle... things could have been different for her and the team.

[The Ref]

Let us not forget that the 3 Canadian players were only suspended by the CSA for 3? months. It was the coach in his wisdom who decided not to call them back to the team even though he was found not at fault by the arbitration. And by the way Ms. Hooper was the team captain until the end. I have read the books written by both Mr. Pellerud and Mr. Brodsgaard and both have enormous praise for Ms. Hooper, her game and dedication to excellence. For me this is indeed a sad story with a very sad ending. It hurts me that still, after 3 1/2 years, some just remember the bad part of her world career.

[Vic]

Sure hc1 (what does hc1 stand for?), those are not just your thoughts but quite common actually. And yes a few corrections as you imagined.

Charmaine Hooper's last eight games for Canada she played 90 minutes.

The last major event the team was in was the 2003 World Cup. Hooper was the only Canadian on the FIFA Technical report's tournament team.

Christine Latham and Sharolta Nonen were not in the "plays 90 minutes each and every game" group? They were two of our only Canadians to play in the WUSA and still are two of our only Canadians in the WPS. Nonen was a WUSA All-Star, Latham Rookie-of-the-Year. That's not my opinion - that's the marketplace.

By your standards the Norwegians committed a failed powerplay and stood by while their country struggled rather than swallow their pride and play. Again the market - their association takes a little bigger worldview.

"The CSA has long memories, and I think they still remembered her earlier rebuke."

Which changed Canadian women's soccer from Mickey Mouse to a serious program and gave birth to all the players and everything we have now.

"she should have privately expressed her dissatisfaction, but continued to play"

I believe you mean "they should have" and are implying you would have. And who knows maybe you would have, but then again maybe you would have been the first one up and out the door. You can't tell unless you live people's lives.

You don't play in WUSA and the WPS, or wear the shirt for decades for beggars wages for any country and become respected around the world without extremely high standards for the game and a commitment to them. We don't have enough of those and we shouldn't sell them down the river.

[Gordon]

^Latham was done as a forward though. Pellerud was telling her that she would not be making the team regularly as a forward and she and he were apparently talking of a role as a defender. So fair to say she not a 90 minute player. Nonen though was, and - perhaps challenged only by Chapman - still is, our best defender.

My guess would be that Nonen has made the personal decision that she is done with the Nats. Dispute with a coach now gone and dispute with the national body are probably both easily put aside. The reaction of your teammates...not so easy to ignore when they are still around. By way of comparison, look at how the Ottawa team responded to the Heatley incident - diplomatic, burn no bridges despite teh provocation - as opposed to our players (one of whom is now an assistant coach).

[The Ref]

quote:Originally posted by Gordon

^Latham was done as a forward though. Pellerud was telling her that

Latham was not done, that was the coach talking.

What did Pellerud know? In my view the man was obsolete in his thinking and I can't take him seriously.

[Richard]

Charmaine Hooper is 41 years old so she really is not a WNT prospect any more. As for Latham and Nonen, I am quite sure if they were to pick up the phone and call, express their willingness to let bygones be bygones and offer themselves for unconditional consideration, Morace would evaluate them on their current merits like any other prospect. That is assuming of course that she hasn't already done so and that they would still be interested in international play. I find it very difficult to believe that Ms Morace would tolerate any interference by the CSA in her freedom to evaluate any and all eligible, interested talent for a WNT spot.

[Vic]

Christine Sinclair's WPS team has a 38, 42 and a 43 year old this year, all playing midfield at that.

Christine Latham is the only other Canadian attacker in the WPS.

Carolina Morace had nothing to do with it and any dialogue between the three of them and her is their business. The past and the CSA is another story though.

[Gordon]

quote:Originally posted by The Ref

Latham was not done, that was the coach talking.

What did Pellerud know? In my view the man was obsolete in his thinking and I can't take him seriously.

Latham is an effective, very physical forward, but I don't think she fits into Morace's way of thinking either.

The point, however, was that at the time of the revolt, disagreement, seeking of a brave new world (pick your descriptor), Latham was not a 90 minute player as was suggested by hc1 but challenged by Vic.

[The Ref]

If Latham was not playing a full 90 minutes, I don't think that was her decision, but rather the coach's and I can't validate the coach in his later years. Only time will tell if Ms. Morace and her cohorts know what they are doing.