2011 World Cup Prep

[mtlfan]

Woot! I'm thrilled for Chelsea. I covered her play for the Whitecaps Prospects in the PCSL and she is as fierce a competitor as I've seen, and a real handful for defenders. She's my second favorite player in the game today. I'm sorry she won't be back with the Whitecaps this season, but I'll be rooting for her in Germany.

She may still be cut as the roster limit is 21 and I believe there are 23 in camp.

[Vic]

Thanks Neil, it was a good read.

I love his comment on how Brazil need to be fitter and they need a strong coach to keep their ego's in check.

Pellerud's comments on Canada's age peak performance and the decade and quantity of international exposure the core of the women have been given is a very good one too.

The key game of the tournament is the QF between the Canada/France victor and Japan. The winner bypasses both the Germans and Americans en route to the final. All three teams from that game can go on a run and win it.

I'm crushed for Bélanger. It was her time. Life can be so cruel. I'm also crushed as a fan because she was such a passionate player and so enjoyable to watch compete.

Good article on Chelsea Buckland:

http://www.gazettetimes.com/sports/beavers-sports/article_643ec8a2-7162-11e0-aa09-001cc4c03286.html

And also nice to see the NCAA being so accommodating to Canadian athletes, it hasn't always been that way:

Buckland wrote a letter to the Pacific-10 Conference commissioner to request withdrawal from school to compete for Canada's national team. She was granted the opportunity.

"They just freeze my account ... you're allowed to compete for your nation at any point in time," Buckland said. "They stop my clock and when I come back in the fall, I continue from there."

No sign of the original Chelsea (Stewart), who is rumoured to be transferring to UCLA to play with Leroux and up their count of Canadamericans to three (with Ally Courtnall).

Also notably absent is Shannon Woeller.

Our World Cup teams have traditionally had a youth presence to balance things out, but there is very little of that this time round. And although Buckland referred to herself as the youngest, Bryanna McCarthy is her junior by almost two years.

This week's player profile is Jonelle Filigno:

http://www.canadasoccer.com/news/viewArtical.asp?Press_ID=4770

[cwntfan]

This will be a great opportunity for Buckland. She'll gain some valuable experience and possible be a part of history. But I'll be very disappointed if Kelly Parker is overlooked. Currently playing in the WPS with WNY Flash along side of fellow Canadians Sinclair and Chapman. Just recently coming off a foot injury about a month an a half ago, Parker already looks like her normal self, fast, control on the ball, skillful, aggressive, can play both up front and mid and has national team experience. She is a little older so maybe Morace is looking for some young blood, but I doubt that would be a factor. I guess we'll see when the players are announced for May camp in Rome.

[Vic]

More injury bug - Germany goes down their young star Dzsenifer Marozsán and Australia loses AFC Player of the Year Kate Gill.

[mtlfan]

CANADA'S Chenard: Referees are perfectionists

http://www.fifa.com/womensworldcup/news/newsid=1429382/index.html

[cwntfan]

Aside from Josee and Steph and the two you just mentioned who are the other injured women?

[Vic]

France's right-back Sandrine Dusang blew out her knee a month ago.

[red card]

Mother's day article in globe about Morace

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/soccer/the-ultimate-soccer-mom/article2013814/

I like these 2 passages particularly:

“In Italy,” she added, “there are many, many coaches that I invited to see the team and all of them are excited because they say that the team has good movement and we play like a [true] team.

Closer to home, Morace wishes more Canadian coaches would take her up on the open invitation to watch and learn from her methods of coaching, and though she has enormous faith in Canadian assistant Andrea Neil, who just last year received her UEFA A licence from Italy’s Coverciano – “the best school of soccer in the world,” Morace said – it may end up being her players who carry the greatest message.

“They know exactly my philosophy, my methodology and they know everything and how I can build a team,” Morace said. “They always take notes and write down all my training sessions. I hope that when they finish playing, they will start to coach in high-level soccer

[Vic]

A full year younger than Dzsenifer Marozsán and half a year younger than Rosie White. Looks like we have a bright future in the pipes. She also has another U20 in her and the experience is a good investment whatever Stephanie Labbé's doctors come back with today.

http://the11.ca/2011/05/10/teenage-keeper-beanlands-called-to-canadian-wnt-camp

[Soccer9]

Really sucks for Labbe. Will root for her.

A nice opportunity for Rachel though. Morace seems to like having a few younger, promising players around to gain experience and accelerate their development. Have some continuity for the future. Hopefully it is also a sign that she (Morace) wants to stick around...

:-)

[cwntfan]

Karina LeBlanc's response to all the ignorance. Glad she spoke out! http://www.karinaleblanc.com/

[Vic]

Does anyone know where people are attacking the players?

[cwntfan]

I've read a few snarky remarks on this forum. I can't remember what thread. Don't get me wrong though, this forum is great for interacting and being informed but in any forum you get the 1-2 random people who decide to put in their two cents.

[Vic]

I hadn't seen much beyond that either and we must be missing the main source because I can't see a piece like that written on something that innocuous. Anyone know where it's coming from?

Aussies dealt another massive blow with Heather Garriock pulling a thigh muscle in a league game in Sweden and out until the Cup and questionable for it. Even if she plays she won't be sharp.

They looked like a team that could push Brazil but that's quickly fading and it's making the Norway/Australia game look a lot more entertaining.

[Vic]

Social media in sport is a pretty hot topic. Although it's generally innocent and harmless, it's also both socially and legally seen as representing your team, the association and country (i.e. the national jersey or jacket many wear in their photos).

Like all public communication it has the same benefits and consequences as traditional mass or public media as evidenced by people in the traditional workplace who are fired for their comments. What you say in terms of your trade has impact and effect on the organizations and groups you represent. Err in judgement and it not only effects you, it effects everyone.

An example of sport policy is UNC is who set ground rules and polices for all their athletes on social media. If you post anything which violates either school or athletic policy you will be disciplined and can be dismissed from the team. For example, if a UNC player was discussing an injury or medical condition they would be sanctioned by both the team and the NCAA (who have also come out with policy banning all athletes from discussing their medical status on Twitter and other social media).

If the CSA hasn't done it already, they might want to think about exercising control over anyone or anything representing their properties. Both directly by posting, tweeting, or facebooking content labelled as things such as "Canadian Women's Soccer Team," and indirectly via a profile advertising you as a member of a national team and releasing information on the programs.

I have no problem with players providing content and actually think it's a good thing (for the reasons LeBlanc has mentioned). But there has to be structure, control and a hierarchy of proper decision-making to ensure the quality and appropriateness of information released where it concerns the organization and it's programs.

[paul-collins]

Context is everything. Kaylyn Kyle pops up in my twitter feed for a whole bunch of fun stuff but she doesn't talk about the work she's doing as well. She's messaging other teammates who are also (albeit less frequently) talking about the fun stuff going on; again, without a context, a reader could be forgiven for not realizing Rome is a working destination. Especially if the reader is already predisposed to dismissing or denigrating the women's game (as CSN sees in their anonymous commentary whenever they post a story about the team).

Look, I don't tweet my work day either. I don't fault KK for getting upset with the reaction of the trogs, and I don't fault Kyle for her tweet style. But I'm not finding a tweetstream that provides the work counterpoint to the play they are tweeting. And for sports, as Vic has pointed out, that context is necessary... Perhaps a team stream for each part of the workout should be instituted?

Go Big Red!

[CoachRich]

From what I understand the CSA and CM have instructed the players on what can be said on their web sites, social media and in public with respect to certain information on what they are doing for game prep and games. IMO this is standard PR at this competition level. As for other information, the CSA threats have always been there and Jason de Vos still not naming names or speaking on the inside goings on is maybe a good example that they exist.

[CoachRich]

Does anyone know where people are attacking the players?

IMO some of the CSN writings about the WNT program were too tabloid like and not supportive at all.

[Richard]

I don't think the media should be expected to be unconditionally supportive. Where criticism is due criticism there ought to be. There is also a different between reportage and opinion, everybody is entitled to an opinion but there ought to be a clear distinction. As readers we also have a right to expect responsible journalism.

[Vic]

Pardon the length, didn't have time to make this shorter...

I don't read all the CSN stuff but the stuff I've seen has been more matter of fact than anything, and in their defense CSN isn't a cheerleading squad. They exist to present the full spectrum of opinion and attitude on Canadian soccer, good and bad. Most women's soccer coverage is either gushing or patronizing. Rainbow praise and support is great, but is that the job of the media? Reminds me of state-controlled news in China and double-plus good in 1984.

And why should CSN treat the women's program any different? Think they hold the pom-poms up on the CSA when they need dressing down? (i.e. on things like governance) Think they let a poor TFC performance or decision go without it's due? If the CSN guy's (and gal) edited all their content to be pro-CSA, pro-players, pro-everyone and pro-everything nobody would go there and we would lose a strong and neccessary voice in the soccer community.

My understanding from following both (CSN and the Voyageurs) is that our women endure very little of the personal attacks and criticism that goes on in the men's boards. It's also lightweight compared to our neighbours down south who pretty much to a person regularly rip and trash their female players performances. And even that is church conversation compared to the tabloids in the UK. There is no part of a players life over there that isn't ransacked on a daily basis for news. They go through their trash, hire detectives, and even try and purposely destroy them (a la SGE and News of the World in Dubai). For example - Neil Lennon actually got physically attacked by a fan the other day - and it wasn't even big enough news to get above the cutline.

The more visible the act, the more the detractors. The higher you go in the game (any game) the more both the rewards and slings and arrows. You can't have one and not the other. The earth doesn't spin like that. When our program was inexpensive and amateur no one had any concerns whatsoever. But when your existence costs millions of public funds there's no way to escape accountability and public opinion. That's the nature of the entire House of Commons too. Different people with different views all expressing them to get closer to the truth.

LeBlanc saw the ball in her court to come to the defense of her team and hit it back with an ace. That's great and like every action (including the original) that provokes reaction and keeps healthy dialogue going forward. Progress doesn't just magically appear, it comes through struggle and hard work, including handling (and growing from) opinion that is different than yours.

That said, women soccer players are always underdogs. They're people who give up everything and live on nothing for a dream. They're pack everything I have in the van and hit the road and drive until there's no road left. According to the dictionary the word champion has four definitions. The first is the most commonly known and referred to but it's the other three that are more relevant:

cham·pi·on (chmp-n)

n.

1. One that wins first place or first prize in a competition.

2. One that is clearly superior or has the attributes of a winner: a champion at teaching.

3. An ardent defender or supporter of a cause or another person: a champion of the homeless.

4. One who fights; a warrior.

Women's soccer players are all champions. They scrap for respect inch by inch in the trenches of the male-dominated bastion of soccer and sport and a system that say's you're second class. I've met a lot of people who don't like women's soccer but I haven't met many who don't have a lot of respect for what women give and go through.

There is no regular EPL game on tv in women's soccer, no Champions League streamed across the Atlantic. No MLS on Sportsnet, no 25 women's soccer magazines in the local Chapters or Borders. It's a lonely lifestyle with little notice or praise. But once every couple of years women get their due and stand on top of the world, and we're a month away.

One of the reasons women's soccer has exploded internationally is the emotion they bring to the game. Women lack physically when it comes to the game compared to men, intellectually will always be up for debate, but in terms of emotion men will never reach half the level of women. It makes for great viewing. People who love the game for the joy of sport and the spirit of competition will never be wanting watching a women's World Cup.

Everything else, from compensation to lifestyle to soccer politics to Morace to the CSA is now fade to black. It may be the lead story for 47 months but pretty soon it's all sideshow and second stage. And Hallelujah. Just like the old battles of yore where each army would send out their best fighter - the only thing that matters now is 21 women.

[Vic]

[Blackdude]

Just a reminder:Canada will play Switzerland today at 8 EDT in Rome. And they'll play Wedsnesday in Switzerland at Noon EDT.

Here's Switzerland's roster (in French, you could get it in German or Italian if you wanted to)

http://www.football.ch/nm/fr/Liste__FATeam.aspx?vNews=1&newsID=1

I'm a bit surprised there is nothing on the CSA's website about those matches, yet it is posted on the FIFA website and on the Swiss FA's website. It's not the first time it happens (South Korea before the Cyprus Cup)

[mtlfan]

Just a reminder:Canada will play Switzerland today at 8 EDT in Rome. And they'll play Wedsnesday in Switzerland at Noon EDT.

.....................

I'm a bit surprised there is nothing on the CSA's website about those matches, yet it is posted on the FIFA website and on the Swiss FA's website. It's not the first time it happens (South Korea before the Cyprus Cup)

Are you kidding? The CSA likes to keep secrets, after all it is only our National Team doing its final prep before a World Cup.

They kept everybody in the dark about status of Parker and Belanger.

Maybe they forgot about the game.

Let's make a top ten list of excuses.

[The Ref]

When one reads what they write on public boards such as Facebook, see their photos and videos, they all are intended to give the impression they are having a good time. If Karina feels offended by it, I find it ridiculous. She herself then should moderate how she looks on photos, her dress attires and body language.

[cwntfan]

I wouldn't use the word ridiculous for Karina to be offended. Okay, I agree with you that some people who don't follow this team frequently may think they're on vacation but to base your opinion and bash the team on one or two tweets is ridiculous and quiet frankly ignorant. These are grown, this isn't college. While I would agree that younger players should watch what they say it isn't necessary for all players to tweet work related stuff. There is a good balance of public posts. For instance Rhian Wilkinson's website. She consistently writes journals of on and of field activities. So it is clear that they are in fact training and not on vacation. These women sacrifice a lot, being away from loved ones, missing out on holidays. You put yourself in their shoes and see if you think being offended is ridiculous.