Morace to stick with national team through London Olympics

[cwntfan]

If you're implying $$ will make the men's side successful and qualify for the world cup, you are very wrong my friend.

[Pony42]

Premise 1 -getting friendlies in Canada against strong European and south American nations (like the US does) will make our MNT stronger both in play and support.

Premise 2 -'A list' opponents demand appearance fees

Deduction - More money will afford more frequent quality opposition, improving the standard of play and national profile of the MNT

Conclusion - more money will make the MNT stronger and better known

I have a hockey (well football) sock full of like arguments as to why more funding must be diverted toward the MNT if you care to continue.

[CoachRich]

^

You are Colin Linford after all ;-)

[ted]

Morace isn't the problem here! I hope she doesn't resign. She has been one of few bright spots for Canadian soccer.

So, with all the preparation time in the world and years to choose and train her team they come in dead-last at a tournament at which they were widely expected to advance out of the group stage, you think she should stay?

Yeah, that makes sense.

[TFC07]

So, with all the preparation time in the world and years to choose and train her team they come in dead-last at a tournament at which they were widely expected to advance out of the group stage, you think she should stay?

Yeah, that makes sense.

There's so much a coach can do. Whatever happened to blaming on the players? End of the day, it's the players who play on the pitch not coaches. Right now, girls aren't technical good and rest of "soccer nation" are starting to use their superior knowledge, development and infrastructure to develop women soccer in their countries. We're seeing how competitive women soccer is becoming now! This World Cup is proof of that!

[mtlfan]

There's so much a coach can do. Whatever happened to blaming on the players? End of the day, it's the players who play on the pitch not coaches. Right now, girls aren't technical good and rest of "soccer nation" are starting to use their superior knowledge, development and infrastructure to develop women soccer in their countries. We're seeing how competitive women soccer is becoming now! This World Cup is proof of that!

How many times did we see Canadian players stumbing over the ball ? In terms of technique was any other team worse? I can recall a couple of times Julien letting the ball bounce a few times instead of controling the ball a U13 mistake from lack of confidence. (she did't end up with posession)

This team did win many games lately (pre WWC) but let's ask this question how many Canadians could crack the line-up of the remaining 8 squads?

[Pony42]

Any good coach understands that you have to work with the players you have and maximize their potential. These players were touted (pre tournament) as one of the best Canada has fielded, so it’s a little rich to now blame the result on a shallow talent pool. Carolina has obviously not been up to the task at hand. Ref: my original point, she seemed more interested in the political side of the team than actually improving their standard of play.

Secondly, good leaders remain accountable for the actions of those they lead. Based on her comments in the press, she has attempted to divert attention away from her own teams poor performance at every oppurtunity by blaming the CSA. Nutshell - she doesn't exhibit behaviour of someone who is in the least bit remorseful for how her team played. In sport and most other vocations, this usually leads to the axe.

As a side note, how does Italy's women's program (including coaching) stack up against the rest of the world...

Bottom line, we've been had and we need to cut our loses before it gets worse.

[Trillium]

Any good coach understands that you have to work with the players you have and maximize their potential. These players were touted (pre tournament) as one of the best Canada has fielded, so it’s a little rich to now blame the result on a shallow talent pool. Carolina has obviously not been up to the task at hand. Ref: my original point, she seemed more interested in the political side of the team than actually improving their standard of play.

Secondly, good leaders remain accountable for the actions of those they lead. Based on her comments in the press, she has attempted to divert attention away from her own teams poor performance at every oppurtunity by blaming the CSA. Nutshell - she doesn't exhibit behaviour of someone who is in the least bit remorseful for how her team played. In sport and most other vocations, this usually leads to the axe.

As a side note, how does Italy's women's program (including coaching) stack up against the rest of the world...

Bottom line, we've been had and we need to cut our loses before it gets worse.

Player selection is Morace, money to see everyone possible was there.... she had them as captives for long enough to instill her style of play and to improve technical skills, if she had the ability to breakdown what was wrong with each players approach, i have to believe she did not do this based on her comments to date, she had lots of help, where is the result ?

Sometimes you do get sold a bill of goods and the seller is adept at keeping you hanging on ... too long.

Pelerud was a case in point ... Morace may also be, but who at the CSA can fire her ?

The old english boys running the technical side cannot, the President is a lame duck, the CSA rep who traveled with the team in the 1000 a night hotels... Clive Wilkinson ? somehow i doubt it...so it will be same ole same ole way of doing things instead of taking this team and shaking it up and making everyone evolved accountable.

If the CSA wants to do that ...first step is to interview each player individually with someone from outside to get the player prespective, not the group think one but the individual one.

Then the coaches and staff around the team.

Then those persons responsible for monitoring the program.

Once you do that you can identify what has to change for 2012 causing doing the same wont get us a medal in England it may not even get us to the show.

[Free kick]

As a side note, how does Italy's women's program (including coaching) stack up against the rest of the world...

I'd say pretty good. Italy lost to the USA in the two legged playoff by losing both matches 1-0. Considering how strong the USA defense is and given the strong showing of UEFA sides at this women tournament it would be fair to suggest that they would have held their own.

As far a coaching, is there a nation out there that garners a higher reputation for coaching and tactics? You might get an argument from the Dutch. One need only look the numerous Italians ex pats that can be seen on the sidelines of English league mens soccer matches not to mention several international sides such as ireland, england and Paraguay. There is no reason that it would be any different when it comes to the women's game.

[Vic]

France, Brazil and Germany.

[ted]

There's so much a coach can do. Whatever happened to blaming on the players?

What you say is true and in the case of Hart and the Men's team I said the Gold Cup was an example of the players being more at fault and he should stay through the upcoming qualifying campaign. That said, if we fail to advance out of the first stage he should be sacked.

In the case of Morace however she had years to develop this team and it was not lack of finishing skill that earned them ZERO points in the tournament. The team seldom seemed to threaten the opposition goal, leaked like a sieve at the back and in the middle of the park it looked like a bunch of U10's playing pinball until the ball squirted out of the pack towards one goal or the other. All of these things you can blame on a coach who has been in charge for that long.

[dekester]

You really know your stuff. It is too bad that more Canadians don't question our CSA as it truly is a flawed seriously entity. All our international teams, at all the age group are getting worse. The NTC are a farce How many coaches are being paid to produce squat.It truly is the kids that I feel badly for. Especially those from non-soccer parents that get conned by the blazers.It is not until they get schooled by real pro's that they get it, but by then it is too late. QUOTE=Trillium;412694]Player selection is Morace, money to see everyone possible was there.... she had them as captives for long enough to instill her style of play and to improve technical skills, if she had the ability to breakdown what was wrong with each players approach, i have to believe she did not do this based on her comments to date, she had lots of help, where is the result ?

Sometimes you do get sold a bill of goods and the seller is adept at keeping you hanging on ... too long.

Pelerud was a case in point ... Morace may also be, but who at the CSA can fire her ?

The old english boys running the technical side cannot, the President is a lame duck, the CSA rep who traveled with the team in the 1000 a night hotels... Clive Wilkinson ? somehow i doubt it...so it will be same ole same ole way of doing things instead of taking this team and shaking it up and making everyone evolved accountable.

If the CSA wants to do that ...first step is to interview each player individually with someone from outside to get the player prespective, not the group think one but the individual one.

Then the coaches and staff around the team.

Then those persons responsible for monitoring the program.

Once you do that you can identify what has to change for 2012 causing doing the same wont get us a medal in England it may not even get us to the show.

[Guest Ed]

You really know your stuff. It is too bad that more Canadians don't question our CSA as it truly is a flawed seriously entity. All our international teams, at all the age group are getting worse. The NTC are a farce How many coaches are being paid to produce squat.It truly is the kids that I feel badly for. Especially those from non-soccer parents that get conned by the blazers.It is not until they get schooled by real pro's that they get it, but by then it is too late.

You lead off your tirade with 'All our international teams, at all the age group are getting worse.' which is patently false.

CMNT: Remains to be seen. We just failed to advance out of our group at Gold Cup but had some positive results in the lead up. We are playing the best 'style' I've seen from a CMNT in the 25 years or so that I have been closely following the men's team.

CWNT: We had our best ever showing at the CONCACAF qualifying for WWC.

CMNT U20: Admittedly not a great showing.

CWNT U20: Same for our ladies.

CMNT U17: Best showing ever. Very respectable at the final in one of only two groups to send two teams to the last 8.

CMWT U17: Won the CONCACAF championship. No slouch.

Just in, URU beat BRA 3-0 to advance to the U17 final. Canada lost by an identical scoreline in its opening game against URU.

[Vic]

Thanks Ed, beat me to it.

[CoachRich]

Canadian soccer officials, OTP hope to learn from World Cup debacle

Neil Davidson

TORONTO— The Canadian Press

Published Thursday, Jul. 07, 2011 6:19PM EDT <h5 class="articledateline sans sm">Last updated Thursday, Jul. 07, 2011 6:20PM EDT

</h5>

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/soccer/canadian-soccer-officials-otp-hope-to-learn-from-world-cup-debacle/article2090366/

The Canadian Soccer Association hopes Canada's failed campaign at the Women's World Cup will produce some positives.

A post-mortem is planned this month, with an eye to making necessary changes in time for Olympic qualifying.

But there is little time. The women are supposed to reconvene in September with the Olympic qualifying tournament slated for January in Vancouver.

parts

"

That blueprint included the World Cup and the Olympics.

Merklinger says the plan, however, did not fire on all cylinders until this spring. That's when there was full approval for all the plan's financial resources.

“The team I think was comfortable in moving forward and implementing the plan but there was some friction and struggles that needed to be worked through,” she said.

The struggles involved the team's battle for a compensation package and Morace's ongoing dispute with the CSA over program strategy.

But Merklinger suggested little good would come of premature speculation over what went wrong.

“The important piece is we take a step back and we analyse fully and evaluate fully everything that was involved leading up to the World Cup.”

Montopoli said whatever the debrief produces, Morace — whose contract runs through the 2012 Games — remains at the helm.

“She is the coach,” he said."

[The Ref]

Canadian soccer officials, OTP hope to learn from World Cup debacle

Neil Davidson

TORONTO— The Canadian Press

Published Thursday, Jul. 07, 2011 6:19PM EDT

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/soccer/canadian-soccer-officials-otp-hope-to-learn-from-world-cup-debacle/article2090366/

The Canadian Soccer Association hopes Canada's failed campaign at the Women's World Cup will produce some positives.

A post-mortem is planned this month, with an eye to making necessary changes in time for Olympic qualifying.

But there is little time. The women are supposed to reconvene in September with the Olympic qualifying tournament slated for January in Vancouver.

That blueprint included the World Cup and the Olympics.

Merklinger says the plan, however, did not fire on all cylinders until this spring. That's when there was full approval for all the plan's financial resources.

“The team I think was comfortable in moving forward and implementing the plan but there was some friction and struggles that needed to be worked through,” she said.

The struggles involved the team's battle for a compensation package and Morace's ongoing dispute with the CSA over program strategy.

But Merklinger suggested little good would come of premature speculation over what went wrong.

“The important piece is we take a step back and we analyse fully and evaluate fully everything that was involved leading up to the World Cup.”

Montopoli said whatever the debrief produces, Morace — whose contract runs through the 2012 Games — remains at the helm.

“She is the coach,” he said."

Wrong, She is the problem!

[Pony42]

I think the CSA needs to read a copy of old yeller before deciding what to do about the coaching situation (metaphorically speaking - I'm not condoning violence of any sort).

End of the day, this team has been put on a pedestal based on the achievements at previous WWCs. They had some success when nobody outside North America, Germany and China cared, and have a false confidence (if not arrogance) which Carolina embodies. The rest of the world now wants to win this tournament and we've been lapped because of our own complacency.

Any evaluation and rework of this team needs to start with this premise, so plans are developed as to how we can catch up to our opponents.

I'm afraid that with Carolina, it will start with a premise of "we're really good, but played poorly" and attempts will be made to 'tweak' the team. As with the English MNT (and post-2006 Italy come to think), such an approach will continue our decent down the spiral until we don't even qualify.

[paul-collins]

End of the day, this team has been put on a pedestal based on the achievements at previous WWCs. They had some success when nobody outside North America, Germany and China cared, and have a false confidence (if not arrogance) which Carolina embodies. The rest of the world now wants to win this tournament and we've been lapped because of our own complacency.

Any evaluation and rework of this team needs to start with this premise, so plans are developed as to how we can catch up to our opponents.

Why would we start from a false premise?

I think we reached the point of realizing that the previous WWC results were flattering an athletic approach and were coming to their end at the end of Even Pellerud's reign. It would seem to me that the short term fix was to turn the current team from a direct play team to a possession team, and that is where Carolina was brought in (although I'm not suggesting the CSA went looking for her based on this assessment, more likely they found her and she made the assessment).

It would seem to me that we are bumping up against the limitations of trying to develop players into ball controllers in their 20's. For the current team we have two choices, it seems to me.

1. Continue work and hope that the skills under pressure will improve (see the CONCACAF championship and other winter 2011 tournament results to see how this worked under less pressure - beating Sweden and Netherlands; beating Mexico; beating England; drawing Brazil twice; losing to the US)
   
2. Abandon the current path and - what? Return to Route 1?

In the long run, we need our youth to develop into the type of control player that you need for the current orthodoxy of play. We are not doing this currently. This absolutely needs to be fixed. I just don't see how lopping off Carolina's head accomplishes that.

[Richard]

"It would seem to me that we are bumping up against the limitations of trying to develop players into ball controllers in their 20's"

My thoughts exactly. Morace did the best she could with the material available to her and the players played their hearts out for sure. But one cannot make a silk purse out of a pig's ear. CSA needs to acknowledge that the 'problem' runs far deeper than can be fixed with a coaching change at the WNT level. It is a systemic problem in Canada and a wholesale change in approach from the bottom up will be required if we are to move forward. Similar problem exists with the men's program for all the same reasons.

As evidence I recommend the FIFA highlight video of the Mexico vs Germany U-17 WC Mexico 2011 semi-final. We don't come close to that level of basic, basic skill in Canada in any of our programs. Until we do we will continue to struggle to compete at the highest level.

[afun]

Any good coach understands that you have to work with the players you have and maximize their potential. These players were touted (pre tournament) as one of the best Canada has fielded, so it’s a little rich to now blame the result on a shallow talent pool. Carolina has obviously not been up to the task at hand. Ref: my original point, she seemed more interested in the political side of the team than actually improving their standard of play.

Secondly, good leaders remain accountable for the actions of those they lead. Based on her comments in the press, she has attempted to divert attention away from her own teams poor performance at every oppurtunity by blaming the CSA. Nutshell - she doesn't exhibit behaviour of someone who is in the least bit remorseful for how her team played. In sport and most other vocations, this usually leads to the axe.

As a side note, how does Italy's women's program (including coaching) stack up against the rest of the world...

Bottom line, we've been had and we need to cut our loses before it gets worse.

^This is spot on. A good coach will make a good team out of crappy players.

[kj52]

^This is spot on. A good coach will make a good team out of crappy players.

A good coach will make a better team out of crappy players than a bad coach. They'll still be a crappy team.

[Richard]

^ +1

The current team plays much better ball than any previous CWNT thanks in large part to Carolina Morace but we have been thoroughly overtaken by much of our competition and for that I don't blame Morace, that is a systemic problem. She can't make a silk purse out of a pig's ear no matter how hard she tries.

[Vic]

Some interesting insight from Steven Brunt who was in Germany:

http://pmd.fan590.com/podcasts/pts/PTS-2011-07-08-5-pm.mp3

Begins at 8:00 minute mark

[Guest Ed]

So how exactly did this "pig's ear" of a team emerge as CONCACAF champions AND win a pre-season tournament over the mighty Marta and company in Brazil??

[Richard]

A great team delivers on the truly big occasions, leaving everybody else by the wayside. That's where our team ended up in the WC tournament unfortunately. They simply were unable to play to the level of their competition in the games that mattered.