Match Thread: World Cup Group B - Matchday 3 - Canada v Australia - July 31, 2023 - 6 am ET / 3 am PT / 8 pm local time

[Colonel Green]

6 hours ago, SoCalTransport said:

50 million for a women's soccer team? Seriously? No one in their right mind would pay that.

Multiple new expansion teams already have.

[SoccMan]

11 hours ago, MrR said:

The viewing numbers for the remaining World Cup matches should give some indication of how popular women's soccer really is in Canada?

I understand and not debating this more of a question , however , the viewing numbers are great for the men’s World Cup but it’s not like people are breaking down the doors to go watch the CPL right now . I just wonder if tv ratings for World Cups has anything to do with domestic soccer getting any of it . 

[BearcatSA]

On 7/31/2023 at 8:15 AM, BearcatSA said:

My comment aged faster than a tuna fish sandwich in the glove compartment of a black sedan parked in Death Valley at high noon in mid-July!

Ouch!

Also not aging well:  the decision by TSN to run in the post game highlights show (of all times!) the light hearted feature of our players looking at their individual skillset analytics ratings, strengths and shortcomings ("It says I suck at defending?  I don't believe that!").  That's all they had in the can for filler?  No off the pitch/humanitarian feel good stories to show during that segment? 

Edited August 1, 2023 by BearcatSA

[Soro17]

10 hours ago, Onelessstar said:

Maybe it didn't come out exactly as she'd hoped but I think her point is that the current CWNT players and staff are wholly to blame for their loss versus Australia and their lacklustre performances through this World Cup..... but that the lack of player identification and development (thorough scouting, camps, friendlies) is impacting and will continue to impact the federation's ability to field a world class or, perhaps, competitive team. 

I think that we're seeing a new reality related to growth and development amongst upcoming women's national teams. Does Canada have a new Christine Sinclair coming? A Linda Caicedo? A Sophia Smith? I certainly don't know and I'd be surprised if anyone does. Things could get tough, for sure.

If only she had shown the same level of introspection about her own level of play. Her very presence has been blocking the development path of young players since the Olympics (and arguably before that). It reminds me of watching Cal Ripken getting dragged out there to play 3rd base at the end of his ironman streak - everyone was afraid to say he was awful. 

[Colonel Green]

29 minutes ago, Soro17 said:

If only she had shown the same level of introspection about her own level of play. Her very presence has been blocking the development path of young players since the Olympics (and arguably before that). It reminds me of watching Cal Ripken getting dragged out there to play 3rd base at the end of his ironman streak - everyone was afraid to say he was awful. 

It’s not Sinclair’s fault that the pipeline behind her has been so weak.

[GasPed]

1 hour ago, Soro17 said:

If only she had shown the same level of introspection about her own level of play. Her very presence has been blocking the development path of young players since the Olympics (and arguably before that). It reminds me of watching Cal Ripken getting dragged out there to play 3rd base at the end of his ironman streak - everyone was afraid to say he was awful. 

I mean, it's hard for me to say that's really Sinclair's fault, or that this is actually an issue with this team.  If there was someone who was clearly better that was sitting because Sinclair's iconic status was getting in the way, or if it was clear she was demanding starts and pouting when she didn't get them (a la CR7) then yes, I'd say she was the problem.  But I don't think that's the case.  Five years ago Huitema looked like she was going to languish on the bench behind an aging Sinclair, but she has now demonstrated over multiple tournaments that she's not any better than an aging Sinclair (well, ok, maybe she is now).  It's kind of like "Why are we playing Atiba?" A: Because the other options are MAK and Liam Fraser.

[Soro17]

6 minutes ago, GasPed said:

I mean, it's hard for me to say that's really Sinclair's fault, or that this is actually an issue with this team.  If there was someone who was clearly better that was sitting because Sinclair's iconic status was getting in the way, or if it was clear she was demanding starts and pouting when she didn't get them (a la CR7) then yes, I'd say she was the problem.  But I don't think that's the case.  Five years ago Huitema looked like she was going to languish on the bench behind an aging Sinclair, but she has now demonstrated over multiple tournaments that she's not any better than an aging Sinclair (well, ok, maybe she is now).  It's kind of like "Why are we playing Atiba?" A: Because the other options are MAK and Liam Fraser.

Fair enough. It is nearly impossible to quantify the 'deference' effect, whereby young players defer to Sinclair instead of using their own initiative and growing as players. In my eyes, it has clearly been an issue, in a negative way, for a few years now. 

[Watchmen]

22 hours ago, Ansem said:

I had read that CONCACAF already said no to NWSL in Canada. Whatever Project8 has planned will be it but I still hope that cooler heads prevails and they work with CSB

I thought it was the CSA (not CONCACAF) that blocked it, with the hope that CSB would start a women's league.

[BearcatSA]

On 7/31/2023 at 4:29 AM, Gian-Luca said:

Great soundbite from Chapman there “She fucking jumped into me you twat!” - worthy of Paul Peschisolido himself 

That made David Squires' cartoon in The Guardian

https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2023/aug/01/david-squires-sam-kerr-calf-watch-womens-world-cup-week-two-cartoon

[red card]

8 hours ago, Watchmen said:

I thought it was the CSA (not CONCACAF) that blocked it, with the hope that CSB would start a women's league.

No blockages. Just not enough interest in spending the money on NWSL.

There were reports the Caps would have a NWSL team in its inaugural 2012 season or 2013. Instead, they folded their USL W team and went with launching a regional EXCEL team with Canada Soccer. 

Then, in the run up to WWC 15, CSA hoped there would be 1 NWSL team in Canada post 2015. Again, there were reports that the Caps looked at potential of a NWSL. They would play at BC Place and targeted 7k attendance. But supporters groups didn't express much interest and Caps continued to favour supporting Herdman's EXCEL teams. Cross border costs were also an issue for the Caps.

 

There were reports again that the Caps were looking at launching a NWSL team for 2019. But Lenarduzzi said they weren't aligned with NWSL on the number of Canadian players they wanted on the squad (likely a condition of long time Canada Soccer women supporter Kerfoot).

Montreal have always said no to NWSL. MLSE have never said anything publicly.

Canada Soccer paid a portion of up to 16 Canadian player salaries in the NWSL from 2013-2021. When Bontis came on board in 2020, he said his main goal for women's soccer was to help get an NWSL team in Canada. CSB did hire Moscato in 2019 as Commish of League 1 Ontario and to create opportunities for players to play professionally in Canada. But she left in late 2020 as covid shelved plans.

NWSL head office has been run by USSF till last year. NWSL have said last year that they're not logistically ready to have Canadian teams. 

 

 

[Watchmen]

52 minutes ago, red card said:

No blockages. Just not enough interest in spending the money on NWSL.

There were reports the Caps would have a NWSL team in its inaugural 2012 season or 2013. Instead, they folded their USL W team and went with launching a regional EXCEL team with Canada Soccer. 

Then, in the run up to WWC 15, CSA hoped there would be 1 NWSL team in Canada post 2015. Again, there were reports that the Caps looked at potential of a NWSL. They would play at BC Place and targeted 7k attendance. But supporters groups didn't express much interest and Caps continued to favour supporting Herdman's EXCEL teams. Cross border costs were also an issue for the Caps.

 

There were reports again that the Caps were looking at launching a NWSL team for 2019. But Lenarduzzi said they weren't aligned with NWSL on the number of Canadian players they wanted on the squad (likely a condition of long time Canada Soccer women supporter Kerfoot).

Montreal have always said no to NWSL. MLSE have never said anything publicly.

Canada Soccer paid a portion of up to 16 Canadian player salaries in the NWSL from 2013-2021. When Bontis came on board in 2020, he said his main goal for women's soccer was to help get an NWSL team in Canada. CSB did hire Moscato in 2019 as Commish of League 1 Ontario and to create opportunities for players to play professionally in Canada. But she left in late 2020 as covid shelved plans.

NWSL head office has been run by USSF till last year. NWSL have said last year that they're not logistically ready to have Canadian teams. 

 

 

I remember the Whitecaps making inquiries but ultimately passing.  I also recall a rumour (and maybe that's all it was) of a Toronto NWSL inquiry, but not by MLSE.  And while MLSE may have never said anything publicly, Grant Wahl (before his passing) thought they were at least inquiring: