Alyson Walker

[maplebanana]

1 hour ago, toontownman said:

Why can't I pick both the laugh and cry reaction 

All of my sports teams are making me feel like this these days, so I gotta have this gif on speed dial.

[narduch]

1 hour ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

I think it is time to pressure Crooks. I gave her a huge benefit of the doubt, but she can't be like this, dawdling. I was bothered the women said she was a Bontis person, old wood, dead wood, but now I wonder if maybe they were right. 

Most countries lose a coach and have another in place in a few weeks, maximum. 

I don't think the CSA even has anyone currently in this roll.

De Vos was the interim General Secretary but he left for TFC

[Canuckia]

1 hour ago, dyslexic nam said:

In the absence of any real information, this is either because:

- she is ill and is prioritizing her health 

- she learned more about role and the organization and wanted to distance herself from it

- the CSB strongarmed her into leaving because they are essentially the Canadian footy mafia

 

Depending on your personal biases and post history, feel free to assume any one of these scenarios and lose your shit over it.

[Canuckia]

1 minute ago, Canuckia said:

Too many choices! LOL

[Stoppage Time]

What, exactly, are the duties of a CSA General Secretary? Is the position even needed?

[JamboAl]

24 minutes ago, Stoppage Time said:

What, exactly, are the duties of a CSA General Secretary? Is the position even needed?

I equate the General Secretary to the CEO of a company.  I think it’s a legal requirement for this type of organization and from a practical perspective , it would be like having a team without a head coach.

[El Hombre]

3 hours ago, dyslexic nam said:

In the absence of any real information, this is either because:

- she is ill and is prioritizing her health 

- she learned more about role and the organization and wanted to distance herself from it

- the CSB strongarmed her into leaving because they are essentially the Canadian footy mafia

 

Depending on your personal biases and post history, feel free to assume any one of these scenarios and lose your shit over it.

Things like these are good because it gives me a chance to remind myself exactly which drum each poster likes to beat in just a few short pages.  It's a really convenient summary of everyone's specific personal neuroses.  Very helpful after taking time away.

[Ozzie_the_parrot]

10 hours ago, Ottawafan said:

Possible for sure, but we don't know.

That's pretty much a given for something corporate like this and there easily could be NDAs involved but "personal reasons" and "after careful consideration and conversation with my family" definitely does not automatically point to health reasons as some people on here are now trying to spin this.

The wider backdrop is that Bontis, Cochrane, Herdman along with most of his coaching entourage, Devos and now Alyson Walker have all walked away for one reason or another over the last year or so and replacements have only been of the internal and temporary type so far during what should be a golden era for the CSA when highly qualified people should be falling over themselves to either keep or take these posts.

When you see a systematic pattern like that it becomes crystal clear that you are looking at a highly dysfunctional organization that is in a state of chronic paralyzing crisis.

Edited January 23 by Ozzie_the_parrot

[An Observer]

7 hours ago, JamboAl said:

 it would be like having a team without a head coach.

Isn’t that what we have now?

[DeRo_Is_King]

Just catching up on this thread now. I don't know what her reason for stepping away is, but she had every right not to take this job, just as the CSA had every right to fire her on the first day if they so chose.

If it is a toxic-environment issue, this should serve as another wake-up call for the CSA to finally fix the problem and avoid further embarrassment. I know it seems like poor form to bail like she did, but what would be the point if it wasn't going to work? 

[Ottawafan]

6 hours ago, Ozzie_the_parrot said:

That's pretty much a given for something corporate like this and there easily could be NDAs involved but "personal reasons" and "after careful consideration and conversation with my family" definitely does not automatically point to health reasons as some people on here are now trying to spin this.

The wider backdrop is that Bontis, Cochrane, Herdman along with most of his coaching entourage, Devos and now Alyson Walker have all walked away for one reason or another over the last year or so and replacements have only been of the internal and temporary type so far during what should be a golden era for the CSA when highly qualified people should be falling over themselves to either keep or take these posts.

When you see a systematic pattern like that it becomes crystal clear that you are looking at a highly dysfunctional organization that is in a state of chronic paralyzing crisis.

That’s the concerning part that they seemingly can’t retain their people. Considering the MNT is on the upswing with our first real generational talent, about to participate (🤞) in COPA amd host a WC … you’d think it would be opposite. 

[narduch]

20 hours ago, InglewoodJack said:

Is there any significance to her announcing this on the very day she was meant to start?

Been thinking about this a bit, and my guess is that she had to make this announcement as her friends and former colleagues would have started asking her how the new job was going. It was widely reported she was starting on January 22.

Until we get other information I think you have to take her statement at face value.

[narduch]

Also highly doubtful she actually got into the real details of the job before starting it, like many are saying in here is what scared her off.

I don't know about you, but I wouldn't start working on a job until I started getting paid for it.

I actually wonder if she was poached. Will be interesting to see where she lands after this. If we ever even find out

 

[frmr]

50 minutes ago, narduch said:

Also highly doubtful she actually got into the real details of the job before starting it, like many are saying in here is what scared her off.

I don't know about you, but I wouldn't start working on a job until I started getting paid for it.

I actually wonder if she was poached. Will be interesting to see where she lands after this. If we ever even find out

 

Yeah this is my thought as well. What would she have learned from the time she originally accepted the job to now, before she has even started working? Someone on the inside told her something possibly? I doubt she was given remote access to Canada Soccer documents before she was even onboarded. Then again, maybe she was. I wouldn't put it past Canada Soccer to have some seriously bush league infosec. Probably just emailed her a link to an unprotected Google Drive with all of Canada Soccer's internal documents... drawn in Microsoft Paint.

[El Diego]

1 hour ago, narduch said:

Also highly doubtful she actually got into the real details of the job before starting it, like many are saying in here is what scared her off.

I don't know about you, but I wouldn't start working on a job until I started getting paid for it.

I actually wonder if she was poached. Will be interesting to see where she lands after this. If we ever even find out

 

 

4 minutes ago, frmr said:

Yeah this is my thought as well. What would she have learned from the time she originally accepted the job to now, before she has even started working? Someone on the inside told her something possibly? I doubt she was given remote access to Canada Soccer documents before she was even onboarded. Then again, maybe she was. I wouldn't put it past Canada Soccer to have some seriously bush league infosec. Probably just emailed her a link to an unprotected Google Drive with all of Canada Soccer's internal documents... drawn in Microsoft Paint.

This is what I was trying to get at earlier, I agree with you guys. The last sentence of her LinkedIn post stuck out to me: "I look forward to sharing more of my professional journey in the future."

In an odd way, I actually hope my cynical speculation is correct as it means there isn't a health issue.

[Club Linesman]

[Ozzie_the_parrot]

1 hour ago, frmr said:

Yeah this is my thought as well. What would she have learned from the time she originally accepted the job to now, ...

You really think you only show up for a professional corporate job like this on the first day you are officially going to be paid without doing a lot of preparation for your new duties? She wasn't going to be working as a cashier at a supermarket or something like that. 

[frmr]

1 minute ago, Ozzie_the_parrot said:

You really think you only show up for a professional corporate job like this on the first day you are officially going to be paid without doing a lot of preparation for your new duties? She wasn't going to be working as a cashier at a supermarket or something like that. 

Do you often show up for work at a new job before your contract starts? If so, I have a job for you. You begin in two months, but I'm going to need you to come in tomorrow. Thanks.

[Ozzie_the_parrot]

Like I said this isn't a cashier's job at a supermarket. If you are doing something very highly paid at a professional level you are expected to be prepared when you walk in the door and to be able to get going straight away. You don't need to show up to start preparing. It's possible to do things like read documents on a laptop that have been sent to you by email attachment.

[costarg]

1 hour ago, frmr said:

Yeah this is my thought as well. What would she have learned from the time she originally accepted the job to now, before she has even started working? Someone on the inside told her something possibly? I doubt she was given remote access to Canada Soccer documents before she was even onboarded. Then again, maybe she was. I wouldn't put it past Canada Soccer to have some seriously bush league infosec. Probably just emailed her a link to an unprotected Google Drive with all of Canada Soccer's internal documents... drawn in Microsoft Paint.

If ever there was a thread that needed more than one reaction enabled for comments, this is it.  I don't know if i should laugh, cry or jump in and poke fun.  There is just so much going wrong with CSA.

[costarg]

2 minutes ago, Ozzie_the_parrot said:

Like I said this isn't a cashier's job at a supermarket. If you are doing something very highly paid at a professional level you are expected to be prepared when you walk in the door and to be able to get going straight away. You don't need to show up to start preparing. It's possible to do things like read documents on a laptop that have been sent to you by email attachment.

I understand what you're saying, but if there is one employer, corporation or business that really has me wondering if anyone is working or even showing up it's the CSA.  A while back someone questioned why they even need office space, if I still lived in Ottawa I would totally have setup outside to see if anyone is actually showing up regularly.

[dyslexic nam]

11 hours ago, Ozzie_the_parrot said:

That's pretty much a given for something corporate like this and there easily could be NDAs involved but "personal reasons" and "after careful consideration and conversation with my family" definitely does not automatically point to health reasons as some people on here are now trying to spin this.

 

Not sure how it is "spin" to put some credence into a potential motive that was reported in the Athletic: 

 

Canada Soccer general secretary Alyson Walker has stepped down from her role one month after being hired due to a health issue, sources briefed on the move tell The Athletic. 

 

Sure this could all be due to CSA incompetence.  That may very well come out when all is said and done.  But it seems unnecessary to portray anyone accepting the plausibility of the reported cause as some disingenuous apologist. 

[narduch]

5 minutes ago, dyslexic nam said:

 

Not sure how it is "spin" to put some credence into a potential motive that was reported in the Athletic: 

 

Canada Soccer general secretary Alyson Walker has stepped down from her role one month after being hired due to a health issue, sources briefed on the move tell The Athletic. 

 

Sure this could all be due to CSA incompetence.  That may very well come out when all is said and done.  But it seems unnecessary to portray anyone accepting the plausibility of the reported cause as some disingenuous apologist. 

The only person being disingenuous here is Ozzie.

Once again spinning a tale to fit one of his pre conceived narratives.

Edited January 23 by narduch

[narduch]

22 minutes ago, Ozzie_the_parrot said:

Like I said this isn't a cashier's job at a supermarket. If you are doing something very highly paid at a professional level you are expected to be prepared when you walk in the door and to be able to get going straight away. You don't need to show up to start preparing. It's possible to do things like read documents on a laptop that have been sent to you by email attachment.

What you are talking about is highly irregular.

She isn't taking over nuclear power plant.

[DeRo_Is_King]

47 minutes ago, Ozzie_the_parrot said:

Like I said this isn't a cashier's job at a supermarket. If you are doing something very highly paid at a professional level you are expected to be prepared when you walk in the door and to be able to get going straight away. You don't need to show up to start preparing. It's possible to do things like read documents on a laptop that have been sent to you by email attachment.

I mean, at the very least, she would have researched the CSA and potentially identified red flags during the interview process. I've been in a similar situation to Alyson here. High-profile role, troubled org, decided not to take it on the start date. A savvy candidate will spot the problem spots. 

Edit: To reiterate, I don't know her reason for rescinding acceptance, but she has every right to and should not be maligned or blackballed for it, imo. 

Edited January 23 by DeRo_Is_King