‘Integrity’ the word of the day as Canada Soccer introduces Stoney

Canada Soccer has seemingly become accustomed to dealing with daunting tasks, including an Olympic scandal last year that garnered international headlines.

In some ways, a search for a new head coach is almost mundane by comparison. But the pressure was on once again for the federation.

The women’s national team had been without a head coach since Bev Priestman was suspended by FIFA during last summer’s Paris Olympics after the drone spying scandal. Canada Soccer needed to fill the vacancy with someone not only capable of leading a top-tier team, but also an individual who could help repair the image of the program.

The federation found both qualities they were searching for in Casey Stoney.

The former English international was officially introduced as the new head coach for the Canadian women’s team on Monday. Her contract runs through 2027, where the next FIFA Women’s World Cup will take place in Brazil, with an option for 2028, which would also have her at the helm for that summer’s Olympics.

Stoney previously coached Manchester United’s women’s team from 2018 to 2021, helping the club earn promotion to the Women’s Super League after just one season in the second division.

Most recently, Stoney was head coach for the San Diego Wave in the National Women’s Soccer League. In her first season with the club in 2022, she was named coach of the year after leading the expansion side to a third-place finish in the regular season and a run to the semifinals in the playoffs. In the following year, the Wave captured the NWSL Shield as regular-season champions.

But her stellar coaching resume isn’t what impressed Canada Soccer CEO Kevin Blue the most.

“Somebody's coaching ability and their skills in terms of what's appropriate for our team – the football experts have advised me on that, and also, obviously, Casey's record speaks for itself,” Blue told the media on Monday.

“The thing that I wanted to most understand about Casey when we first met was her character and the strength of her values and her integrity… I think that we have an excellent fit in somebody with an extremely strong character that will be a great leader for Canadian soccer.”

“Integrity” was an oft-repeated word during Monday’s introductory media conference with Blue and Stoney.

It’s understandable, given the turbulent year the women’s program endured in 2024, one plagued by the drone scandal and subsequent investigations. Priestman, along with assistant coach Jasmine Mander and analyst Joey Lombardi, were all suspended for one year by FIFA in the summer, and Priestman was officially let go by Canada Soccer in the fall following an independent investigation.

“I wouldn't have taken this job if I wasn't confident that [Canada Soccer] was moving in the right direction. Let's make that very clear,” Stoney said. “I am very principle-based. I'll always fight for what's right for the players, and I've been really impressed with the direction this organization is now going in.”

While the aftermath of the drone scandal continued to be a main talking point during Monday’s media conference, Stoney was adamant that she doesn’t believe it’s part of her role to change any negative perceptions about the team.

“I think one thing people can't question about me is my integrity and my principles,” she said. “I think I'm able to draw the line in the sand with this team, with the players. I’m very aware of what they've been through. I will listen and I will hear, but this is an opportunity for us now to move forward.”

From Canada Soccer’s standpoint, Blue echoed that the federation is focused on the road ahead.

“As earnestly as we are trying to move forward, we are also being humble about learning from the past so as not to repeat the same mistakes again,” he said. “And I'm not talking specifically about flying drones. I'm talking about underlying structural issues that may have precipitated things that have caused difficulty broadly in the federation over time.”

One marked improvement in the federation has been its hiring process. Blue said Canada Soccer started with around 40 to 50 candidates. Compare that to 2018, when Kenneth Heiner-Møller, an assistant coach with the team, was immediately handed the reins as head coach after John Herdman left to lead the men’s side. Two years later, Priestman’s hiring was marred by behind-the-scenes turmoil, as she was reportedly offered the role without board approval.

Stoney is a big name in the women’s game and one of the most impressive free agents available in the coaching circles. She said she spoke to the players about Blue and the impact he has been able to make since joining Canada Soccer last February.

“I didn't take this job without knowledge, and they spoke very highly of the difference that he's been able to make in the short time he's come in,” she said.

While the team’s reputation may not concern her, Stoney recognizes that the players’ trust must be rebuilt. Several Canadian players have commented publicly about Priestman’s actions. Goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan, who Stoney coached at the Wave, said during the Olympics that it was “really tough” to accept Priestman’s apology (which was made hours before Canada’s second group stage match). Defender Gabby Carle later told the Footy Prime podcast that she didn’t believe Priestman took responsibility for the controversy after telling the players she would.

Stoney has experience earning players’ trust as a coach. Her tenure in San Diego started during a tumultuous time for the league after multiple allegations of abuse had surfaced across various clubs. By the end of 2021, head coaches for five of the 10 teams had either resigned or were fired.

“I worked with a group of players that did not trust coaches, so I had to spend three or four months earning trust and making sure that we built relationships in the environment where they felt safe,” Stoney said. “That's no different here. I think that's going to be very similar to building the trust of the players, making sure that if you stand in front of a room and you say you want to do something, doing it, and living accountable to that.”

Stoney also stressed that she is a players’ coach. She represented England for 18 years, earning 130 caps and also captained the team. At club level, she has played for major organizations like Arsenal and Chelsea and won multiple Women’s FA Cups, League Cups and Women’s Community Shields.

When the news of her hiring was leaked last week, Stoney made it a priority to reach out to the players over the weekend. She will have her first camp with the team in February, when Canada, ranked sixth in the world, competes in the Pinatar Cup, a three-match series in Spain.

“I'm super excited to get to know them as people, to observe them in their environments and help them,” Stoney said. “The team's done fantastic. I'm here to just support and make it better, and make sure that the players are completely focused on what their job is, which is to win football matches.”