Apr 28, 2015
With team set, Herdman ready for next step
John Herdman described it as "the hardest part" of his coaching job. But as TSN's Luke Wileman writes, Canada's coach is done naming his Women's World Cup squad and is focused shining the spotlight on his players who will carry the hopes of a nation on their shoulders.
By Luke Wileman
John Herdman described it as "the hardest part" of his coaching job. But after making his decisions and having some difficult conversations, Canada's coach named his 23-player roster for the upcoming FIFA Women's World Cup in Vancouver on Monday, shining the spotlight on the players who will carry the hopes of a nation on their shoulders. They've done it before of course, capturing hearts from coast to coast during their stunning run to a bronze medal at the London Olympics, but a triumph on home soil would be a much greater achievement.
There are 15 players named to the roster that were on the 2012 Olympic squad so there is plenty of experience, and that is mixed with a youth movement that includes three extremely talented teenagers - defender Kadeisha Buchanan and midfielders Ashley Lawrence and Jessie Fleming, who at 17 years old is the youngest player on the squad.
While Canada won't be the most talented team at the tournament, they will be the most prepared. Herdman has a roster of women who will give everything they have to make their country proud. At the roster announcement in Robson Square, it was clear to see that these players are not just excited to play in a World Cup – they are thrilled and honoured to wear the maple leaf and represent Canada.
"We've got some great Canadians in this team," said Herdman. "Every one of these 23 met the standards physically, mentally, socially, emotionally and technically, tactically to be part of this tournament. I don't think you ever whittle it down to a starting eleven in these tournaments.
"When we were at the Olympics we lost two centre backs by the second game. Players are given a role and they know they will either start a game, or finish a game and there are very specific requirements."
"This team, player for player, may not be the best team in the world, but it will be the most connected, and I think that is one of the keys to success," Herdman continued. "These 23 players don't just have a role on the pitch.
"We have an off-field leadership group, we have an on-field leadership group - these girls work hard behind the scenes so even if they don't see a minute of playing time they are contributing to put this team on the podium."
The biggest personnel question surrounding this team is the fitness of Diana Matheson who is still on the comeback trail from an ACL injury and is now also working to recover from a broken foot. Canada will have until 24 hours before the tournament to name a replacement if the bronze-medal winning goal scorer doesn't make it in time, but Herdman remains confident the midfielder will be available.
"She'll be ready, I'm absolutely sure she'll be ready," he said. "She's just one of those people that will make it happen. But I know from Diana's perspective, if she's not quite ready she will give the shirt up to someone else. She's one of the women that really deserve this tournament.
"She has put the time in. She is one of the most diligent athletes you will ever meet and one of the most amazing women you will ever meet in terms of her soul, her spirit, everything she's got for Canada."
The Canadian roster was never going to be filled with surprises, with just one or two decisions needing to be made by Herdman. Youngsters Rebecca Quinn and Janine Beckie were the two players cut from the squad. They represented Canada at the FIFA U20 World Cup last year and are expected to now be part of the Pan Am Games squad this summer.
The one name that wouldn't have been predicted is 28-year-old midfielder Selenia Iacchelli who has only appeared for Canada four times and hasn't played a minute this year. Her inclusion is proof that hard work and a fighting spirit pays off. Even if see doesn't see any action during the tournament, she will be a key figure behind the scenes.
"She's an outstanding Canadian," said Herdman when I asked him about Iacchelli. "She came into our program late, we made some decisions around Christmas to release her from our core roster into the wider squad and she has done everything to ensure she stayed around the team environment and when you see that sort of will it tells you about the character of people. With Selenia, when the pressure was off she trained better and played better. It's a great story about how people with perseverance tend to get places."
Canada's squad will now have 10 days off before resuming training camp in Los Angeles where they will play behind-closed-doors games against Mexico and the United States. They then move to Toronto for the final phase of their preparation before facing England in Hamilton on May 29, eight days before their tournament opener against China.