RHIAN SOCCER AND MEDIA REPORTS

 

CAROLINA MORACE RESIGNS AS WNT COACH  22nd July 2011

From CSA

 

The Canadian Soccer Association announced today that Carolina Morace and her staff have resigned as coaches of the National Women's team. The players received an e-mail thanking them for their service and sacrifices and informing them of the coaches' decision. This followed a Thursday debriefing and analysis in the wake of Canada’s poor performance at the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Germany. The CSA has accepted the resignations.

 

  

 

"The Canadian Soccer Association would like to recognize the contribution that Coach Morace and her staff have made to the advancement of the Women’s National Team program,” stated Peter Montopoli, Canadian Soccer Association General Secretary. “We congratulate them on their achievements and wish them well in their next endeavour."

 

He added, that the Association remains committed to the Women’s National Team program and the team’s Olympic qualification for London 2012. As such, an international search for a Head Coach will begin immediately with a focus on the continued advancement of the Women’s National Team program.

 

After Canada was effectively knocked out of the World Cup at the group stage, losing its pivotal second match to France 4-0, the relationship between Morace and the team seemed to chill noticeably. The players gave up contracts and put their lives on hold for the preparation camps Morace was running.

 

From Ben Rycroft,   22nd July 2011

 

Although some might think Morace's resignation is good news, I don't think so. A year away from the Olympics, I honestly think a new coach won't have a great impact on the team. Moreover, I liked the style of play she tried to implement.

Should CSA try to retain her ? NO. As a personnel manager, I have learned with experience, you must not try to keep an employee that resigns or threatens to. It never leads to good results.

Why would Morace resign now? I think she has been humiliated and probably feels the players let her down. The defeat against Germany at the WWC 2011 was not humiliating. We were proud of our women after the game. Against France : I would say no again, since I blame Morace for letting the Sinclair injury turn the team focus away from the performance on the field, which led to poor performance.

 

Against Nigeria : Sinclair's injury was no longer a factor and the players came out flat - perhaps aware of the cooling relations with the coach. They showed little character, letting down Morace and the supporters.

Were these factors sufficient to resign? In my mind, no. Morace has made mistakes. The team peaked too soon ands prior to WWC competition. She mismanaged the Sinclair injury situation, but I think she should have learned from these failings and become a better coach.

 

Who should replace her ? I have no names but I think we should continue in the footsteps of Morace and implement the style of play she has tried to instill. But most importantly, I think the new national team coach should have authority over girls soccer at all levels of the game. This way, all the people involved in women's soccer will be heading in the same direction.

 

Do I feel I deceived by Morace resignation ? Yes. I was expecting more character from her in front of adversity.

 

Coach Rich

 

I would like to see an interview of Morace before we write off her character. To take the CSA's word alone is to hear only one side of the story.  Having the OTP and B2ten involved might help to mediate things as they see things differently. Sort of like the CSA saying things with Morace and the players were settled well into the program but in reality things were not settled until weeks before the WWC. Was good of the OTP to point that out to the CSA in the news.

 

What has gone on maybe still has the potential to be much bigger than what we are being told. Much like early this year, it not only involved Morace but the team as they are willing to fight for what they believe in based on their experience and not ours from the sidelines. The question for us is always the same. Do we want to act like a status quo mob or think together to be reformers to bring long term change?