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RHIAN SOCCER AND MEDIA REPORTS

HERDMAN NAMED NEW CANADA WNT COACH 1st September 2011

(From CSA Report)

The Canadian Soccer Association is pleased to announce that John Herdman will become the new Head Coach for the Women’s National Team effective immediately. “We are pleased to welcome a world class coach like John Herdman to the Canadian soccer community,” commented Peter Montopoli, Canadian Soccer Association General Secretary. He added that “John’s leadership in taking New Zealand to two FIFA Women’s World Cups in 2011 and 2007 and to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games will position our team well to achieve results on the international stage. With the hosting of the 2012 CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament and the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015 in Canada on the horizon, the team under John’s guidance will be focused on the best possible performance in front of their home country.”

Coach Herdman will take the reins of the 8th ranked Canadian team that is gearing up for the 2012 CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying tournament to be held in Vancouver, January 19-29. The team has its sights set on a second straight Women’s Olympic Football Tournament having competed in Beijing in 2008. As part of his role, Herdman will also contribute to the Canadian Soccer Association’s development of a long term vision for women’s soccer in Canada.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to work in a fantastic country and with a team that has the genuine potential to be the best in the world,” stated new Head Coach Herdman. He emphasized that “the focus is multi-layered – with the Olympics sitting just around the corner, my job is to help the team achieve their podium goals, while keeping one eye on the long-term preparation for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015 and achieving sustained success beyond this event.”

On the opportunity to lead the host country for a FIFA Women’s World Cup, Head Coach Herdman commented that “being a key player in helping the team prepare for a home FIFA World Cup is a huge responsibility. The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015 in Canada has the potential to be the tipping point for the explosion of the women’s game in Canada. The Canadian Soccer Association has provided this opportunity by securing the competition and it will now be the job of the players and the support team to ensure we are ready to deliver on this exciting stage”.

Herdman was most recently the Head Coach for New Zealand’s senior women’s national team, a post he held since 2006. During his tenure, he led New Zealand to the Oceania Championship twice and their participation in two FIFA Women’s World Cups as well as the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

Born in England, Herdman arrived in New Zealand in 2002 when he began to work with elite women players. This experience brought him to New Zealand Football in 2006 as their Coach Education Manager. That role was followed by his position as the Director of Football Development which he continued to hold when he assumed his role as Head Coach for the senior women’s national team in late 2006. Herdman also led the Junior Football Ferns to two FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cups (2008 and 2006) and during this period he was responsible for both the U-20 and senior women’s national teams.

Canada, whose title sponsor is Winners and presenting sponsor is Teck, will have two Women’s International Friendly matches (USA in Kansas City, KS on 17 September and in Portland, OR on 22 September) in advance of the Pan American Games that begin in October. The 2012 CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying will be held in Vancouver from 19-29 January, with the two finalists securing qualification spots to London 2012 Women’s Olympic Football Tournament later that year.

(From CBC Report)

John Herdman has succeeded Carolina Morace as coach of the Canadian women's soccer team. He most recently coached New Zealand, and was officially unveiled as Canada's new coach Thursday by the Canadian Soccer Association. Peter Montopoli, general secretary of the CSA, heralded the Englishman as "the ideal candidate." "We believe he will bring the program to the next level," Montopoli told reporters during a conference call.

Herdman called it a "massive honour and a huge responsibility" to take over the coaching reins, and will try to build the team into a legitimate World Cup contender when Canada hosts the tournament in 2015."When you look at the way things are set up, there's a real appetite for women's football, there's a commitment from the [CSA] to take the team to another level and you have the 2015 World Cup around the corner.

"For any coach, this is the dream move, and I'm hoping this will be a dream come true, not only for myself but for the players of the Canadian national team and for the people who are just waiting for women's football to reach its peak.”

Herdman replaces Morace, whom the CSA said had quit her post in the aftermath of Canada's failed World Cup campaign this summer. Under Morace, the team posted a 25-11-5 record and won the 2010 CONCACAF championship.

Herdman's intention is to stay the tactical course charted out by Morace. Her predecessor, Even Pellerud, preached a one-dimensional style of play that emphasized the long ball, physical strength and endurance. Morace challenged her players with a more technical style of soccer that stressed passing and possession. "If you look at the trends in the game, players are becoming more technically gifted. The game is getting faster so players have to be more technically competent, and with that we get a more technical game," Herdman opined.

"In terms of my philosophy, it will be a case of continuing to build on what Carolina has put in place and to stay abreast with some of those top teams that are really playing a brand of football that are capturing the imaginations of people and the fans."

Herdman's first job is to prepare Canada for a pair of friendlies against the United States on Sept. 17 and 22. Canada will also compete at the Pan American Games in Mexico in late October. "It'll be a bit of a baptism of fire going in against the U.S. but it's an important part of my induction. The first period of time with the team will be about getting to know them … and to start that assessment process," Herdman explained.

After that, he will turn his attention to the CONCACAF Olympic qualifying tournament that will be held in Vancouver in January. The eight-team competition, which also features Mexico and the U.S., will see the two finalists earn berths for the 2012 London Games. "Our short-term goal is to get the team ready and re-focused for the Olympic qualifiers, and then moving into hopefully qualifying for the Olympic Games in London," Herdman said.

Morace drew the ire of some critics for holding lengthy team training camps in her native Italy. Herdman said he plans to be based in Canada.

"What's really important is you have to work within the culture that players are familiar with. … I think you get the best out of players when they're feeling comfortable around who they are and where they are living. Having the program [here] is going to help us with that," Herdman said.

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