RHIAN SOCCER REPORTS AND MEDIA

NEW KIT AND NEW PROGRAM       4th February 2012

Based on Canada.com and Jamie Doyle

Umbro Canada and the CSA hosted a special event in Toronto on 2nd February 2012 with corporate partners, members of Canada’s National Teams and the media to kick-off the 2012 season: The Association’s centennial year. The highlight of the night was the official unveiling of the 2012 Umbro official playing kit to be worn by Canada's national teams as of late February this year.

Canada's men's and women's national teams will wear the new Umbro kit on 28th and 29th February. Canada's women's national team will wear the new Umbro kit on 28th February against Scotland in the 2012 Cyprus Women's Cup in Larnaka, Cyprus; Canada's men's national team will wear the new Umbro kit one night later on 29 February against Armenia in an away Men's International Friendly match.

"In this our Centennial year, the Canadian Soccer Association would like to congratulate Umbro on the launch of the official team kit for Canada's National Teams," said Peter Montopoli, Canadian Soccer Association General Secretary. "The engagement of Canadian soccer supporters to define the look and feel of what Canada will wear on the pitch is another indication of the tremendous interest and pride that Canadians have for the beautiful game in this country."

The new jersey epitomizes Umbro's ability to have the past inspire the future with sophisticated styling and modern fabric technology. The main body of the shirt is crafted from an innovative material that manages moisture to keep the players cool on the field. Umbro's tailoring and smart styling is predominant in this shirt with subtle contrast details on the neckline and shoulders. The neck taping and call out on the right hip feature a sound wave graphic of fans singing Canada's national anthem. Umbro has captured the passion of the fans in a unique way celebrating the special relationship between Canadian supporters and players.

"We have created a kit that is smart, sophisticated and insightful," said Gerald Woodman, President of Umbro Canada. "By combining leading-edge fabrics, a crisp, clean design aesthetic and clever fan-inspired elements, we have raised the expectations and deepened the meaning around Canadian kit design.

"Our rich tailoring heritage has informed this modern kit. We have also added an Anthem jacket for our athletes, which takes the visual impact on the field to a whole new level. We felt it was important to recognise one of the most important and inspiring elements for the players - the Anthem - with this brilliantly-crafted garment."

The women's national team is not just concerned with new kit. Call it the London 2012 Project: head coach John Herdman was in downtown Toronto on Thursday 2 February to discuss the team's preparations for the 2012 Women's Olympic Football Tournament.

As Jamie Doyle writes for Sportsnet, Herdman has turned around a Canadian women’s program that was reeling from a crushing early exit from the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He guided Big Red to Pan Am gold; he steered them to a triumphal Olympic qualification in front of a massive home crowd. The fans love him, the players love him and if his CSA bosses don’t love him, well, they really should.

But now, Herdman’s best-laid plans for London 2012 are in disarray. Immediately after the final match of the Olympic qualifying campaign, it emerged that a lawsuit with a team owner will force North America’s top women’s league, WPS, to shut down for the 2012 season. With that, a number of Canada’s best players have been put out of work, right when they need it most. Herdman spoke to reporters, "Yeah,” he said, with a bit of a helpless laugh. “Just found out recently.” There’s not much else that can be said when months of planning and preparation are scuppered. He talked about the need to “adapt and overcome,” about reviewing the situation and looking at “new models” for preparation."

“It’s a tough situation,” Herdman admitted. “When I set my stall out last year, I said clearly that I expect players to be playing in professional environments.” The suspension of the WPSL takes players out of top-level competition and there is nothing yet in place. WPSL offered a high level of competition, giving players a chance to push themselves, to improve and compete with world-class talent, week in and week out. That’s what Canada needs, Herdman argues, to compete with the kind of talent that bested them at the World Cup. “That’s where you avoid that ceiling effect, where you don’t grow taller than your best player,” he said.