Archive for January 4th, 2013

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Herdman names experimental women’s roster for Yongchuan Cup

By
Steven Sandor
– 01/04/2013

Shelina Zadorsky… on the senior roster

Seven players who have yet to play a senior “A” match for the women’s national team have been named to what has to be called an experimental Canadian roster ahead of the Yongchuan Cup.

Defenders Kadeisha Buchanan and Shelina Zadorsky, plus midfielders/forwards Tiffany Cameron, Ashley Lawrence, Adriana Leon, Christabel Oduro and Nichelle Prince were named to coach John Herdman’s roster. None of them have yet appeared in a senior match for Canada.

Canada will head to China and face the hosts Jan. 12, South Korea Jan. 14 and Norway on Jan. 16.

Late last year, Herdman warned that the national program would take some steps back after its bronze-medal finish at the Olympics, as there was a dearth of twentysomething talent in the country and he’d have to dip down to the U-20 and even the U-17 ranks for players. He is now focused on getting those young players worked into the system, and is expecting growing pains along the way.

“It’s a young group, it’s the start of a new journey,” Herdman said in a media conference call on Friday.
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Herdman to name his NWSL 16 later this month; unsure how losses of W-League programs will impact program

By
Steven Sandor
– 01/04/2013

John Herdman

Canadian women’s national-team coach John Herdman expects to name the 16 players who will go to the new U.S.-based NWSL sometime later this month.

Herdman told a media conference call Friday that the announcements should come in January.

The Canadian Soccer Association will fund the salaries of 16 players who will play in the new U.S.-based NWSL, which begins play this year.

But, while Herdman is pleased with the progress made by the new NWSL, he is still scratching his head over the impact that the W-League has on the soccer scene in this country. And, so, he said he can’t fairly assess what kind of ripple effect will be felt thanks to the closures of W-League programs in Victoria and Vancouver. Both the Highlanders and Whitecaps announced they won’t be playing in the W-League, shifting their priorities to local women’s leagues.

“The two-month season certainly has challenges,” said Herdman. Because that season is so short, he said it has “limited impact on player development.”
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