If the women’s national team continues to boycott games into the 2011 Women’s World Cup, FIFA has laws in place that would allow it to fine and suspend the Canadian Soccer Association.

What is disturbing to average Canadian soccer fan (and taxpayer) is that, if the matter is taken to the lawyers, that Morace would be the second women’s coach in a row brought in front of arbitrator.

Saturday, Canadian Soccer Association delegates followed the wishes of soccer fans in this country, and agreed to turf the status quo. At its meeting in Ottawa, delegates voted to begin the process for a new governance structure for the CSA. The new system is to be phased in beginning in 2012, and reduces the number of members on the board from 20 to 13.

So, what now for Canada? Carolina Morace, the Italian coach who saved the Canadian women’s program from the thump-the-ball-up-the-field-and-chase-it thuggery promoted by her predecessor, Even Pellerud, will leave the program after the women’s World Cup.

So, here’s the question. Based on the criteria of most valuable to his or her team, to whom would you give the award (man, woman or both)? We at The 11 would love to know.

The Canadian Soccer Association has called a press conference for Wednesday, in Oakville, Ont., where Kara Lang is expected to end her playing career all too early. Lang, who has suffered through a series of knee operations, is just 24. CBC soccer analyst Jason DeVos is also the technical director of the Oakville Soccer Club; so when CBC reported that the presser is for Lang’s retirement, we can take it as Gospel. When a player retires, it gives us in the media the chance to reflect on favourite moments — clutch goals, great passes. I remember then-women’s coach Even Pellerud bragging about how Lang’s rocket-like free kicks were just as powerful as any man could muster. Back in 2004, I was the editor of In-Flight, the official magazine of the USL’s Edmonton Aviators, a franchise that went bankrupt in the midst of the team’s inaugural season. The Aviators had entries in both the A- and W-Leagues. The club played doubleheaders — a men’s game and a women’s game for the price of one ticket.

When FIFA names the winner of the female World Player of the Year, Christine Sinclair doesn’t even have to bother going to the ceremony. Marta, her teammate with the 2010 WPS champion FC Gold Pride, will likely walk away with her fifth win in a row. And, FIFA has already stated that the other two contenders for the award are …

The Canadian women’s team has been drawn into the Group of Death. And it might be the best possible boost this country’s bid to host the 2015 Women’s World Cup could have hoped for. The World Cup draw, held Monday in Germany, saw the Canadians grouped with the hosts, Nigeria and France, which is ranked in the top 10 on the planet. The opening game of the tournament will see the Germans face Canada on June 26.

According to the CSA, FIFA expects a “minimum of six cities” to be hosts for the 2015 WWC, that’s less than the number we see for a men’s World Cup. When it comes to FieldTurf, the CSA isn’t expecting there to be any issues. The CSA noted that the recent U-17 Women’s World Cup in Trinidad and Tobago had artificial fields that met FIFA specs. And, the U-20 World Cup final was played on the BMO, dammit, National Soccer Stadium FieldTurf in 2007.