And even though the late autumn/early winter conditions in Edmonton won’t be anything close to the July conditions we’ll see at the 2015 Women’s World Cup, Herdman said that getting a friendly in at the stadium where Canada will open the tournament will be vital to the team’s preparations. And, he said the cold can be a coaching tool, to see “if the players can focus on the task at hand.”

When news broke last week that women’s national-team coach Carolina Morace was going to resign after the 2011 World Cup over alleged CSA interference in her program, sympathy for the women’s program was widespread. After all, we were just a day from a massive CSA reform vote — and recently retired Kara Lang was off to Ottawa to carry the torch for the development of the women’s game in Canada. It was a noble cry for equality in a sports world dominated by men. But, after the vote, as the women announced their intention to boycott games through the media, there is no shaking that, with every passing day, their support is eroding.

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.

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.