Tweet

The CBC is among the Canadian news outlets reporting that Canadian Women’s National Team head coach Carolina Morace is prepared to leave her position after the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

The Italian has helped institute major changes in the Canada Women’s National Team program including introducing a more attacking, fluid style of play. Her changes have been met with major success as the team won the Cyprus Cup, the CONCACAF Women’s World Cup Qualifying tournament and the Torneio Internacional Cidade de Sao Paolo in 2010.

Morace is one of Italy’s finest female players, collecting 105 goals in 153 international games and appearing in FIFA’s inaugural Women’s World Cup in 1991, scoring four goals in three games that included a rare World Cup hat-trick.

She assumed the role as head coach in 2009 after Even Pellerud stepped down after eight years in the position.

Morace’s motive behind the departure? Perhaps it can be chalked up to “creative differences”.

Per The Score analyst Kristian Jack’s Twitter feed, Morace is quoted as saying:

“The CSA has a strategy to achieve their goals that differ from my strategy. I am staying to execute my plan over the next few months because my players have worked hard and deserve to be prepared for the best way possible for the World Cup.”

Morace also stated that she will only discuss team matters to the media and will not comment on her decision due to her contract with the CSA.

Morace’s departure could cause a sudden break in the momentum Canada’s women’s soccer program has been riding recently. Several young players had broken through the ranks under Morace including Jonelle Filigno, Emily Zurrer, Kaylyn Kyle, Sophie Schmidt, Chelsea Stewart and Josée Bélanger - who has just been selected as CanadaSoccer.com’s Fans’ Choice.

Canada’s youth teams also showed promise at the U-17 level as Canada edged Mexico 1-0 in the 2010 CONCACAF U-17 Championships, although the team failed to advance out of the Group Stage in the 2010 U-17 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Canada is also bidding to host the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup along with Zimbabwe and must be considered the frontrunner. The tournament could serve as a homecoming for some of Canada’s greatest players including a Christine Sinclair, Candace Chapman, Diane Matheson, Karina LeBlanc, Melissa Tancredi and Rhian Wilkinson, all of whom will be in their early 30s by then.

It could be a fitting send-off to a tremendous generation. We now know that Carolina Morace will not be at the helm when the moment comes.

View Original Post at allwhitekit.wordpress.com | View jennaawk's Full Profile

Tweet

• Filed Under:  
• Soccer, Sports, FIFA