A while back Squizz asked this on this Web site: If Canada fails at the Gold Cup, does Stephen Hart get fired?
Correctly, he answered ‘No, what are you nuts’ and ‘You’re aware we’re Canada, right? No one big is coming.’” As stated, that’s the correct answer. Hart has the ability to squeeze the maximum out of this current group of players and the argument can be made that there might not be anyone in the world – even a guy, say, staring down an 0-2 scoreline against Barcelona – is better positioned to lead Canada into the promised land.
Managing national teams isn’t the same as managing club teams. The resume doesn’t need to be as strong when you are essentially acting as a babysitter a few times a year.
And that’s kind of that. There isn’t much more to say about Hart and his future with the national team. However, we live in Canada – gender correct Canada -- so the question is only half answered.
So, let me ask: If Canada fails at the World Cup, does Carolina Morace get fired?
[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
On the surface it seems like an absurd statement. After all Morace has been busy holding the CSA hostage with threats of resigning for the better part of this year. If you are to believe her, the question might not need to be answered. She might walk anyway.
Still, there has been a lot of movement behind the scenes and the players have been lobbying hard to make sure she continues in her role. It seems unlikely that she’ll be fired, regardless of what happens in Germany.
But, that’s not the question – whether she should be is.
The answer is yes.
To be clear I’m defining “fails” here to mean not advancing from the group. It’s a group that is actually comparable to what the men have drawn in the Gold Cup. You have the tournament co-favourite and host Germany (likely loss) and a tricky but beatable minnow in Nigeria (likely win). The key for Canada in the group is getting by the team that is very close to it in the rankings. With the men it’s Panama, the women have France.
Followers of the women’s program sometimes like to point out that they have accomplished more than the men and that they are the ones that Canadians should get behind (one day I’ll address my distaste for how women’s supporters feel it OK to attack the success of the men – all for one people, all for one). If that’s the case then they should be held to a higher standard.
In the women’s case that higher standard is for them to win the 2015 World Cup. Let’s repeat that to be clear. Win. The whole thing.
Winning the 2011 World Cup is not in the cards, but we must see progress towards the ultimate goal. If Canada fails to beat France and get out of the group it’s awfully hard to argue that they are on track. Yes, all the wins in warm-up competitions are nice, but it isn’t the Canadian Cyprus Cup Team, it’s the Canadian World Cup Team. They need to win when it matters.
If Canada goes three and out the CSA would absolutely be justified in showing Morace the door. Getting into the quarters but no further should buy her another year to lead the team to London. The only result that should make Morace untouchable is a semi-final berth.
Of course all hell would break loose if the CSA did sack Morace. The women would tell every microphone they could find how terrible the decision was and many fans would be eager to pile on the anti-CSA sentiment. That doesn’t mean the decision would be wrong though.
Here’s the thing – the players don’t run the show. It’s great that they are loyal to Morace, but if she isn’t the right person for the job the CSA should not allow player pressure to prevent them from making a decision that is in the best interest of the team.
I suspect Morace will get the team out of the group. Morace is a good coach and the team seems to get better every month. However, she isn’t the only good coach out there and when it looked like she was going to walk there were plenty of very good candidates that approached the CSA about the job. If the CSA was willing to spend the money they would land another world class coach.
Despite the good results leading up to the World Cup, Morace has yet to win anything truly tangible. The CONCACAF title was nice, but it had as much to do with the USA failing against Mexico as it did with Canada stepping up. It’s worth noting that the Canucks failed to beat the Americans once again the first time they had a chance following the tournament.
Just like every other coach in the world, Morace needs to be held accountable to the results she produces at the World Cup. This isn’t really controversial stuff.