Sure, Norway -- coached by former CanWNT gaffer Even Pellerud -- may have been crowned the champions of the four-nation Yongchuan Cup. And winning stuff is, generally speaking, better than not winning stuff.
But claiming a trophy (or medals, or a crest, or whatever) wasn't current CanWNT gaffer John Herdman's priority coming into this competition, nor will it be at the Cyprus Cup in March. His priority was to incorporate some fresh faces into the lineup, try some new tactical approaches and lay the foundations for the team's quest towards the 2015 Women's World Cup.
While the fact that two of Canada's three games weren't televised makes it impossible to accurately judge the extent to which those goals were met, the results (a win, loss and draw amongst a grab bag of opponents) suggest some positive early returns.
[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
The tournament provided some invaluable experience to a trio of teenagers. Centreback Kadeisha Buchanan started two of the three games, and came on as a second-half sub against South Korea. While a senior national team fielding a teenager is hardly rare, a manager placing their faith in a 17-year-old at the all-important centreback position is impressive, especially considering one of her defensive partners missed most of 2012 due to injury, and the other played CB for the first time just last year.
Ashley Lawrence, the two-time reigning U17 women's player of the year, entered all three games as a second-half substitute. While it would have been difficult for a player of her age, in her position (central midfield) to make a major impact given the circumstances, hopes remain high for what she could bring to the table in years ahead -- hopes that Herdman himself has publicly expressed.
Last but not least, there's Nichelle Prince, who collected just about a half-hour's worth of field time over the course of three games, but did manage to score her first senior national-team goal, a consolation tally against South Korea. No better way to make a name for yourself than getting on the score sheet, and the speedy winger did exactly that.
It's always difficult to tell which youngsters will actually make the jump to full internationals, so there are no guarantees about these three, or any other young players. But at least Herdman now has a clearer picture of exactly what he's working with from the U17 squad.
And that's to say nothing of the U20 crew, upon who Herdman also relied in Yongchuan. Adriana Leon played the full 90 minutes in all three games, scoring her first goal for the senior squad in a 1-0 win over China. Midfielder/striker Christabel Oduro also started all three games, while U20 captain Shelina Zadorsky earned her first senior cap, against the South Koreans.
Now, scoring two goals in three games and coming second at a four-nation tournament where you're the highest-ranked participating team (Canada #7, Norway #12, South Korea #16, China #17) is hardly a cause for unbridled celebration. While Christine Sinclair surely has several great years left, her ability to pluck goals out of thin air is not something for which a team can easily compensate. So Herdman's long-term hope is to instill a new attitude in the squad, one of constant forward momentum and a hunger for getting into the attacking third.
Perhaps he saw that on display at the Yongchuan Cup. Perhaps he didn't. Perhaps he saw the promising beginnings of his plan coming to fruition; perhaps he's been left scratching his head and wondering "what have I gotten into?"
We've got no way to know for sure. But after the way he transformed Canada from a last-place finisher at the 2011 World Cup to a podium finished at the 2012 Olympics, and given the glowing reviews he receives from anyone and everyone who's worked with him, it's safe to say he's earned our trust.
So Mission 2015 rolls ahead, leaving Chongqing in the rear-view mirror. Next stop: Cyprus.