It's not us, it's them.
After years of wondering why Canada contented itself playing in the second-tier Cyprus Cup while the marquee-team-laden Algarve Cup ran concurrently -- and wondering whether CSA complacency had something to do with it -- I've finally gotten an answer: We want in... Canada wants in to the Algarve Cup, but the feeling isn't mutual.
"We proactively went after a spot in (this year's) Algarve Cup," women's national team head coach John Herdman said Wednesday. "We made waves to see if we could get into that tournament. But we were relying on somebody dropping out."
Herdman said CSA president Victor Montagliani and general secretary Peter Montopoli "made all the connections with the right people and discussed the potential" -- but ultimately, it came down to a matter of no team wanting to cede their spot (which, by extension, means tournament organizers were unwilling to rescind their invitation to another country for the sake of Canada).
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If you're wondering what difference it makes, keep in mind that Herdman has repeatedly said Canada's goal is to be in the final of next year's Women's World Cup. In order to get there, it's virtually guaranteed they'll need to defeat one of the top three teams in the world: Germany, the USA or Japan. Playing against those opponents is the best way to prepare for hopefully beating them in 2015... and guess which tournament those three teams are in this year?
Now, this year things are a bit different, given that the CSA has taken the admirable step of scheduling friendlies against all three of those nations, all on Canadian soil. Those friendlies will ultimately prove more useful in preparing for the 2015 World Cup than participation in the Algarve Cup could. And in that respect, Herdman says playing in this year's Cyprus Cup could actually comprise an important part of the World Cup planning process.
"We have a goal of being the most organized and technically adaptable team at the (World Cup)," Herdman said Wednesday. "You've got to get a balance."
He noted that althought the route to the final will be paved with Tier I teams -- those in the top seven or eight spots in the global rankings -- there is also the matter of the Tier II or Tier III teams who will be a part of the group stage, and finding the right way to manage those games in the context of a larger tournament.
"When you play Tier I teams, you have to resort to certain tactics which are more physically draining and demanding... Knowing that in Game 1 or Game 2 or Game 3, you only want a physical output of X or Y, these are the sorts of details we try to get to in planning for a seven-game tournament."
(Note that the only way Canada plays a seven-game tournament is if they make the final. Herdman's clearly not backing down from his goal.)
"Going into Cyprus is a blessing in disguise in some ways, because we get to practice certain things and hone certain skills that you just don't get away with against the U.S., who are 90 minutes high press, everything's high pressure, you can't settle on the ball.
"This is good for us, and I think it'll prepare us for maybe two or three games max in (the World Cup)."
Now, let's be clear, Canada's opponents at the Cyprus Cup are hardly creampuffs -- Big Red will find itself up against England (#11 in the world and reigning Cyprus champs), Italy (#13) and Finland (#23).
So while Herdman, the CSA and many who follow the team (including, not surprisingly, the person whose words you're reading right now) believe the squad would have been better served by participation in the Algarve Cup, the reality is that all things considered, the program is planning for next year's Women's World Cup as well as possible, given the restrictions it faces.
But what about getting a spot in next year's Algarve Cup, which would be Canada's first appearance at the invitation-only shindig since 2003? Herdman thinks our hosting of the World Cup could be used as a "bargaining chip" to possibly wriggle our way into the tournament.
And hey, even if that doesn't work, there's always Cyprus!
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