Canada would have won, if only Jacklyn Sawicki had played.
That isn't true, of course, though you can expect to hear it today if you wade into the social media circles where Canadian supporters tend to dwell.
The reality is that, while Sawicki is definitely a talented player, there is no human being who could have single-handedly closed the gap in technical proficiency between Canada and North Korea on the day.
So as Little Red heads home, having failed to achieve its pre-tournament goal of advancing from the group stage, all eyes are on the future. In particular, which of these young ladies will be a part of it for the Canadian senior team?
[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
Ten years ago, in a previous incarnation of this tournament, Christine Sinclair and Kara Lang emerged as "can't-miss" prospects for a Canadian team that lost in extra time in the championship final. Of course, both Sinclair and Lang went on to fulfill the promise they showed. But the future, in this case, isn't so easy to predict, for these players or this team.
The demolition of Argentina is hardly worth remembering, since that squad (which finished the tournament with a -18 goal differential in three games) isn't the type that Canada will need to beat in order to get where it hopes to be in the global game. The more realistic peers are the likes of Norway (who outplayed Canada) and North Korea (who outclassed Canada).
These players are mostly teenagers, of course, and so it feels somewhat wrong to criticize them too harshly. Still, a pat on the head and a "way to go" would be demeaning and condescending, and not be especially productive in helping the program improve. Quite simply, Canada entered the tournament with a goal and failed to achieve it.
U20 head coach Andrew Olivieri will, in a few weeks' time, be sitting down with senior national team head coach John Herdman to map out a plan for the future of the program, in the run-up to the 2014 U20 Women's World Cup, and the 2015 Women's World Cup, both to be held in Canada. Suffice to say, they'll have plenty to talk about.
See, the failings of the Canadian developmental system -- about which followers of the men's team have raised concerns for a very long time -- aren't restricted to one team, or one gender. Even at the senior women's level, there are concerns that the women's game is passing Canada by (a point that's been glossed over by the other-worldly skill of Sinclair, and the unexpected bronze medal). And we saw that on display for the U20 squad as well, as the North Koreans ran circles around the tired Canadians, completing non-stop one-two passes that Canada rarely had answers for.
This is not to say we should throw up our hands in defeat. Far from it. In spite of the system, rather than because of it, Canada continues to produce players with good individual skill. Sawicki, for one, showed great flashes during her one game in the tournament, prompting many fans to question her exclusion from the subsequent two.
Sabrina D'Angelo looked confident and composed in the Canadian goal, and could likely be counted on to join the senior national team as a third keeper, or in the event of an injury to Erin McLeod or Karina LeBlanc. Adriana Leon showed a physical presence, good finishing and an ability to connect midfield and the attack (in the same way Sinclair has been utilized in the last 12 months). Vanessa Legault-Cordisco, Shelina Zadorsky and Rachel Melhado were, by and large, solid on the Canadian back line.
Plenty of other players showed flashes as well. Danica Wu produced some terrific moments in the centre of the Canadian midfield, Christabel Oduro was a beast against Norway and Christine Exeter's goal against North Korea showed an impressive mix of strength, composure and finishing. Jenna Richardson showed off a great work rate and ability to get into scoring positions (though not necessarily to finish them off).
So, yeah, the bath water of Japan 2012 is being dumped on the lawn, but many of the babies are worth holding onto.
Something Canadian fans must be aware of, though, is that there is currently no "next Christine Sinclair". There is no player, ready to be unleashed, upon whom Canada can pin its hopes for the next decade. Summer Clarke is a good goal-scorer for the U17 team, and perhaps we'll see her put on a show at Canada 2014 (or Azerbaijan 2012, for that matter). But no matter what becomes of any of these players, Canada's future success will hinge on maximizing the potential of all the players that Canada has at its disposal -- and that starts from the earliest stages.
The Canadian Soccer Association's "Wellness to World Cup" program, and a renewed emphasis on long-term player development, is aiming to address this in the years ahead. But there's been plenty of pushback from self-interested clubs and parents, uninterested in anything beyond their little snowflakes piling up those U9 championship trophies. That battle will continue to be fought.
Therefore, there's only so much Olivieri, Herdman and their staff can do in the immediate future. There is talent to work with, right here and now. And there was certainly technical proficiency on display at the 2012 U20 Women's World Cup. But what some hoped would be a raucous follow-up to Canada's unexpected success at London 2012 instead turned into something quite familiar to Canadian supporters: A grim reminder of how much work remains to be done.
A valiant effort by the ladies in red at Japan 2012, to be sure. But the senior national team set the bar higher for all Canadian teams. We should no longer be content to merely be participants; we should be aiming to seriously compete in every tournament we enter.
And while none of us can predict the future, it's safe to say that things will need to improve if Canada, as a soccer nation, hopes to consistently fulfill that long-held potential.
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