Once again Canada Soccer has reacted to an unfamiliar bit of fortune with money problems, and the result is a sport squabbling away precious days that looks ever more small-time as it prepares for the big stage. Opinion by bruce_arthur
VANCOUVER—If you wanted a laugh, maybe you’d say Canada Soccer strikes again, except it’s the Canadian national men’s soccer team that is withholding services at the moment, during the first of its two windows to prepare for the country’s first World Cup since 1986. And predictably, since this is international soccer, it’s over money.
It’s a muck befitting the glorious history of Canada Soccer, at a critical moment. Canada Soccer had already blown $400,000 of its $1.5-million World Cup prep fund on, according to Iran, and hastily rescheduled a Panama match Sunday with lower-priced tickets. Canada receives at least $8 million in prize money for qualifying for Qatar.
And so while Herdman wants Canada to use every minute, this camp has been messy. The Iran cancellation was predictable and foolhardy, and escalated to the point where Prime Minister Justin Trudeau weighed in and the players were expressing reservations. This week, Canada’s Group F opponents — Belgium, Croatia and Morocco — played the Netherlands, Austria, and the United States, respectively. All three Group F nations lost, but at least they all played reasonably high-end teams.
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