Priestman wants Canadian players to be themselves while pushing for Olympic spots
MONTREAL — Bev Priestman’s message to her squad through the worldwide window is evident: simply be your self.
The Canadian ladies’s nationwide soccer crew coach doesn’t need her gamers to place extra stress on themselves as they struggle for roster spots in two upcoming pre-Olympic friendlies towards Mexico.
The No. 9-ranked Canadians host No. 31 Mexico on Saturday afternoon at Montreal’s Saputo Stadium earlier than a rematch on Tuesday at Toronto’s BMO Field.
“In these moments you can really tense up as a player, and I think that’s the last thing I want,” Priestman stated Friday. “The competitors’s there, you don’t want to speak about it. It’s actual, I see it on daily basis.
“Trust me, I’ve walked off every training session scratching my head (about roster decisions), but at the end of the day, I know I just have to pick the team that will help Canada get on that podium.”
Priestman named a 25-player squad for the 2 video games towards Mexico and stated she plans to make use of each substitution to provide everybody a possibility. Only 18 gamers plus 4 alternates will journey to Paris for this summer time’s Olympics.
Canada is anticipated to play extra exhibitions in Europe through the July 8-16 FIFA worldwide window earlier than opening its Olympic match July 25 towards New Zealand. Priestman expects to call her squad on the finish of June.
“I just want to see players bring their own identity,” she stated of the Mexico video games. “I don’t need to do something totally different and I would like them to work exhausting for the crew.
“I think bringing those two things and every player’s putting themselves in the right position to be selected and some of those things are out of their control.”
Priestman notably invited eight forwards and one ahead/midfielder to camp. One of the attackers hoping to make her mark in entrance of family and friends Saturday is Evelyne Viens of L’Ancienne-Lorette, Que.
Viens led Italy’s Serie A with 13 targets in 24 video games for Roma in her first season within the league. The 27-year-old performed for Canada on the Tokyo Games and the 2023 World Cup, however has scored solely 5 instances in 29 showings internationally, albeit solely seven as a starter.
“I just returned from a fairly long season in Italy, I experienced individual success and success with my club and I want to bring that offensive touch here,” Viens said. “My goal is to qualify for the Olympic team and to go for a medal.”
Priestman hinted at Viens being an affect participant for Canada instead.
“You’ve got a No. 1 team player here who’s like, ‘I know my role, I’m ready coach, get me in and I’ll get a goal,’” she stated. “I do know her tremendous power and that’s: the sport’s extra open, want a aim, plenty of crosses, and Eve comes on and customarily causes havoc.”
Beyond figuring out roster spots, Canada can be desirous to measure itself towards a “dangerous” Mexican aspect.
The Canadian gamers and Priestman say Mexico has grow to be a stronger crew lately. Mexico proved as a lot by gorgeous the juggernaut United States with a 2-0 victory within the group levels of the Concacaf W Gold Cup in February.
“That’s no small feat,” Priestman stated. “They’re rather a lot fitter, they are often harmful, they’ll break, obtained a harmful entrance line and we’ve obtained to be prepared for that.
“We’ve obtained an excellent crew on our arms.”
Centre again Vanessa Gilles thinks the Saturday and Tuesday matches will function an excellent tune-up for Colombia, which Canada performs in its closing Olympics group stage match on July 31.
“Playing this Saturday I think for us it’s going to be focusing on ourselves against a good opponent,” Gilles stated. “I believe again to a crew like Colombia, they’re fairly related of their taking part in fashion.
“So prepping for the Olympics, dealing with a crew like that, whereas managing minutes as effectively and gamers being in numerous components of their seasons, goes to be what Bev’s gonna have on her thoughts whereas attempting to prep tactically for these upcoming Olympics.”
