An Ottawa fan, like DEFENSE FIRST, remembers that the Fury have been losing players to the NT for years. She might remind us that in 2003 three Fury players missed a playoff game for the Pan Am Games team. I mean, who cares about the Pan Am Games!? Even more grating, Canada sent a U19 team to that competition and only four "overage" players. With only four players to select they somehow picked three Ottawa Fury and one Whitecap! Ottawa fans have felt for some time that Pellerud was biased in favor of the Whitecaps.
Please, if you really want to get into it, the Wildcats lost 5 or 6 players for the entire season due to national team commitments. Does anyone remember that Reddick, O'Reilly, Tarpley, and Welsh were on their team last year and I'm sure they would've have more this year if not for the training camp they are having all summer long in California. I think the question is why were the Ottawa players left off the roster for the Canada game and the Wildcats players called in. Even if Ottawa wins the conference, I think the win will seem kind of tainted but I'm sure they won't care because they haven't beem able to beat NJ in the playoffs any other way.
I am a fan of PLAYERS, not teams... in that regard I hope that players have success with their teams. Without Gayle and Matheson, Ottawa's chances decrease, Remove LeBlanc(Hooper is a requirement of the CWNT) and leave those 2 Ottawa players and you give them an unfair advantage At least the US removed all players from all teams at the start, but if they did not, ALL the wildcats NT players would be there as they were called up several times last year IF Vancouver had to Qualify, the Game against the US would not occur, Canada did not confirm the game until Vancouver was selected to host Curios to hear what the announcers will have to say tomorrow
Your quote is a bit skewed when you read the article. The fact that she refers to some players staying back to play for some "stupid w-league team" is rather telling. Wonder how the management at NJ feels about that? I'm sure the USL is thrilled at having one of their high profile players making those kinds of comments about their league. Make those kind of comments about your club in Europe and you've got a real good chance of being without a job. Wonder what the consequences will be for Hooper? Does NJ really need to keep a paid roster spot for a 38 year old with a negative attitude? Scheduling seems to be the real problem here. This is like scheduling a friendly between England and Wales to take place the same weekend as the FA Cup final. It's just poor management. Kudos to the Canadian coach for respecting the commitment he made to the Fury. He's still got the other half of the National team who's with Vancouver and didn't have a match this week. Perhaps he'll get a chance to look at some youger players.
"Does NJ really need to keep a paid roster spot for a 38 year old with a negative attitude?" Paid? Since when? Hooper more likely getting paid by Canada NT, with a bonus for winning. That pay the bills.
Perhaps I've been under the wrong impression, but I was lead to believe that NJ was one of the W-League clubs who were able to compensate their players. I that not true?
No Team in the W-League pays players for Playing or training. The players can make some money from Camps that the Teams run and training sessions arranged with area teams. Players are compensated for Food and Housing and some travel expenses. As far as Hooper's comments about the W-League - She has her priorities in order and let her teammates know how she feels. Charmaine speaks her mind because she has nothing to lose, no team is going to throw her off. She is also a PROFESSIONAL, I am sure that the comment was directed at the league and not the Wildcats
Compensated for food and housing? I'm compensated for food and housing and I call that a paycheck. our girls in Seattle don't get compensated for food and housing. They do get their game related travel expenses paid. Her quotes certainly did not sound like the words of a PROFESSIONAL. Professionalism tends to hint at some form of tact and discipline. Why direct those comments to the league? Team Canada knew of the scheduling conflict before the match was scheduled. That's evident by the agreement that was made with the Fury. The USL shouldn't get a black eye over this.
Yes Team Canada did know, If Vancouver had not been choosen to host the finals, this game would not have been played today because Vancouver would have had to qualify this weekend. Last thing Vancouver wants is to see the Wildcats come to the finals.
Most players live in Widcats rented housing or with a host family. The food allowance is not for lobster or the like....
Final four is one step closer to being set. Ottawa dethroned the NJ Wildcats 3-2 on a hat trick by Amy Vermeulen. They advance to Friday's semifinals, with just the Seattle-Mile High west final to go at 10PM Eastern.
Hooper made it clear about how she feels about the W-League!! Not very important to her! shows what top players probaly feel really aboutthe league if they were truly honest! playing there to mainly just stay in shape...the league just doesn't get much respect...too watered down but at elast its a place to play some soccer.
With, in the neighbourhood of 12 or so Canadian players in the mix of the national team when they are all healthy, of course they are going to take precautions to minimize conflicts with the Canadian team. There is a dialogue set up between the organizations like Ottawa and Vancouver for that very reason as those teams take in the National Team players. Both organizations realize it is a risk they take in having that quality of player on the roster. Vancouver went on their toughest roadtrip of the year, as they did last year when there was no guarantee of making it to the Final Four, without all their national team players which obviously had a significant impact on the lineup. This game, as has been pointed out by a couple of different people already, was scheduled months and months ago, and at that time, again as has been already reported, Ottawa asked for their players for this one weekend. Maybe New Jersey should have been more proactive in making sure there was no conflicts when they picked up Hooper and Leblanc? I don't think its fair to at the last minute ask for a release of those players. Is it possible maybe New Jersey needed to be on top of small details like that sooner as the other teams? I don't think Pellerud should be faulted at all, he stuck to his word to the players and clubs that planned ahead. I am sure Hooper isn't upset anyways, I mean its just a "stupid W League team" after all right? Let's give due respect to Ottawa for making it to the finals. Chargefan, you are looking awfully like a lad/lady with sour grapes with all these excuses and innuendo of some sort of a conspiracy.
How would you feel if Vancouver had to play a PLAYOFF game this weekend ? Canada had a Chance to upset the US today AND keep team continuity from their last game Respect ? for beating a team that is missing the Goalkeeper of the year last year and this year so that she could sit on the bench? or the fact that this was the only way it could happen ? most people knew going in that she would be playing... BTW - it is a conspiracy and Pellerud is a fraud if he says otherwise. He states that injuries forced him to not include players until Hooper called him on it..... you are kidding yourself if you think it is the risk that teams take....
Hoopers statements to me read "Anytime you get to play for your country, it is the most important thing you can do." I understand Hooper's importance to the team, but Pellerud seems to phasing out LeBlanc as the Keeper
Because of the mafia known as the NCAA, no team in the W-League (or PDL for the men) can pay its players for playing or training.
A tough road trip ? WHEN Who even came close to challenging them in their division over the last 3 years ? They lost one game in 2005 and 2006.... It is not like they played the playoffs missing some of the National team. During the season it is one thing to miss team members - Wildcats played several games last year without the USWNT members and one game last year they were missing the US and Canadian team members. Because you are part of the Whitecaps organization and this benefits the Whitecaps by not allowing NJ to the party, you think I am full of sour grapes... sorry, that revenge was taken last year and it was sweet. If Vancouver or Ottawa wins, it will be a hollow victory because they could not face the Wildcats with Leblanc in Goal
Ok here is something new http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Soccer/Canada/2006/07/30/1710352-sun.html Fury owner John Pugh said there's a simple reason why his national teamers aren't in North Carolina today -- they weren't asked by Canadian coach Even Pellerud. "If our players had been asked (to play in today's friendly), they would have been there, no question," said Pugh. "The bottom line is, we will always support the national team. If Even comes to our team and requests one of our players, she will be there." Of course they quoted a player that is not on the national Team.... Somebody made the decision.....
It would be nice if the W-League could work out a schedule with the USSF/CSA so that this garbage doesn't happen again. Players shouldn't have to choose.
I've interacted with Christine Sinclair (Who I would consider to be the top player in the W-League) and Tiffeny Milbrett in Vancouver. They both seem to be pretty happy with the league. They didn't get as much competition as they might have liked in the western conference this year, but when they were in Seattle they both took a lot of time to sign autographs and thank their supporters in Seattle. Really a couple of classy players. Based on that experience, I wouldn't let Hooper speak for the top level players in the W-League. I think Hoops is just a little angry and bitter about something and not smart or classy enough not to run her mouth about it. Oh well. I won't be seeing her next weekend when I travel with the Sounder-Saints to the Final Four in Vancouver. Anybody know what the seeding s for the semis are going to look like?
I'd also like to say Kudos to the Canadian teams for taking the W-League (And the USL for that matter) seriously. The United States teams treat it like a minor league. This is great stuff. You don't see Cardiff City fans in Wales scoffing at their club because their only in the First division and not the champinship. The Canadian squads have approached the USl with a high level of professionalism and it shows in the results with Vancouver and Ottawa repeatedly doing well in the W-League and Vancouver and Montreal staying near the top of the charts in the USL 1st division. We could learn a lot from the way they have approached the game and the league.
Nope, not part of the Whitecaps organization, but close enough to the situation to know what you were saying was untrue and needed to be addressed. Congrats to all the teams who made it to the Final Four, next weekend should be an exciting one in Vancouver. Cheers!
Seattle 1:0 Mile High July 30,2006 Starfire Sports Complex Yakima's Tafara Pulse scored the match-winner in the 76th minute to lead Seattle into the Final Four in Vancouver BC with a 1-0 victory over the Mile High Edge.
Wow. Nice generalization. I would spend some time researching the organizations out there before you make statements likes this.