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Ottawa, Ontario – The Canadian Soccer Association will be losing one of its most valuable resources in November.
FIFA has announced the hiring of former Canadian international referee Sonia Denoncourt, one of the most respected FIFA officials and certainly one of the best officials to ever represent Canada. Denoncourt is expected to assume her new role with FIFA in early December.
“This is a superb opportunity for Sonia and we certainly wish her the best in this new and exciting role,” said Andy Sharpe, President of the Canadian Soccer Association. “In this case, Canada loses one of its most prized resources but in turn, FIFA gains perhaps the most recognizable female officials in the game.”
Denoncourt will take over the newly formed ‘Women’s Referee Development’ program for soccer’s world governing body and will be based at FIFA’s headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland.
Ottawa, Ontario – The Canadian Soccer Association and its partners – Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE), the Ontario and Federal Governments as well as the City of Toronto – have been given the approval of Toronto City’s Council to construct a 20,000 seat soccer-specific stadium on the grounds of Exhibition Place.
City council voted 25 to 13 in favour of the stadium project.
“I applaud the council for acting in the best interest of the City of Toronto, for a wide variety of community groups and all Torontonians in general. The stadium and its construction will create jobs, drive economic development and tourism, and create a larger stage for Toronto to hold international sports and entertainment events. It will also support further growth for soccer in Canada,” said Richard Peddie, President of MLSE.
New York – Major League Soccer today announced that San Jose Earthquakes goalkeeper Pat Onstad, who helped lead his team to the best record in MLS, was selected as the winner of the 2005 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award.
Onstad, who earns his second Goalkeeper of the Year award in three seasons, had one of the best statistical seasons as a goalkeeper in MLS history. Along with being one of only five players to start and play in every minute of all 32 MLS regular season games (2,880 minutes), the 37-year-old veteran led the League in wins (18), shutouts (12), goals against average (0.97), and save percentage (77.2 percent). With a talented group of defenders in front of him, the Canadian international served as the last line of a defense which surrendered a League-low 31 goals during the season. Onstad narrowly edged out Matt Reis of the New England Revolution while defending Goalkeeper of the Year Joe Cannon of the Colorado Rapids finished in third place in the voting. The award marks the third time in the last four years that an Earthquakes goalkeeper has earned the title.
Ottawa, Ontario – The Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) has named Richard Bate, effective October 14, 2005, as Canada’s new Technical Director. Bate’s contract will see him lead the country’s technical programs until the end of 2009.
“After an exhaustive, extensive global search for the ‘right person’ to lead our Association’s technical programs, I believe we have the perfect man for the job,” declared CSA President Andy Sharpe. “Dick’s experience and dynamism is exactly what we require and I am excited about what the future holds for soccer in Canada.”
Bate, 59, is currently employed with The Football Association (England) as a staff coach and has had over 30 years of high level coaching experience at both the club and national team levels. He has also conducted Education and Coaching Courses worldwide for FIFA, the Asian Football Federation (AFC), UEFA, and the FA’s of both England and Malaysia.
Ottawa, Ontario – Canadian Men’s National Team head coach Frank Yallop today named his 18-player roster for the upcoming international friendly against Spain on Saturday, September 3. The game will be played in Santander with a 9:45 p.m. kickoff (local time).
“This is another big game for us,” said Yallop. “You want to measure yourself against the top teams in the World and obviously Spain are a soccer power. It will be good to get together again so soon after the Gold Cup and to have a few days to prepare for what will be a real challenge for us but one we are eagerly looking forward to.”
Yallop continues to use friendlies as an opportunity to see different players and the Spain game is no exception with midfielder Rocco Placentino earning his first senior call-up. A member of Canada’s last Olympic team, Placentino moved in the off-season from Italian Serie C side Cavese to Serie B’s Arezzo, who subsequently sent him on loan to Gualdo in Serie C.
Ottawa, Ontario – Canadian Women’s Senior Team head coach Even Pellerud has named his 17-player roster for the upcoming two-game series against the reigning World Champions, Germany. The Canadians will play the first international friendly against the Germans on Thursday, September 1 at 7pm at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby, BC (presented by TELUS) before travelling to Edmonton to conclude the series on Sunday, September 4 at 2pm at Commonwealth Stadium (presented by CIBC). All times listed are local.
“We are very excited about returning home to play these games,” said Canadian Head Coach Even Pellerud. “It has been awhile since the team has had a chance to play in front of our home fans and they are really looking forward to the challenge of playing the World Champions.”
“Germany always fields their top team and this German squad will be no different. The fans will also get to see, in my opinion, some wonderful match-ups – (Randee) Hermus and (Sasha) Andrews versus Birgit Prinz; and (Diana) Matheson against the world-class German midfield.”
Ottawa, Ontario – Even Pellerud, entraîneur-chef de l’équipe féminine de Coupe du monde, a dévoilé son alignement des 17 joueuses retenues pour la série de deux matchs opposant son équipe aux Championnes du monde en titre, l’Allemagne. L’équipe canadienne disputera le premier des deux matchs internationaux amicaux contre la sélection allemande au stade Swangard de Burnaby, en Colombie-Britannique, à 19 heures, jeudi 1er septembre. Ce match est parrainé par TELUS. Le deuxième match de la série, parrainé par CIBC, aura lieu au stade Commonwealth d’Edmonton (Alberta) à 14 heures, dimanche 4 septembre. (Veuillez noter que l’heure indiquée est l’heure locale et ce, dans tous les cas.)
« Nous sommes très heureux de rentrer chez nous pour disputer ces deux matchs » a dit l’entraîneur-chef de la sélection, Even Pellerud. « En effet, ça fait longtemps que l’équipe n’a pu disputer un match devant nos supporteurs et les joueuses sont impatientes d’affronter les Championnes du monde en titre. »
« L’Allemagne aligne toujours ses meilleures joueuses – et il n’en sera pas autrement cette fois-ci. A mon avis, les supporters seront témoins de batailles acharnées entre certaines joueuses, par exemple (Randee) Hermus et (Sasha) Andrews contre Birgit Prinz, et (Diana) Matheson contre les excellentes joueuses du milieu de terrain allemand. »
L’Association canadienne de soccer (ACS) fera une présentation spéciale pour honorer Andrea Neil, joueuse de l’équipe canadienne féminine de Coupe du monde à l’occasion du match international amical contre l’Allemagne, présenté par Telus, le jeudi 1er septembre au stade Swangard de Burnaby, en Colombie-Britannique. Le coup d’envoi est prévu à 19 h.
Ottawa, Ontario – The Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) will make a special presentation to Women’s World Cup Team player Andrea Neil at the international friendly against Germany presented by TELUS on Thursday, September 1st at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby, British Columbia. Kickoff for the match is 7:00 p.m.
On March 5, 2004, Neil earned her 100th cap against Costa Rica at the 2004 CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Tournament. In recognition of this remarkable achievement, CSA President Andy Sharpe along with CSA Vice President Victor Montagliani will make a special presentation to Neil during halftime of the Germany match in front of her family, friends and hometown fans in Vancouver.
Neil will now join long-time teammate Charmaine Hooper in this exclusive club and is only the second Canadian player ever (male and female) to reach the century mark in international soccer appearances at the senior level.
