Canada coach Bev Priestman is optimistic about reaching an agreement with the women’s team on World Cup compensation ahead of the tournament.
“I know both sides want it,” Priestman told The Canadian Press on Thursday.
Priestman is not directly involved in the negotiations, with acting general secretary Jason DeVos being Canada Soccer’s interlocutor. But she says she believes there is a “common goal” to reach an agreement covering the tournament.
“I just hope there’s a resolution because I know what a distraction it is when it’s not,” Priestman added. When Jason arrived [in this role] he said to me, ‘My number one priority is to make sure everything runs smoothly, I want to work with you. I want to work with the players to achieve that.” »
“So I don’t know the details of our situation. But what I can say is that I hope it will happen. »
Canada captain Christine Sinclair said this week that the Canadians, ranked seventh in the FIFA rankings, wanted the matter resolved before flying to Australia.
Hurry up. The Canadians are scheduled to attend a pre-tournament camp on Australia’s Gold Coast on June 28.
Canada Soccer and its men’s and women’s teams have been embroiled in a labor dispute for over a year.
Sinclair said the players, who want to be able to focus on the World Cup, “have told ACS (Canada Soccer) outright that we need a deal for at least the World Cup and this year before get us there.
“So it is obvious that we are getting closer to the goal. I think it will happen. Will this be a long term contract? No. But something will be done before the start of the World Cup,” she added.
Canada will start on July 21 in Melbourne against Nigeria (40th) before facing Ireland (22nd) on July 26 and Australia (10th) on July 31 in Melbourne.
“Our conversations are ongoing and we share a desire to resolve this issue as quickly as possible,” DeVos said in a statement to The Canadian Press on Wednesday.
The players, who came together last summer as the National Men’s Soccer Team Players Association of Canada, are currently working to conclude their first official collective agreement.
Both teams took professional action. The men boycotted a scheduled Vancouver friendly against Panama in June 2022 because they were unhappy with the progress of negotiations.
Earlier this year, the Canadian players threatened not to take to the pitch at the SheBelieves Cup in the United States, but reluctantly returned to the pitch after Canada Soccer threatened them with action in justice.