Team Canada face 'impossible' task to replace injured Becky

2023-03-30 12:34

Team Canada face 'impossible' task to replace injured Becky


Canada coach Bev Priestman said injured striker Jenny Becky was " irreplaceable " as she named 25 players to a training camp on Wednesday ahead of a friendly against France ahead of the Women's World Cup .


Olympic champion Canada is less than 100 days away from kicking off the quadrennial tournament in Australia and New Zealand after losing veteran striker Becky to an anterior cruciate ligament injury earlier this month .

" I can sit here and say, ' Yes, we have an answer. '   we do not have. I think that's the reality, " Priestman told reporters.

" What we have to do is use the best players in the team on the pitch and that's what I'm working on right now. "

Captain Christina Sinclair, 39 , has been named in the squad for France's Le Mans training camp, joined by Jed Riviere, who was previously absent through injury, and young talents including 18 -year-old Amanda Allen .

" The door is wide open for any new player, " Priestman said. " Because of the injuries we're going to be out of it for as long as possible to name the roster. "

Bad training camp doesn't necessarily mean you won't make it

It will be Priestman's final chance to assess players in a national team setting before she must narrow the squad down to a final 23 men. Canada will start their World Cup game against Nigeria in Melbourne on July 21 .

But Priestman said she would reassure players that a bad training camp doesn't necessarily keep them from making the cut.

" I remember the last training camp before the Olympics was a horrible training camp because of the pressure to get your spot, " she said. " My guarantee to the players: all our training camps, and what you do at the club, is very important. "

The Canadians play against the backdrop of a bitter dispute with their governing body, with team members saying earlier this month they felt disrespected after Soccer Canada released details of its proposed collective bargaining agreement.