When Janine Beckie found out who the new head coach of Canada’s women’s soccer team would be, she felt excitement above all else. Beckie, a veteran on Canada’s team, said Casey Stoney is the “perfect fit” and is encouraged by the hire.
“I can speak for myself and the excitement I feel to have a manager with her experience, personality, reputation and character,” said Beckie via email. She said she hadn’t spoken to many of her national teammates since a call with Stoney and Canada Soccer general secretary Kevin Blue last weekend.
On Monday, Canada Soccer announced that former England international captain Stoney had been appointed to the job, replacing Bev Priestman who was fired in the wake of the Paris Olympics drone-spying scandal.
Stoney is a stalwart of England’s program as a player of 18 years with its national women’s team, and was the first woman coach of Manchester United’s women side, as well as the first coach of the NWSL’s San Diego Wave in their inaugural season in 2021.
In addition to recognizing Stoney’s storied career and strong sense of character, Beckie commented on the selection process which included former national team players Diana Matheson, Steph Labbe, Melissa Tancredi and Erin McLeod.
Beckie said that the search for a new head coach was “a detailed, well-organized and extensive search to find the right fit.” Having former players as advisors and consultants in this process is an important step to move and push to new success.
“I couldn’t be more excited that this is the result of their diligence and effort,” said Beckie, who plays professionally for Racing Louisville FC of the NWSL.
WATCH | Canada Soccer’s ‘obsessed’ culture of drone spying uncovered by Radio-Canada:
Canadian soccer coaches were so ‘obsessed’ with obtaining information about their opponents that they would pressure employees to take part in spying activities, Radio-Canada has learned. Sources within Canada Soccer say the drone scandal at the Paris Olympics was not the first incident.
The reality is that as this new chapter for the women’s team begins, there will be an experienced coach at the helm.
Stoney boasts many accomplishments, but one of her strongest suits may be that she knows how to navigate when things are well, not smooth. And that’s exactly where she finds herself at Canada Soccer, a federation that is desperately trying to rebuild trust with players, partners, and Canadians.
The last few years have been a circus of disappointment, betrayal, grief and frustration with the federation. Stoney comes in knowing full well the extent of the damage. Stoney was unceremoniously fired from San Diego Wave after winning NWSL Coach of the Year in 2022 — questionable, to say the least. The team will play its first game under Stoney in February in Spain.
On her first media call the afternoon of the announcement, Stoney sat beside Blue and her responses were direct and confident as she talked about her faith in the new leadership at Canada Soccer.
“I know that [the players] have been through a troubled past, but I’m really confident,” said Stoney, who will remain based in San Diego with her family. “I wouldn’t have taken this job if I wasn’t confident that [the federation] was moving in the right direction.”
And move is exactly what Canada Soccer and the national program must do. There remains an on-going lawsuit by the players against former board members. There are obvious tensions that exist and being able to work through them may feel like walking into a minefield. But for some, this is something that Stoney is qualified for.
Amy Walsh is a soccer analyst, former Canadian national player, and co-host of Footy Prime’s soccer podcast. “Stoney’s appointment marks the end of a tumultuous cycle for the [Canadian team] and hopefully ushers in a winning era for a highly talented group under a big name coach,” Walsh said.
Rebuilding that trust with players is paramount. During last summer’s Paris Olympics, the dronegate scandal pushed the players into an unfair limelight. They were been exposed to allegations of cheating (an independent report found that the players did not watch any of the footage) and questions of their character. The situation was highly stressful and embarrassing while the team was competing.
Priestman’s dismissal came as a surprise to exactly no one, accompanied out the door by assistant coach Jasmine Mander and analyst Joey Lombardi. All three were directly involved with the cheating scandal. But the stain on the federation was made and the Canadian team name sullied.
WATCH | ‘We’re not cheaters’ say Canada’s players:
The Canadian women’s soccer team has been in the spotlight for the wrong reasons following a drone scandal. But player Vanessa Gilles said the team proved that it is “damn good.”
When asked about whether she felt extra pressure because of the drone scandal and judgment against Canada, Stoney was clear in her reply.
“I think one thing people can’t question about me is my integrity and my principles,” she said. “The players, I think, did an incredible job and the remaining staff that were there during the Olympics, to be able to put on some fantastic performances. And it just shows you the resilience of this group. But now they want to move forward.”
Stoney confirmed that she will be adding to her coaching staff but is not making any “immediate decisions” and it may or may not be from the old coaching team.
“I want to make sure that I go into the environment, I learn, I listen, I observe, I see what’s needed for the team, and then decisions will be made from there,” Stoney said.
It’s very early in the journey, but Stoney seems to grasp what this strong team culture is about, the incredible talent in Canadian soccer, and its potential. With the Northern Super League kicking off in April, it’s an important time for women’s soccer in Canada.
To have a coach aligned with the principles and values of the team might be what has been missing all along. Beckie seems encouraged and eager to run with it.
“It’s really an incredibly exciting time for soccer in Canada and I really look forward to learning and growing under Casey’s leadership and world-class football knowledge.”