Rise Higher

In preparation for the SheBelieves Cup, RiseHigher talked to Amy Walsh, Olympian with the CanWNT and soccer Hall of Famer, to discuss her thoughts on the upcoming tournament.

1. Who needs to perform well at the She Believes Cup to solidify their spot as one of the 23 players on the World Cup roster?

AW: Looking at the final 23 player roster for She Believes, a few names stand out regarding who needs to play out of their skin to really become a contender for that WC roster. Before we get to that, though, we need to consider the conspicuous absence of key names like D. Rose, J Riviere and D Scott from the current roster and if they are fit to play, who gets left out?

Hellstrom has obviously shown enough to merit inclusion on the official tournament roster, and Bev spoke highly of her ruthless mindset and incredible pace. If Hellstrom is able to get minutes and shows that she not only belongs but offers a different profile from other midfield mainstays, Bev will have a difficult time leaving her out.

2. What result would be considered a “good” result for Canada? Are you more concerned about scorelines or performance quality?

AW: This tournament is now obviously about much more than the games-the players themselves have said they’ve been forced back to work and will play under protest-but it remains an invitational tournament against familiar opponents and likely the best opportunity to measure themselves against top teams in the 5 months remaining before the WWC. Performance quality and the team’s ability to quickly gel is of the utmost importance.

3. Are there any specific partnerships you want to see on the pitch? & 4. We’ve seen Canada play these three opponents recently. How do you think the team will adjust based on those previous experiences?

AW: I’ll answer 3 and 4 together. What I felt was lacking v Brazil in November was the link-up play. Defensively, Canada will be need to be more mindful of opponents’ transition game (particularly Brazil) and will need to manage/control rotations in the middle of the park much better.

Specific to the partnerships, I believe that creative and consistent link-up play is central to the team’s continued evolution. A fluid and dynamic spine with a highly mobile and up tempo midfield is crucial to the team’s success. We’ve spoken ad nauseam about where the goals are going to come from, but if the build-up play isn’t foundational, that consistent goal-scoring by committee won’t happen. To that end, exploring the use of Grosso higher up the pitch would facilitate that creativity and I would love to see a Fleming-Quinn double pivot combining Fleming’s skilful and speedy box-to-box play with Quinn’s long-range passing and ability to insulate the backline.

Up front, I want to see the chemistry build with the strikers, especially between Viens/Beckie and Viens/Leon. There’s real depth in the attack now, but the efforts have by and large been individualistic in nature. 

It’s essential that the #10 (whether that’s Grosso or Sinclair) is also established in order to develop that understanding with the target player.

5. If Canada’s next match were the World Cup final, what would your preferred starting XI be?

Amy’s SheBelieves Cup Predictions

Best CanXNT Performance: Grosso

First Goal Scorer: Viens

Tournament Finish- 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th?: 2nd

Please note that the editors of RiseHigher support and stand with the players of CanXNT. We wish them success and strength as they continue their fight against the federation.