THE CANADIAN PRESS
TORONTO — There has been some progress in the impasse between the Canadian Soccer Association and the national women’s team.
A compensation offer has been tendered to the squad and the association says it hopes to meet coach Carolina Morace to hear her concerns and keep her in the fold.
Both sides refused to discuss specifics of the offer.
But at least one sticking point remains.
The women insist they want a long-term deal that "provides predictability" and to see the deal the association has with the men’s team.
The CSA says sharing details of the men’s compensation would violate "confidentiality agreements."
"Certainly we feel that we are entitled to see that information," said Jim Bunting, the lawyer representing the women in their compensation negotiations.
"And that it’s important to us to understand what the arrangements are with the men’s team when weighing and considering any proposal that’s been put to the women’s team."
The men’s side lost a friendly 1-0 in Greece on Wednesday. Players asked by The Canadian Press about the women’s impasse said they were unaware of the situation.
Bunting did say the fact an offer was on the table was "a step forward."
Association general secretary Peter Montopoli says he is confident the money and coaching issues will be sorted out.
"I see that the resolutions will come," he told The Canadian Press on Wednesday. "I wouldn’t be honest with you if I said the resolutions are within the next 24 hours … But I do see it’s one of those issues that needs to be resolved certainly, and that the right people will make the right decisions in the best interests of the program, for sure."
Under Morace, Canada has risen to ninth in the world. Her coaching record with the national team is 19-8-5, which included a record 11-game unbeaten streak.
But the coach announced last Friday that she will step down after this summer’s World Cup because of differences with the governing body of Canadian soccer.
On Monday, the women’s team announced that it will boycott any international matches until the association repairs its relationship with Morace. And that it had retained legal counsel over the issue of compensation.
The women are due to board a plane Friday for a training camp with Morace in Rome. But they say they will not play in the Cyprus Cup, which starts Feb. 28, unless their coach is brought back into the fold past the World Cup.
Montopoli says the association also wants Morace back.
"That’s what everybody’s aiming for. Absolutely. There’s no doubt about that."
The timing of the public dispute is poor, a fact that the women’s team no doubt was aware of when it dropped its boycott bombshell.
Montopoli, other association officials and Sports Minister Gary Lunn are due in Switzerland next week to present Canada’s bid book for the 2015 Women’s World Cup. The only other bidder is Zimbabwe, which has its own problems with allegations of match-fixing in the men’s game.
"I still think it’s a very strong bid and certainly FIFA will look at it in that way," Montopoli said.
Montopoli hopes to meet Morace while in Europe.
"We’re looking forward to sitting down with her, to work through the issues so we can all be on the same page to make the program what we all believe it can be."
Asked if he knew what her issues are, Montopoli said: "Not necessarily specifically, no.
"But there are things that certainly happen within running a program."
Under her contract, Morace does have the responsibility of managing the women’s team budget, which would seem to suggest part of her issue is with the women’s cut of the pie.
Montopoli said one goal of the meeting was to clarify "what her requirements are for her program to be successful."
Montopoli said Wednesday that the timing of the association’s offer hinged on approval from a board meeting Friday night rather than the team’s threats.
In a Jan. 13 letter to the CSA, Bunting noted that the team had made its original multi-year compensation proposal in February 2009 and that the association had "repeatedly ignored or deferred the women’s team proposals."
Montopoli had a different view.
"I don’t think it’s been a delay," he said. "I think it’s been an understanding of what the requests are and the provisions of the CSA to provide that. We are moving forward with that and the necessary dialogue is being undertaken as we speak."
Morace, a former Italian international, was hired in February 2009. Her contract runs through the 2012 Olympics.