Very little praise and respect – Canada’s national team is on strike

The planned preparatory game between Canada and Panama did not take place. Canadians have refused to play to put pressure on the federation.

The Canadian national team could not play the World Cup pre-season game against Panama due to a players’ strike. The encounter in Vancouver, originally scheduled for Sunday evening, had to be canceled at short notice after the players issued a joint statement.

That’s why professionals don’t feel valued and respected enough. Negotiations between the association and the team on payment of financial compensation had previously failed.

Relations with the Canada Soccer Association have been difficult and strained over the years, the players wrote. “And now Canada Soccer has treated our team with disregard and jeopardized our efforts to raise the standards and advance football in Canada,” said the team, for which FC Basel’s currently injured Liam Miller has played 15 times.

Fair pay is required from the active side for both the men’s and women’s national teams. Professionals are currently demanding 40 percent of the prize money to participate in the World Cup in Qatar, among other things. The team said the association initially “unnecessarily prolonged negotiations” and then made a poor offer on Thursday.

Canada is in Qatar for the World Cup final later this year for the first time since 1986. The Canadian’s next game is already scheduled for Thursday. It is not yet clear whether Curaçao will actually be played in the Nations League. (ex/sda)

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