Performance, not nostalgia, drives Canadian team and departing coach

First Games appearance is Pellerud's swan song after nine years at helm

August 5, 2008

By Doug Smith

BEIJING–The women of Canada's Olympic soccer team are a hard lot, tough and unyielding on the pitch, known for the physical nature of their play as much as for the artistry of their attacks.

They are determined, in their first appearance at the Games, to play with a measure of menace and intensity, sentimentality be damned.

And their coach, departing after Beijing following nine years of nurturing the program to World Cups and now the Olympics, personifies the attitude that the only thing that matters is how they do in the games, not what storylines might develop away from them.

"It's like you changing from a newspaper to another newspaper," Even Pellerud said when a reporter brought up the old "win-one-for-the-departing-coach" possibilities in the next couple of weeks.

"This is for me a living and a job and a business and at times you change employers. Nine years is a long time so this team means more to me in my life than most teams I've coached," he added. "But nostalgic? No."

That seems to be the common theme throughout the team in its preparation for Beijing. They are not swept up in emotion, rather they are determined. They know the only thing that matters is how they perform, not whether someone's staying or going.

"Oh, I'm sure I will miss it," Pellerud admits. "We have been in residency camp for two years, it's almost like a club so of course I will miss that part, no doubt about it."

But there will be time for reflection after the Olympics – it's about work until then.

"I think some people are thinking about it but the main focus right now is the Olympics," said goalkeeper Erin McLeod. "I've been here pretty much since (Pellerud) joined and I really enjoyed working with him and it's a pleasure but the same with a lot of the players. They'll be done after the Olympics, too. For a lot of us, it's kind of our last go so it makes it even more important for us to do well."

The team begins play tomorrow evening here (CBC, 4:45 a.m. tomorrow), facing Argentina in Tianjin, a city of 10 million about 120 kilometres outside of Beijing, getting a two-day head start on the opening ceremony scheduled for Friday.

Because of the time needed between games, and the size of the men's and women's tournaments, both will begin before the Olympics officially do.

The drawback will be that the women won't be able to march in Friday's opening ceremony because they play the next day.

"It's one thing to play before the whole hype starts, it's easier to be level-minded, you're focused and we're away from the venue, too, so that helps," said Ancaster's Melissa Tancredi.

Canada faces China on Saturday night, also in Tianjin, and finishes round-robin play against Sweden on Tuesday.

"I just can't wait for China in China, that game's going to be crazy," said Tancredi.

ALLEN OUT: Veteran forward Amber Allen's surgically repaired left knee has flared up again, forcing Canadian officials to remove her from the team. Jodi-Ann Robinson of Richmond, B.C., will replace her.

-- Doug Smith is a reporter with the Toronto Star