Canadian women's soccer new coach Casey Stoney includes 2 NSL players in Pinatar Cup roster

New Canada women's coach Casey Stoney is wasting little time evaluating the talent at her disposal.

The former England captain, who revealed her first squad selection Thursday for the Pinatar Cup later this month, is already in Spain having a look at the Canadian under-17 women while she awaits the senior players who are due to arrive there Feb. 15 to 18.

The U-17 Canadians, preparing to kick off the MIMA Cup against England next Tuesday, are training at the same venue that the senior side will use.

"A great opportunity to see the youngsters in the pathway. I'm a big advocate of young talent and [the youth] pathway and making sure I'm part of that as well," Stoney said in a virtual availability Thursday.

In choosing her 26-player senior roster, Stoney has opened the door to the new Northern Super League by calling up midfielders Samantha Chang from the Vancouver Rise and Emma Regan from AFC Toronto. The 24-year-old Chang, who has one senior cap, and the 25-year-old Regan, who has four caps, both came to the new Canadian league from Denmark's HB Koge.

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There would have been a third NSL player in the squad had midfielder Quinn not been injured. The 29-year-old Quinn, who joined the Vancouver Rise from the NWSL's Seattle Reign, has won 104 caps.

The six-team NSL kicks off in mid-April.

"Firstly, for the women's game in Canada, this is a huge step," Stoney's said of the new league. "To professionalize the game and have professional teams is massive."

But while she will pick players "globally," Stoney said "it will be about form."

The Pinatar Cup marks Stoney's debut at