'Committed to this group': Canadian women's soccer coach Priestman brushes off exit rumour

Canada coach Bev Priestman, caught in the middle of a bitter labour dispute between Canada Soccer and its players, found herself talking about her future with the program Wednesday.

The Guardian newspaper reported that Priestman was considering her options after this summer's World Cup and is pondering a move to club football with a number of teams interested.

"Obviously post-[Olympic] gold medal there's been regular opportunities put in front of me," Priestman told a virtual availability when asked about the English report. "But I think that the biggest thing is I'm committed to this group of players and I've shared some incredible moments with them. And I want those moments to continue.

Men's coach John Herdman was linked to a move to New Zealand earlier this month, prompting a brief period of uncertainty before he and Canada Soccer put out a statement pouring cold water on the report.

Despite the stress of the current labour situation — veteran midfielder Sophie Schmidt said she is retiring from international football after this summer's World Cup and had to be talked out of flying home on the weekend — Priestman said all her players will be available for Thursday's opening game of the SheBelieves Cup against the top-ranked U.S. at Exploria Stadium.

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But she admitted that her conversation with Schmidt, who has won 218 caps for Canada, was "a little bit soul-destroying for me."

"To have Sophie talk about retirement in floods of tears, that for me, more importantly for me as a coach working with players, that was really really difficult," she added. "I'm just so thankful that that's been on hold. That's the sort of emotional turmoil that's in there."

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