VANCOUVER — Returning to B.C. Place is a bit surreal for Casey Stoney.
Ten years ago, she played there as part of the England squad that finished third in the 2015 World Cup. On Friday, she’ll return to the turf as head coach of the Canadian women’s soccer team.
“Full circle moment for me,” Stoney said Thursday. “It’s very different in terms of being the head coach of the national team here and the privilege that comes from it. So I’m just excited.”
Canada is hosting Argentina in a pair of friendlies, starting in Vancouver on Friday. The second game goes Tuesday in Langford, B.C.
The matchups will mark Stoney’s first on Canadian soil since taking over as head coach in January. She replaced Bev Preistman, who departed in the wake of Canada Soccer's drone scandal at last summer’s Paris Olympics.
The toll of the drama wasn’t lost on Stoney as she stepped into her new role.
“I think the brunt that the staff and players took for that, and how much they were questioned and their integrity — what I saw was a hell of a resilient group,” the coach said, noting the team managed to pull together under difficult circumstances.
“But that’s left some scars. And I won’t shy away from that. So it’s my duty as a leader to support them, protect them, try and build trust again in leadership, try and make sure they’re in an environment where they feel psychologically safe.”
Canada heads into Friday’s game ranked seventh in the world, and with a 2-0-1 record under Stoney. The team won the Pinatar Cup in Spain in February with wins over Mexico and Taiwan and a draw against China.
The new coach has brought a level of professionalism that the Canadians “desperately needed,” said forward Janine Sonis.
“I think she's an experienced player, which is also really helpful as a player, to know she knows she's been in our shoes,” she said.
“She's played at the highest level with many, many caps for England. She’s just a very impressive individual, very knowledgeable coach, and I think the way that she shares that knowledge is really special to her.”
Stoney brings a lot of experience from around the world that will benefit the Canadian crew as they push toward the 2027 World Cup in Brazil, said Quinn.
“We’re turning a new leaf and there's just an energy among both players and staff kind of getting a new start here with the national team," the veteran midfielder said.
As a coach, Stoney is "incredibly tactically sound," Quinn added, and is pushing the group to experiment.
“I think she's giving players an opportunity to make mistakes, to try new things, and really just encouraging that growth mindset. And so for us, it's putting our best soccer out there," they said.“I think everyone really appreciates that aspect, that they can go out there and they can just really try to do what she's asking of them without the fear of just doing it wrong. That's encouraged.”
The approach is all about getting the Canadians to add more offence to their game, Stoney said.
“What I want to try and do is remove the fear of making mistakes and the fear of giving the ball away. Because if we want to score more goals, we need to take more risks, we need to be more creative," she said.
Canada will also need to add some physicality Friday when they meet No. 33 Argentina, Stoney said, noting that she also wants her team not to get frustrated and to "control the controllables."
Exercising all those elements on home soil in front of family, friends and Canadian fans will be special, the coach added.
“Being a head coach, I think is a huge privilege. Being a head coach of this team especially, I'm really proud. They're good people. They're great players," Stoney said.
"And I think together, collectively, if we can go in the right direction, put the right things in place, and get it right tactically, technically, and we have the right fit and available players at the right times, maybe we could do something special.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 3, 2025.
Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press
