Canada players furiously banged and kicked the door of the match officials’ dressing room after a fiery 2-1 defeat to Honduras on Monday, as the national team’s dispute over World Cup bonuses rumbles on.
Goals from Kevin Josue Lopez and Kervin Arriaga either side of half-time put the hosts on front on a rain-soaked pitch at the Stadio Olimpico Metropolitano. Lille star David pulled back a late goal but it proved to be nothing more than a consolation, as Canada ended the game with 10 men when Alistair Johnson saw red in stoppage time.
On a frustrating night for the men’s national team, footage emerged from the tunnel appearing to show Canada players banging and kicking the door of the referees’ dressing room.
Seemingly unhappy with the officials' performance, one player could be audibly heard shouting repeatedly: “you're a f***ing joke”, with forward Jonathan David intervening by ushering his team-mates into their own locker room.
It is the latest incident in what has been a period of uncertainty and hostility for the Canadian national team. John Herdman’s side secured qualification for the World Cup in Qatar in November — their first appearance at the tournament in 36 years. But the protest against its own governing body, Canada Soccer, has cast a dark shadow over their preparations.
Only last week, Canada were forced to cancel a friendly against Panama when the players went on strike in protest over World Cup bonus payments. They refused to train on Friday and Saturday before it came to light that the players had opted not to fulfil their friendly in Vancouver on Sunday.
A statement from the players, released just two hours before kick-off, claimed they had been “disrespected” and took aim at their football association for “jeopardising our efforts to raise the standards and effectively advance the game in Canada.”
According to The Guardian, they made five demands which included 40 per cent of the Qatar 2022 prize money, an equitable pay structure with the women’s team and changes to the leadership of Canada Soccer.
In addition, they questioned why a $3million (£2.47m) annual deal with an entity called Canada Soccer Business — closely tied to the Canadian Premier League — is able to capitalise on both the men’s and women’s national teams by handling all sponsorship and broadcast deals.
“We want to know who signed this deal that has hand cuffed our association. Why have Canada Soccer given up autonomy of the greatest opportunity to grow our program in years?” the players added.
After agreeing to return to the pitch while negotiations continue, Canada got back to winning ways in their first game after the strike when they beat minnows Curacao in the Concacaf Nations League. Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies, widely regarded as the leading figure of the national team’s World Cup journey, scored twice in a comfortable 4-0 victory.
But their their next Nations League matches are not due to be played until March next year. And there are concerns that, unless there is a compromise reached between the two parties in the coming weeks, more fixtures could be cancelled which would impact their World Cup preparations.
