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Olympic champions Canada have their work cut
out with scarcely more than 100 days to go before the
quadrennial tournament kicks off in Australia and New Zealand,
after losing veteran forward Beckie to an anterior cruciate
ligament injury earlier this month.
"I can sit here and say, 'Yea, we've got the answer.' We don't.
I think that that's the reality," Priestman told reporters.
"What we do have to do is utilize the best players on the team
across the pitch and that's what I'm working through right now."
Captain Christine Sinclair, 39, was named in the squad for the
camp in Le Mans, France, and will be joined by Jayde Riviere,
who was previously absent with injury, and younger talent
including 18-year-old Amanda Allen.
"The door's open for any new player," said Priestman. "Because
of the injuries we'll be leaving it as long as I can to name the
roster."
It will be the last chance for Priestman to evaluate players in
the national team environment before she must narrow down the
squad to a final 23. Canada open their World Cup campaign
against Nigeria on July 21 in Melbourne.
But Priestman said she would assure players that a poor training
camp would not necessarily put them out of the running to make
the cut.
"The last camp I remember before the Olympic Games was a
horrible camp because the pressure's there to perform to get
your spot," she said. "My assurances to the players will be: All
the camps we've had, and then your performance at club in
between that, are really critical."
The Canadians are playing against the backdrop of a bitter
dispute with their governing body and members of the team
earlier this month said they had felt disrespected after Canada
Soccer released details of its proposed collective bargaining
agreement.
Canada is set to play France on April 11 at Marie-Marvingt
stadium.
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York; Editing by Toby Davis)
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