Nick Bontis has stepped down as president of the Canadian Soccer Association. The 53-year-old driver has given up after persistent criticism of his performance. Bontis was under fire from the national men’s and women’s teams and from administrators in their own country.
The men of Canada previously demanded more professionalism and higher bonuses from the football association. The team therefore did not show up for an exhibition match against Panama six months before the World Cup. The women were also dissatisfied because of unequal treatment compared to men and cutbacks at the union.
However, the last straw for Bontis was something else: a letter from regional administrators in which they lost confidence in the chairman. “I recognize that now is the time for change,” Bontis wrote in a statement on Canada’s federal website.
Zlatko Dalic refrained from voting at the Best FIFA Football Awards
Sticking with international football news, Croatia national coach Zlatko Dalic has refrained from casting a vote at the Best FIFA Football Awards. According to the 56-year-old trainer, FIFA does not have enough respect for the performance of the Croats.
“I am disappointed with the attitude of FIFA,” Dalic told the Croatian Football Federation’s website about refusing to participate in the voting process. “Based on everything we have achieved with the national team, we deserve more respect.”
Dalic points out that Croatia is the only country that was among the top four countries in both Qatar and the Nations League. “We made headlines around the world by winning matches against the best teams in the world. Together with France, we are the only team to have won two medals from the last two World Cups,” Dalic continues.
He added, “When I look at the list of fourteen nominees for the best player, I only see Luka Modric. Where are the other Croatian players? Was there really no room for Mateo Kovacic or Josko Gvardiol? And didn’t Dominik Livakovic deserve to be among the best goalkeepers after all he showed in Qatar?”
Dalic cannot only conclude from the number of nominated Croatian players that Croatia is not valued. He concluded, “But also because of the time slots we got at the World Cup or the quality of the referees. If English, Brazilian, Spanish or German players and coaches achieved this, they would be on all possible nominees lists. I miss the respect. That’s why I’ve decided not to vote.”
