Christine Sinclair announces #CanWNT retirement: When will her last game be?

The Canadian Women's National Team is going to be in action on October 28th and October 31st. They're playing two friendlies. Both of them will be against Brazil. First one will be in Montreal, Saputo Stadium. Second one will be in Halifax at the Wanderer's Ground. Sellout crowd. That was very quick to happen out there in the Maritimes. And here's the thing, guys. We talked about it because we all noticed it. It's been a little bit of a talk ever since. Christine Sinclair, after those two qualifiers against Jamaica, in particular, second one in Toronto, it was very noticeable that she was sad after the game. She was crying. She was consoling her. Other players came up and consoled. When Bev Priestman was asked about her after those Jamaica qualifiers, it was kind of cryptic in that she said, well, Christine Sinclair, her goal was to always help us get to the Olympics, whereas the messaging before that was maybe, you know, the Olympics, she's going to go. So it was never really kind of understood that she would not be in Paris. But maybe now we're hearing that's a possibility. Either way, Bev Priestman was asked about it once again. Yeah, I think, you know, it's obviously the question on everyone's mind. I think what I can confirm and what you see is obviously Christine is available and selected for this window. I think we've obviously had some confidential conversations about where Christine's at and what the future looks like. But I don't feel like that's my place to communicate that and what I am thrilled and for any new young player coming in, they get a camp with Christine Sinclair and her quality and what she brings in the training environment and on the pitch. So, yeah, I think, you know, for me, it's not really my place to communicate Christine's plans. However, as it stands right now, she's in this camp. She's been selected and thrilled to have her in the environment again. All right. There we go. And you know what, Ollie? I think she's saying the right things because of a player of the magnitude of Christine Sinclair. And I think any player in general, it should always be in their control to relay their messaging about their career. It's not going to be Bev Friesman. It's not going to be Canada soccer. It's not even going to be the Portland Thorns, whatever. It's going to be Christine Sinclair. But based on even how cryptic, once again, everyone's just kind of being with their messaging because we have yet to hear from Christine Sinclair. Do you feel like this could be the last time we see her suit up for the national team? I mean, when you just set out the facts, because it's not going to be me either that retires her. But when you just tell what's happened over the past few months, like short cameo of the bench in the Jamaica tie when the tie was basically dead. Like you said, Andy, very emotional after the game. We heard Bev Friesman say that they just wanted to get through that qualifier and then they discuss her future. Now Bev Friesman in the press conference is not really wanting to confirm and keeping confidential what that conversation was like about where we go from here. And now, obviously, we have this opportunity coming into the end of the year with a pair of home games and a couple more games to come, I think, that sound like they could be on Canadian soil as well. To me, it all kind of points in one direction, and I'll let people draw their own conclusions on that. So we'll see. But it seems to me like things are maybe aligning in one direction. How are you feeling, Jordan? Yeah, I can understand if Christine Sinclair is wanting to retire to kind of keep a lid on it. I know I didn't have an illustrious career like Christine did, but I know when it was time for me to retire, I told a few people that I was considering it and still didn't want to say it concrete just because you want to keep your cards close to your chest. So I can understand that. What I will say, someone who has been so pivotal and been a pioneer for the game in Canada like Christine, you would just if she was going to retire, you just want to know so you could give her flowers properly, right? Give that that jersey of how many games she's played, give her her her farewell at games and I'm just one game like leading up to it. So if I could say it's a Christine's camp or her, like, please just let us know so we can we can send you off properly. I mean, so we can yeah, a little dinky player like Jordan Wilson is like, oh, whatever, you can do something else. I can retire. I know. No, that's fine. But Christine Sinclair. Yeah. You got to do this. Right. So it would just be nice if we got a little bit of a heads up to give her a little, you know, a farewell properly and with all with all the gadgets, all the jerseys, all the trinkets that she well deserves. I think that that's what we're waiting for here. I don't think that she wants Canada soccer to make this announcement. I think she wants to do it in her own way, potentially. I would just be reading the tea leaves and just seeing the way that things have played out over the last little bit of I'm in Halifax sold out. I'm trying to get my hands on that ticket, Montreal. Same thing. I'm going to try to get my hands on that ticket so I can see Christine Sinclair live in the flesh one more time. And Bev has said that they're playing more games before the end of the year. My assumption and you don't need to be a rocket scientist to put two and two together here that those games will probably be on the West Coast where she comes from Vancouver and I mean, Burnaby zone, right? That if I'm on the West Coast, I try to pack out that place and be able to show my appreciation as well, appreciation as well for whoever they're playing. Look, unless they come up with some potion that negates the effects of father time has on you, you know, it's coming to an end very quickly. It's unfortunate. It happens to every single athlete on this planet. But I think at the very least, we'll be able to, you know, go out and support her playing in this country. What? Four more times in the next couple of months. That's something special. And it gives Canada a chance to say thank you. Probably. Yeah. If there's one thing that I still think is a little bit sad, but again, it's their own choice, right? Like, obviously it was just a team of Hutchinson and not getting that home game where we felt like, to your point, Jordan, we could just give our applause and show our appreciation for all the years that he's put into representing, you know, this country, obviously had his reasons. His wife was due around the time of the gold cup, that one game that was in Toronto. But I will say that I just feel a little sad that there wasn't just that one more game where we knew for a fact, because he had already announced his retirement here with Christine Sinclair. To your point, I feel like we might hear something in the next week or so. And then these games are going to be a big deal. So to everyone out there, like, get your ticket, especially when those other two games are announced. They do happen to be on Canadian soil out in the West Coast. Get your ticket, because I think it'll be our last chance to see her, you know, representing the national team. And there's a lot of love here for Christine Sinclair. And if there's one thing that I could save it for me when it's like such a special and legendary player, you want to see them go out in some ways, like on top, you just qualified for the Olympics. Sure. The World Cup didn't go your way, but you are an Olympic champion. And if this is if this is how you say goodbye, then let let the country know and let them come out and show their love. It is a little bit complicated for the manager, though, I will say that because if she has eyes preparation, bringing in some new young players to play in the buildup towards next summer's Olympics, does that start now? If you're playing Sinclair, you know, substantial minutes, it's going to be interesting to see what that looks like. I think that that's why. And I didn't hear her comments, perhaps one of you guys did, though, like having 26 players in for two games. It's a lot of players coming into camp, but maybe this is a way of doing it, bring some other players to come in, see what they're like in the environment and kind of build that way. So, you know, I feel like that that chapter and that real preparation for the Olympics won't start until the new year. Right. Like this might be all about Christine Sinclair and for obvious reasons over the next few games here. And you have to mix in that preparation as well. It's a balancing act. I think so. Yeah, she'll find that she'll find that good balance because this is this is deserve it, I think, as well for Christine Sinclair.