The sixth-ranked Canadian women are getting their first taste of coach Casey Stoney at the Pinatar Cup in Spain.
Having played for Stoney at the NWSL's San Diego Wave, goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan is ahead on that score. And the Canadian No. 1 believes the former England and Britain captain is the right coach to advance the team.
Sheridan, who earned her 30th shutout for Canada in Saturday's 2-0 win over Mexico at the four-team tournament, sees a new beginning under the 42-year-old Stoney.
"I think we're starting really fresh and I think that's what we needed," Sheridan said in an interview. "We were kind of in a plateau. I think we were still doing really well but we weren't really moving forward. And it's time to move forward."
Stoney was appointed Canada coach in mid-January, filling the void left by the departure of Bev Priestman following the drone-spying scandal at last summer's Paris Olympics.
The Canada women are 1-0-1 under Stoney, having tied No. 17 China 1-1 and blanked No. 31 Mexico ahead of Tuesday's finale against No. 42 Taiwan in Murcia. Taiwan is coming off 4-0 losses to both China and Mexico.
Forward Mya Jones, a former Canadian youth international, played for Stoney last season in San Diego before joining AFC Toronto of the new Northern Super League earlier this month on loan.
"I really really liked Casey," said the 23-year-old from Calgary. "I thought she was a phenomenal coach. Even a better person. And was just really easy to work with, to be honest. I respected her immensely.
"Her knowledge of the game was beyond anything I'd ever worked with before. So I feel really privileged to have worked with her and hopefully I have the opportunity again in the future to do that."
Stoney, a defender, won 130 caps for England and played for Chelsea, Lincoln, Arsenal (twice) and Liverpool before retiring in February 2018 to move into coaching. She served as an assistant to then-England women's coach Phil Neville before taking over the Manchester United women and then expansion San Diego.
Stoney was named NWSL Coach of the Year in 2022 and led the Wave to the NWSL Shield in 2023 and the NWSL Challenge Cup in 2024 before being fired last June with the team winless in seven games and sitting ninth in the standing at 3-5-6.
The firing, which occurred while Stoney was back in England attending a funeral, essentially left the coach and her family homeless, given it meant her U.S. work visa was no longer valid.
Sheridan says Stoney still looks at things a player's perspective, "which is really refreshing."
"And it's easier to talk to her about things because she kind of already knows how the process goes for us," added the 29-year-old from Whitby, Ont. "And she obviously wants the best, having had to go through it herself in a time where her luxuries were different than our luxuries. So she definitely wants to continue to grow the game for us and push it forward."
There isn't much that Stoney, who learned she was no longer England captain by hearing the news on TV, hasn't experienced in soccer — good and bad.
"She was an amazing player back in her day," said Jones. "And then even as a coach, you go through so much, as well. This past year was a testament to just how hard it is to be a coach in the professional game."
With no major tournaments this year, the Canadian women can work on their own game. Sheridan is looking forward to it, given her past experience with Stoney.
"I think as a player, it's more the passion she puts into the game and the information, the way she gives it, it's just something you want to work for," said the goalkeeper. "It's something you want to provide all of your energy and your focus towards … I think that's what makes her kind of different.
"It's just that togetherness of player and coaching staff really understanding each other and being on the same page. And then, with the driving force of that passion, to want to like run through a brick wall."
Sheridan was named NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year in 2022 under Stoney.
"She's the best 'keeper in the world," said Stoney.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 24, 2025
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
