Jessie Fleming reflects on Chelsea stint, Olympic memories ahead of "special" year for CanWNT and new club Portland Thorns
When the CanWNT takes the field this week, it’ll mark a new era on several fronts.
First, there’s the fact that they’ll be taking the field for the first time at the inaugural Concacaf W Gold Cup, the continent's new marquee women’s soccer tournament.
Then, there’s the fact that they’ll be marking their first official game since Christine Sinclair’s international retirement, as they begin the difficult journey to move on from a legend who has been the face of this program for so long.
Lastly, they’ll be truly beginning their preparation to defend their status as Olympic gold medallists at the Paris Summer Olympics this summer, as they look to regain the crown they claimed in Tokyo three years ago.
Safe to say, it shows why Canada’s clash with El Salvador on Thursday won’t be your typical tournament opener for this CanWNT side, for good reason.
A chance to prepare for the Olympics all while chasing a trophy, which would be Canada’s first Concacaf crown since 2010 - this could be beneficial to this team for many reasons.
“Yeah, I'm excited,” Canadian midfielder, Jessie Fleming, told OneSoccer this week. “I think there are lots of good teams in the tournament, and it's a good opportunity for us to rehearse before the Olympics, while getting some game time as a team.”
“It’s always special winning any tournament, especially when you look at the lineup of teams at this tournament, so I think it would be positive for us, and just give us a lot of positive momentum going into the summer.”
Especially with it being an Olympic year, where Canada will have all sorts of pressure to perform as the defending gold medallists, that adds to the importance of this Gold Cup, which Canada wants to use as a key audition opportunity ahead of their trip to Paris.
Knowing how difficult it can be to win a tournament like that, with it being just as easy to flame out spectacularly as it is tough to be crowned champions, Canada is aware of the task at stake.
Having seen the flipside of it last summer, where they flamed out in the group stage of the World Cup for the first time since 2011 in their first major tournament since their gold medal win, that was a reminder of the volatility of tournament soccer.
Because of that, they’re not planning to waste any sort of preparation time available to them, with this Gold Cup likely to be the best opportunity they’ll have, as they could play up to six games if all goes well - which just happens to be the number of games they’ll have between the end of this Gold Cup and the Olympics if they fill all three of the available windows ahead of them.
So knowing that, this Canadian side isn’t eager to let any of it go to waste, and will look to strike the right balance between experimentation and competition to take advantage of that opportunity.
“Yeah, I mean, I think the expectation always is that we want to win that (Olympic) tournament when we go into it,” Fleming stated. “A lot changes in the years between tournaments, so I don't know if it's always fair to put that crown on people, but for us, we feel like it's a tournament that we've had a lot of success at in the past, and we’re excited to be back there and competing for Canada.”
She continued: “Yeah, I mean, (that gold medal), was special, especially when you look at the tournament this past summer, and you can see how it can go the other way for a team, there are so many things that you need to go right, and you need a lot of your players to peak at the right moment, so it worked for us that summer, and now it's just about asking ourselves the hard questions of how we can recreate that and bring our best team to Paris this summer.”
Speaking of Fleming, however, she’ll be expected to play a big role in that journey.
Having played a starring role at that Olympics, putting up some top performances in midfield before stepping up to convert some massive penalties in game in the semi-final against the US and in the final against Sweden, and in the two shootouts Canada had in the quarter-finals against Brazil and that same final against Sweden, she’s expected to be a central figure once again for this Canadian side this summer.
Especially after dealing with an injury at the last World Cup, which certainly reduced her effectiveness, something that Canada felt as they made their early exit, there’s no doubting how important she is to this team.
Sometimes asked to play everywhere in midfield, doing what she can to link defence to offence, she’s become a crucial piece over the last few years, one whose absence is usually immediately felt.
And while some have wondered if Fleming could be better suited to more of a specialist role, perhaps one that’s more offensively inclined, she enjoys having that responsibility in the middle of the park, too, which isn’t the worst thing given the balance it provides to this Canadian midfield.
“I've learned a lot from the different positions that I've played in, I see myself halfway between a #10 and a #6 as more of a #8, that hybrid midfielder that can link the back to front, doing the work defensively in our box and then getting up into the opposition’s box when we're trying to score,” she explained.
“Getting to play as a winger, and playing higher as the 10, I got used to playing with my back to goal more often, but then playing lower on the field, I got that awareness of having to play with fewer touches and making lower-risk decisions, and that all helped me balance out my game. Now, continuing forward, no matter which position I get to play, I’ll just keep trying my best, and add what I learn to my game.”
Yet, for those who have followed her at the club level over the last few years, it’s not surprising to see the growth that she’s been able to find for Canada, as she’s been able to learn a lot from her past four years at English giants Chelsea.
Her stint at the club recently came to an end, as she was transferred to the Portland Thorns in January for a record fee for an NWSL club, but she reflects fondly on her time in London, where she played over 100 games and won eight trophies, scoring 12 goals and adding 11 assists along the way.
Having made the jump to the club right out of college, she was able to advance her development significantly in an environment like that, and that’s been felt for Canada, where she’s been able to use that to become a key leader.
Getting to learn from players such as Sam Kerr, Pernille Harder and Millie Bright can be huge for a player right out of college, and Fleming’s progress just shows that.
“Yeah, for sure, I loved my time at Chelsea, I made some close friends, got to play with a lot of phenomenal players and got to live in a pretty cool city, so I feel really lucky to have spent as long as I did at that club.”
But while leaving Chelsea will feel like a blow given the prestige of the club, it’s worth noting that Fleming is stepping into a pretty good set-up in Portland, too.
A team that’s always contending for regular season and playoff glory in the NWSL, they’ve got a good reputation as a team that develops youngsters and attracts stars, with names such as Sophia Smith, Sam Coffey, Hina Siguita, Becky Sauerbrunn and many more all prime examples of that philosophy.
Because of that, it’s quite exciting to see where Fleming, who is 25, could fit into this team, as many of Portland’s key players are also in their mid-20s, all putting them in their primes.
Plus, it feels like Fleming could become a star on this Portland side, too, something that’s always tough to be at a club like Chelsea, where their squad depth can often make it tough just to make the starting lineup regularly, something that Fleming saw first-hand.
Therefore, while she’ll certainly miss Chelsea, Fleming is aware of what this Portland opportunity could provide to her, and is eager to make the most of it, alongside some familiar faces.
“For sure, when you look at Portland, it's maybe a bit different to Chelsea in that they have quite a young team, but I think that's something that excites me,” she explained. “I'm especially excited for the midfield, to get to play with Hina Sugita, Olivia Multrie and Sam Coffey was a big draw for me. I feel like we can build a really solid unit there, and that excited me.”
“Plus, having played in Portland two summers ago with Chelsea, there I got to experience the fans in the city as a player, and that was another big piece for me, as getting to be at a club that's so closely attached to their community and that has such a big support in the city is special.”
“Then, personally, getting to be closer to home is big for me, as I’ve lived pretty far away from home for a few years, so this was a good opportunity that also happened to be closer to home, so hopefully that will allow me to see my family more often. And hey, it’s also nice to have Canadians there. I had Kadeisha (Buchanan) and Ashley (Lawrence) at Chelsea, which was nice, and now I have Christine (Sinclair) and Janine (Beckie), and having that piece of Canada with me will help.”
And should only help her elevate her already strong performances for Canada, especially if she can step up and become a leader on and off the field early on for this Thorns side.
That’s huge, because with Sinclair gone, Fleming is one of the main candidates to step up and wear the captain’s armband in her place for Canada, having already earned the honour several times over the last few years.
Because of that, it would only help her case to earn that honour permanently if she can step up as a leader with Portland, especially on a team where Sinclair still features prominently, having not finished her club career quite yet.
So while she might not be one to talk much about that possibility, preferring to defer to what she feels is a strong overall leadership group, that’s one of the reasons why she’s one of the top candidates as a captain, as she knows how to lead by example and put her team-first.
Fleming might not be the loudest voice in the room, but she knows how to lead and rally her teammates behind her, and will continue to do so - whether or not she has an armband or not.
“Yeah, it's incredibly special. I'm very proud to represent my country, let alone wear the armband and be able to lead my teammates in that way,” she said when asked about the captaincy. “I feel like there’s so much trust in this group, and we have a lot of different leaders, so while losing Sinclair is a significant person to lose, it was always going to happen, and I think we have a strong group dynamic right now, so we're focused on that, I don't think there's too much attention that needs to be put on one specific person (as a captain).”
So as Fleming enters her 12th year with this Canadian team despite being just 25, she’s excited for what’s to come.
Having grown a lot since making her debut as a 15-year-old back in 2013, with three World Cups and two Olympics under her belt, she reflects fondly on what she’s been able to achieve and is eager to keep building more memories.
And as she steps into a bigger leadership role, she’ll look to use all of what she’s learned along the way, using that to fuel this Canadian side to even bigger heights along the way, starting with this Gold Cup.
“Yeah, it's gone by so quickly, it's crazy to stop and think that it's been that long, but playing for the National Team has changed my life, it's taught me so much as a footballer and a person,” Fleming reflected. “I've had the privilege to play and learn from players and people like Christine Sinclair, Erin McLeod and Diana Matheson, and they've taught me so much both on and off the pitch, I think I’ve settled in and found myself as a human and have become more complete as a footballer while being a part of this team because of that.”
“I’ve got some of my best friends here, too, so it’s all really special for me, as I’m a very proud Canadian and proud of where I come from, so I feel lucky that this has been part of my life. Hopefully, I can find ways to keep giving back to the program, keep trying to do my best on the pitch and influence the team in the most positive way I can.”
“There are so many moments that I’m grateful for, and I feel very lucky to have been part of this group.”
