Delaney Baie Pridham never gave up hope on Canadian call up
In a 1-on-1 interview, Pridham discusses being called up to the Canadian women's team, her MVP season in the NSL, and much more.
Delaney Baie Pridham has been waiting for her chance for three years.
After being a part of a Canadian women's team's preliminary roster in 2022, Pridham was officially named to coach Casey Stoney's 23-player squad last week for the side's pair of friendlies vs. Japan on Nov. 29 and Dec. 2 in Nagasaki.
Pridham, a 28-year-old forward with Ottawa Rapid FC, is coming off a sensational campaign in the Northern Super League in which she was voted the league's MVP and the forward of the year, was named to the best XI and won the Golden Boot winner as the league's top scorer with 18 goals during the regular season.
But her first cap will have to wait for now as she doesn't have a Canadian passport, which means she is ineligible to play against Japan.
"She was aware of this before she came into camp. We were aware of it. We tried our very best to get it over the line as quickly as possible, but unfortunately, we haven't been able to do that. So, she won't be eligible for selection. However, she has been in [camp] as a training player and has done very well so far," assistant coach Natalie Henderson said.
In this one-on-one interview with TFC Republic, Pridham discusses being called up to the Canadian women's team, her remarkable season in the NSL, and much more.
