Friday Roundup: Kopmeyer signs with Canberra

Also included in today’s roundup, Denmark women’s national team continues to fight for new contract

Reign goalkeeper Haley Kopmeyer signs with W-League club Canberra

Yesterday, it was announced that Seattle Reign goalkeeper Haley Kopmeyer has signed with W-League club Canberra in Australia for the upcoming season. Kopmeyer will be returning to the W-League where she previously played two seasons ago with the Brisbane Roar.

For the Reign so far this season, Kopmeyer has made 20 starts on a team that’s still vying for a playoff spot in with the last two regular games of the season ahead of them. Kopmeyer is excited about joining Canberra during her NWSL off-season. “I’ve heard wonderful things about the club, its professionalism and the new coach in Heather (Garriock),” she said in the club’s official release. “It is a perfect fit for this time in my career and I’m excited to help the team compete for the title.”

The sentiment was echoed by new head coach Garriock as she noted that Kopmeyer was her first recruit. “Haley will be an important player for CU this year. She was my first recruit,” she said. “Having a goalkeeper of her caliber is important to the way we are going to play; her leadership, work ethic and experience will add a great amount of value to our defensive unit.”

Kopmeyer will arrive in Canberra following the conclusion of this year’s 2017 NWSL season.

KOP THAT |@ReignFC ace @hkopmeyer will be in Green for @WLeague Season 10.#CUinGreen
More: https://t.co/WCwLfJWMKN pic.twitter.com/40JryyDriX

— Canberra United (@CanberraUnited) September 15, 2017

Denmark Women’s National team continues to fight for new contract with DBU

Earlier this week, the contract negotiations between the Danish women’s national team, a team who just completed a historic run to the 2017 UEFA EURO Final, and the governing body, DBU, were at a stalemate. While the team continues to fight for a new contract, high-profile players such as Pernille Harder took to social media to explain her position and why she and her teammates are pushing for a new contract.

Of course I’m very sad that I have to make this video… #unity #sammenholdhttps://t.co/5ttis77Pkc

— Pernille Harder (@PernilleMHarder) September 15, 2017

On Facebook, the national captain, explained that she and her teammates are not fighting for more money because they want to be rich, but rather are fighting for fair compensation so that the players are able to focus solely on their job, which is being a professional soccer player. With increased wages, players would not need to rely on part-time jobs to pay bills. She noted that negotiations are not at this level yet, but she does hope that they will get there. “And what battle is it that we take? What is it that we demand from DBU? What we are demanding is only some pre-requisities so we can become better footballers,” she explained. “It’s not about becoming rich. It’s not about huge amounts of money. It’s about us not being forced to have a job, full-time or part-time, or a study. IF we didn’t have all these things to think of and could focus 100% on football, what could that potential we shows at the Euros in the Netherlands then lead to?”

She challenges the DBU as well, stating that she and her teammates “are ready to give everything to achieve those ambitions. The question is, if you are ready DBU?”