2023 Football Ferns International Fixtures

coochiee

Doloras

SN doesn't think there's a sufficient level of witch-hunt/lynch-mob atmosphere, in that Klimkóva hasn't actually fled the country ahead of an angry mob yet

Yes I'm all for some strong criticism of Kilmkova, but SN is like a rabies infected hound. Going as far as to question if NZ is still the best female football team in OFC. No it's the Vanuatu U17s. 

The freakin' Solomons put 12 goals past Vanuatu in the 7th place playoff, lol

coochiee

Mindhack

Selection of players at age group level also needs to change as current preference is still physical players over technical players.  A better development programme for the age group teams is also required if we really want to develop future players for the Ferns.  

I disagree with that. Better technical players are for sure coming into the national U17s & U20s now. It's just that they are still only 15-19 yrs of age. Some like Fraser & Whinham will get a go with the Nix ALW team this season. Clegg with WSW. Nathan with Canberra.

But none of them are yet really ready to make a big impression in senior women's international football. It's gonna take some time.

Unlike say the AWs who now have a swag of talented technical experienced players in that 20-24 age range. That's in many ways just a reflection of the Weenix (and Ole) Academies having been going for longer in the male space, compared to female. Weenix have 3-4 female teams now I read somewhere?? We will see increasing numbers of better female technical players being produced.

I've watched some of both the recent U20 & U17 OFC tourneys. Sure the opposition are often plain awful, but is definitely some real talent coming through. Helen Errington really one to watch I reckon. Signed a deal in Portugal??

https://theniche-cache.com/football/2023/8/18/here-arIZe-six-future-football-ferns-to-help-solve-our-goal-scoring-issues

Yes fair comments. 
Those are the players I kind of had in mind. Are they ready. Probably not. But at 17-19 now, they will be 21-23 at the next world cup.
The coaching team and NZF should be thinking how do we fast track there integration.  Does that mean U23 training camps and games. (Aus have a women's U23 team for example). Schedule some full national games against lower ranked Asian teams to ease them in. A lot of these girls are now just starting out on the semi pro pathway. There progress one would hope will accelerate now. 
PS. 
So many of our talented girls have gone down the US college route. (kind of understandable with limited options in NZ). But from what I can see about that pathway. Its more about developing athletes then developing technical skills. The US college season is short and on game day players get rotated, so very rarely play even 60 minutes and it is all youth age based. Not sure this is what our game needs right now for our more talented players as real development seems to be slow. Really hope players like Milly Clegg and some of the those current U20's mentioned don't chose this option.

Yes it seems only now that young female players like Errington and Pijnenburg etc are favouring youth deals in Europe, rather than the US College pathway. I think both Whinham & Clegg kept themselves amateur at the Nix for awhile so as to keep the US College route open. I guess as more money comes into the women's game, players have increased security that they can hopefully make a career out of football. A US College degree not so important maybe.

Would someone like Rennie (been through the US College scene) have a better first touch if she had entered Weenix or the fairly new Christchurch United Academy as a 13 yr old? I reckon so.

totally agree, its a shame that the decision could be forced on Klimkova, but the time has come to look at other options.

Ok so wilkinson is gone...and we want younger players and i agree...but surely we also want them coached well? these young players may not orogress under klimkova...thats my point and issue here. The environment is all wrong too.

are some of you thinking a player swap now will better us in 3-4years time? I have my doubts...

Showtime Nixie

Ok so wilkinson is gone...and we want younger players and i agree...but surely we also want them coached well? these young players may not orogress under klimkova...thats my point and issue here. The environment is all wrong too.

are some of you thinking a player swap now will better us in 3-4years time? I have my doubts...

I dont think any of us have disagreed with you that Klimkova may not be the best option, but it's oretty clear she is not going anywhere, NZF wont buy her out of her contract and she wont leave. Banging the drum louder aint gonna make a difference either.

This next game this morning-
Hoping for:
Bowen to captain the side 

Clegg, Jale, Hand
Longo
Steinmetz, Wisnewski 
Foster, Bowen, Bunge, Bott
Leat

Taylor, Neville, to come off the bench for decent minutes too. 

Time to give youth a chance. If they lose so what. Probably won’t be by any more than 3-0.  

Starting XI

The starting XI for our behind closed doors friendly vs Chile in Santiago 🇳🇿🇨🇱 pic.twitter.com/WCY8EelvzV

— New Zealand Football 🇳🇿 (@NZ_Football) September 26, 2023

Final result: 🇨🇱 2 - 1 🇳🇿

Despite dominating for large periods of the match, the Ferns fall 2-1 to Chile 🇨🇱🇳🇿

Plenty of positives and learnings to take from the tour in Santiago 🤍🖤🌿 pic.twitter.com/OoInrfHbYl

— New Zealand Football 🇳🇿 (@NZ_Football) September 26, 2023

Hassett scored our goal off a penalty that bounced favourably off the post allowing her to tap home.

Otherwise, not too much else to glean out of the snippets of information that came from the match.

shambles.

Weren't far off a draw, so that is something. Ferns were down to 10 players when conceded late 2nd goal. Of more importance is the experience for likes of Clegg.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/nz-teams/133008017/hannah-wilkinson-apologises-to-referees-for-red-card-incident-as-football-ferns-lose-again

In Wilkinson’s absence, Milly Clegg and Grace Jale started up top together in the second match against Chile, as the Ferns swapped from a 4-3-3 formation to a 4-4-2. They were without senior defenders CJ Bott and Katie Bowen, who were released back to their clubs after match one.

NZ Football’s report suggested Clegg had the best chance of the first half, but failed to take it.

Yanara Aedo then put the hosts in front in the 56th minute before Betsy Hassett, playing her 150th match for the Ferns, equalised in the 81st – following up after her initial penalty attempt was saved.

Clegg set Rennie up for a potential winner, but she failed to take the chance and twisted her ankle in the process, leaving the Ferns with 10 players for the final minutes, with Karen Araya scoring the winner from distance four minutes into stoppage time.

The losses took the Ferns’ record this year to two wins, two draws and 10 defeats.

Betsy Hassett scores in her 150th game to make it 1-1 against Chile! 🇨🇱🇳🇿 pic.twitter.com/TomhsJmlHZ

— New Zealand Football 🇳🇿 (@NZ_Football) September 26, 2023

Klimkova re: Wilkinson

“She was coaching the younger players during the game. It's a tough situation for her [being suspended]...”

Doesn't 'suspended' mean no match involvement? 

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/nz-teams/133008017/hannah-wilkinson-apologises-to-referees-for-red-card-incident-as-football-ferns-lose-again

Good to see Jale, Clegg, Taylor and Leat get starts alongside other youngsters. Indy-Page Riley and Steinmetz.  Wisnewski off the bench also. 

Some footage...
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CxrBTsVvkki/

Do we know why the Ferns were awarded the penalty?

Good honest analysis as usually.
https://theniche-cache.com/football/2023/9/28/football-ferns-in-chile-stay-the-course-dont-panic

Ranix

Good honest analysis as usually.
https://theniche-cache.com/football/2023/9/28/football-ferns-in-chile-stay-the-course-dont-panic

Yes a pretty fair assessment. He's always very kind on Klimkova. But certainly as he commented below, if the Ferns consistently start losing against lower ranked teams they used to beat, more questions should be raised of Jitka.

However that doesn’t excuse the first game against Chile where they had nine starters from that 14-player group (top core of players based on WC selections) and still lost 3-0.

That one probably has to fall upon the manager’s shoulders. Klimková does get a fair bit of criticism about her record as head coach but player availability and the quality of opponents has always been a much bigger factor in those struggles.

Having said that, there have recently been a few more instances of poor outcomes against teams that aren’t automatic favourites against Aotearoa. Teams like Chile and the Philippines and Argentina. Something to keep an eye upon there, just to make sure it doesn’t blossom into a full-blown trend.

Got to disagree. You have to have standards and markers. This is international football. There has to be a level of accountability. We should be and have to be doing better. This is the highest product in our women's game. Alarming.

Wilkinson only a three game ban... she is a very lucky woman

Very lucky. 
Kind of gutted for Jale and Clegg to be honest 

watching_from_far

Very lucky. 
Kind of gutted for Jale and Clegg to be honest 

Oh well they will get a crack in the Nov window, when sounds like Ferns will return to Sth America.

Is the ALW pausing for that FIFA window?  Almost no Matildas now play in the ALW, so maybe no pause.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/nz-teams/300980082/football-ferns-striker-hannah-wilkinson-gets-threematch-ban-after-red-card

lthomas20

Wilkinson only a three game ban... she is a very lucky woman

Can we appeal to FIFA to make the ban longer LOL ;)