Football Ferns
What a farce having a stand in coach for the Olympics ,and no idea whether klimkova is gonna come back or not.
Coach definately had to go, but the timing is problematic, players having too much power is the problem, too big for their boots, thinking they are bigger than the team and pushing their own agenda which is against the direction the coach/management wanted.
Wilkinson, Hand, Jale & Clegg. 1 of them likely won't make the final 18. Only getting a travelling reserve spot. You would imagine it's between Jale and Wilkinson.
And keep an eye on who the assistants named are.
Not sure why Natalie Laurence keeps getting a free ride by NZF. She's english and works in england. And not likely to keep contributing to NZ football.
Hope they actually pick a NZer that is working with local talent. Someone that is on the up and more likely to give to NZF for a while. Someone like Alana Gunn. She is already in the system being coach of the U17s. Gareth Turnbull would be another good option.
The British tennis player Raducanu is a classic case in point. She's an ambassador for my company and I've met her a few times. She thinks her farts smell of roses and when pressed as to why she has been bang average since her win at Wimbeldon, gets very defensive and starts deflecting, blaming everybody under the sun but herself (I also think the UK media "bigged her up" pumping up her ego well beyond her ability).
I get the distinct impression that this attitude is rife in certain women's pro team sports, especially those that have only recently turned pro (ie football and rugby). I think a lot of these players have not had the grounding that the men have had (having to compete against thousands of others for an academy place, giving up their teenage lives to train etc) yet now that they are professional (due a serious lack of competition for places), think they are god's gift even when bang average. See NZ's rugby and football teams for evidence.
All too often you see the coaches blamed. I'm sure most of them, even Jitka, are more then good enough but the players are not.
I remember the days of Tim Henman, and the annual British angst when yet again he failed to win Wimbledon.
Naomi Osaka another young player who struggled with all the media attention, at a young age. It's far from a normal teenage upbringing, that tennis world.
I've never coached a women's sports team, but from what I've heard and read - it's very very different to coaching males. Mars verus Venus. So any new coach to the female space, has got to be very mindful of that. For example it's clear old mate Heraf really had no idea how to adapt from coaching males. A common thread is that females often, more want the fun aspect in the environment. It doesn't mean they don't take their responsibilities seriously, just that to get the best out of themselves it can't be serious all the time.
But maybe as the female pro scene develops and more money comes in, the stakes raise as standards get higher, and competition to 'make it' rises as increasingly more young talented girls wanting your spot come through. Maybe it's becoming less fun, and some players are taking a more serious male like approach. And maybe that's leading to some culture clashes.
But yeah with Klimkova, it's been reported that it's one specific incident, that's upset a number of the squad, creating this mess.
Catalyst for change.
I did my I&D course at work last week, it’s not OK to presume sports women are female! 😉
Immediate cut of the dissenting parties by NZF perhaps. Will be very interesting to see.
From Burgess's post I think we can expect, that some players have been ommitted not solely off their form, or what level they are playing at. That is a clear attempt, at a cultural change shift. You are either onboard, or you are dropped no matter how good you are. May have it wrong, but get that sense. All to be revealed tomorrow.
Sounds very much like the AWs around ‘05/6.
Biggest surprise here for me is no Daisy Cleaverley in the 22. She has more recently been scoring goals in the Danish top flight.
Rennie recent form in Finland has been great, so deserves her place over Wilkinson
Moore over Bunge. Moore has better recent club form in Europe
Barrys versatility in the back line trumps players like Neville and Foster.
Green over Foster. Green performed better in Japan series.
Longo is returning from injury.
Main issue with Foster though is that she's rather slow, might struggle against our Olympic competition.
Main issue with Foster though is that she's rather slow, might struggle against our Olympic competition.
Main issue with Foster though is that she's rather slow, might struggle against our Olympic competition.
Slow? perhaps, but her set piece delivery more than make up for it, plus you'd remove one of the big issues in the squad and that's Riley's influence.
CJ Bott (46 caps) Leicester City, England
Katie Bowen (109 caps) Inter Milan, Italy
Milly Clegg* (8 caps) Racing Louisville FC, USA
Victoria Esson (23 caps) Rangers FC, Scotland
Macey Fraser* (5 caps) Utah Royals, USA
Ally Green* (14 caps) AGF, Denmark
Jacqui Hand* (27 caps) Unattached
Grace Jale* (31 caps) Unattached
Katie Kitching* (10 caps) Sunderland AFC, England
Anna Leat (18 caps) Aston Villa FC, England
Meikayla Moore (65 caps) Unattached
Gabi Rennie (37 caps) Åland United, Finland
Ali Riley (162 caps) Angel City FC, USA
Indiah-Paige Riley* (24 caps) PSV Vrouwen, Netherlands
Malia Steinmetz* (31 caps) FC Nordsjælland, Denmark
Rebekah Stott (102 caps) Melbourne City FC, Australia
Kate Taylor* (16 caps) Unattached
Biggest changes of note for me is the midfield, with the rise of Steinmetz, Taylor Fraser and the addition of Kitching. A few years ago none of these players were even in the conversation, when our midfield was Percival, Hassett, Longo and Chance. And Cleverley who doesn't even make this squad even though she is performing well in Europe.
Wilkinson's omission isn't a big surprise. Bunge has been on the outer at her Danish club. As others have said Cleverley is probably the most unlucky.
6 ALW players amongst the 22 names, if you count the Unattached - Taylor, Jale & Foster.
https://www.nzfootball.co.nz/newsarticle/142844?newsfeedId=1275622
Head coach Michael Mayne said:
“Paris 2024 is a pinnacle event, and I am excited to get to France, assemble the team, and get to work.
“I am clear on the outcomes we want to achieve, and we will be doing all we can to collectively accomplish those goals
“With this tournament having smaller squads than something like the FIFA Women’s World Cup, we have had to make some tough decisions, but through our selection process, we have selected 18 players we believe can achieve the outcomes we want and are prepared for the challenges we will face.
“It is great to be able to give over half the squad their Olympic debuts, and I know it will be a proud moment for all of the players and staff to wear the fern in France.
“There is no doubt this can be a special event for us, and we will draw on the uniqueness of representing the entire New Zealand Olympic team to give us the edge we will need.”
At Paris 2024, they have been drawn in Group A alongside reigning champions Canada, Colombia, and hosts France.
They kick off the tournament on 26 July (NZT) vs Canada in Saint-Etienne, before facing Colombia on 29 July (NZT), and France on 1 August (NZT), both in Lyon.
The team will warm up for the tournament with an international friendly against Zambia on 14 July (NZT) at Stade Louis Darragon, Vichy, France, with the game broadcast live and free on FIFA+.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/350330989/no-hannah-wilkinson-football-ferns-paris-olympics-squad
It is not clear who was ultimately responsible for selecting this squad.
Or 'post covid' are we back to only the 18 being able to play?
Special send-off at @edenparknz before we fly to France to begin preparations for #Paris2024 🇳🇿🇫🇷🌿 pic.twitter.com/zUkM7RThSD
— New Zealand Football 🇳🇿 (@NZ_Football) July 4, 2024
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/350333654/football-ferns-striker-hannah-wilkinson-blindsided-olympics-omission
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/350333654/football-ferns-striker-hannah-wilkinson-blindsided-olympics-omission
Even me being an outsider, I doubt she was blindsided. There hasn't been anything in her performances for some years to suggest she's a must have,and she has barely featured lately.
But not hugely classy from Wilkinson to put that in public like that.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/350333654/football-ferns-striker-hannah-wilkinson-blindsided-olympics-omission
Even as an outsider,I doubt she was blindsided. There hasn't been anything in her performances for some years to suggest she's a must have,and she has barely featured lately.
The Football Ferns have gone young for the Paris Olympics but this wasn't a sudden thing, it's been a slow and steady transition over several years
— The Niche Cache (@thenichecache) July 8, 2024
They're also headed to France without their head coach which is a whole other bag of wormshttps://t.co/zkOzwlHDnx
Sounds like Tim Payne is out of contention but this rule change, might mean Bazeley consider picking him, and hope he is fit in time??
This would appear to be a pretty significant rule change for Murphy Sheaff, Claudia Bunge, Michaela Foster, and Annalie Longo - particularly Foster considering Ali Riley's been dealing with an ongoing injury issue https://t.co/PLZS92uI8G
— The Niche Cache (@thenichecache) July 8, 2024
Fingers crossed Fraser's ankle injury is on the mend.
Curious to know who the assistant coaches are.
Day one of #Paris2024 preparations in Vichy, France 🇫🇷✅ pic.twitter.com/zTvIuHZzMg
— New Zealand Football 🇳🇿 (@NZ_Football) July 8, 2024
Day two of #Paris2024 prep in Vichy 🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/fApuOtjtGn
— New Zealand Football 🇳🇿 (@NZ_Football) July 9, 2024