Football Ferns

Jaz Periera (who is only 20) has retired from the Football Ferns, for mainly the same reasons \ issues Abby Erceg raised

she's interviewed here on Trackside Radio

As the interviewer said - what are NZ Football doing? their captain walks and they have done nothing (or appear to) to try and keep her

You have to wonder why they didn't hit Mr Handa up for some funding for the Women's game, especially as he has a good record of supporting women's sport. Although wouldn't be surprised if NZF didn't even think about it

Bloody disgrace that NZ Football appear to be losing players and have done nothing about it. The comments they made in the media when

Erceg left shows that they really didn't think there was a problem then either.

Katie Duncan has also quit apparently.

Small bit part player leaves sport for 'financial difficulties' despite working 6am-3pm 5 days a week. Cue outrage at NZF

Must be the fault of NZF that she can't budget the cash she has.

Yeah, sorry, but in this case it seems more a case of her personal circumstances being extreme (though likely unavoidable, so it's just a sad, sad situation, I'm not blaming her) than any great resounding failure on NZF's part. Doesn't really sound like anything short of some form of salary (even part-time) from NZF would make a difference here - and without some deep pockets sponsor, that's a no-go.

Whether NZF is really putting a full effort into finding that sponsor is a fair question.

It's shark, undoubtedly, that she's had to give the game away.

It's possible to work full time and still not have much money. Especially given one job is in retail and it's Auckland.

It should the their concern that players are leaving the game because of the impact that being involved in the Ferns has on the rest of their lives. 

What if the basic costs in her life exceed what she makes from her jobs? Take out additional football costs and she might not have those financial difficulties... You can budget all you like but costs in Auckland are high and incomes that have to work around trainings / games are not. It is very concieted to make assumptions and judge someones budgeting ability

did she speak to FF mgmt about making training concessions?

Plus being asked to train like a professional without being paid like one would be tough. My guess is she has finished at university and needs a 'real job' to advance her career, but it'd mostly only be possible to work odd jobs that offer flexibility in hours while training fulltime as a professional. 

She's already been a fern and travelled the world with them playing football, she has now obviously decided it's time to move on to the next stage of her life. Fair enough. 

Its a big battle, the womens side of the game is still some way off being able to provide incomes to all its top players and to all intents and purposes has no choice but to operate as an amateur sport but the difficult reality is that to compete at the very top in womens football requires professional full time levels of effort and commitment.

No winners here and I feel for the player having to come to this sort of decision while so young. Despite what one utter wanker on here is alluding to the reality is that NZF are asking/requiring the womens team to train at levels which deserve some sort of financial assistance. A huge amount has been invested in training, travel and games but nothing has been invested in assisting the players to train at the levels they are being asked to hit.

Can I ask what level of financial assistance you would suggest?

I strongly believe they need to find a sponsor, yesterday, to help, because it is getting towards a breaking point.

But, for example, if they were to give $50 of petrol vouchers to the 25 players involved in the domestic programme for 48 weeks a year, that would be $60,000. Bear in mind that NZF has had to step up to pay for the services lost as a result of losing HSPNZ carding. And based on what Jasmine has said, I don't think that contribution would change her situation enough to make continuing with international football tenable.

Edit: What's the bet they spend $60,000 on futsal? There you go.

ISPS Handa. Their history is traditionally supporting womens sport (e.g. golf). Yet NZF have them only funding the mens competitions. 

It's Handa's prerogative about what they sponsor, they can spend their money where they like. But I find it hard to believe that they made a conscious decision to not support any womens football iniatives for NZF given their track record with mainly funding womens sport.

Lots of "something must be done" on here, but I still don't understand what seriously can be achieved within the existing financial constraints that NZF operates under?  What are people seriously proposing, that NZF should pay its international women's players a salary?

I think we need to run a cake stall, sausage sizzle and garage sale directly outside High Performance Sport NZ headquarters at 17 Antares Place, Mairangi Bay the day before their next big funding announcement.

The fundraising might be minimal - but the media publicity would be priceless.

Ideally an off-duty Fern can be on-hand to do some intersection car window-washing just to cap off the display of old-fashioned sporting pauperism.

Enzo, with his trade union background, should be ideal in marshalling the guerilla street theatre side of things. Might require a Fever flashmob as well.

Hope this helps.

housing is cheap in invercargill. pity they wont have anyone to play against.

Two friendlies  against USA announced for September.

Will be on the TV (are live in the States):

USA vs New Zealand, Commerce City, Colorado
Dick’s Sporting Goods Park
September 15, 10 PM ET, ESPN2

USA vs New Zealand, Cincinnati, Ohio
Nippert Stadium
September 19, 7:30 PM ET, Fox Sports 1

Here is the U-19 (which they do so they can play at U-20s WC) game against PNG

https://youtu.be/MBl7jxBdL3c

Been seeing some cricket scores lately against OFC opposition, reminds me of when Australia Mens would play the other island teams. Maybe merge the womens part of OFC with AFC? The ladies have no competition until they make it to the FIFA tournaments. I wonder what OFC is doing about it..

Seven OFC nations in this event, and every OFC nation entering the U-16 champs in August. Plenty of work being done, but a fair gap to bridge. 

USA vs. Football Ferns friendly live on Sky TV Saturday September 16

ESPN have been heavily promoting this game - it's live on ESPN 2 (Friday night 10 pm Eastern US time)

There's a second friendly vs. USA a few days later too.

Worth trying to get people to Four Kings to view USA v Ferns 2pm Saturday?

Flea could grab her century of caps on this tour:
http://www.nzfootball.co.nz/longo-on-verge-of-milestone/

Longo interview and match preview:

http://www.nzfootball.co.nz/longo-on-verge-of-mile...

Football Ferns Tour of USA

USA vs Football Ferns
Saturday 16 September, 2pm (NZT)
Dick’s Sporting Goods Park
Denver, Colorado

Sky Sport 4  2 pm

USA vs Football Ferns
Wednesday 20 September, 12pm (NZT)
Nippert Stadium
Cincinnati, Ohio

Sky Sport 2  11.30 am

New Zealand: 1. Erin Nayler (GK), 2. Ria Percival, 3. Anna Green, 4. CJ Bott, 5. Meikayla Moore, 6. Rebekah Stott, 7. Ali Riley, 8. Daisy Cleverley, 10. Annalie Longo, 11. Kirsty Yallop, 12. Betsy Hassett, 13. Rosie White, 14. Katie Bowen, 15. Martine Puketapu, 16. Olivia Chance, 17. Hannah Wilkinson, 18. Aimee Phillips, 20. Malia Steinmetz, 21. Anna Leat (GK), 22. Katie Rood, 23. Victoria Esson (GK), 25. Liz Anton, 26. Jane Barnett
Coach: Tony Readings

"Longo could be joined in playing her hundredth game on the United States tour by fellow midfielder and long-time friend Betsy Hassett, who is also just one match away from the rare milestone.

“I grew up playing with Betsy so to do it around the same time as her would be a good feeling,” Longo says.

After the recent retirements of former skipper Abby Erceg and Katie Duncan and the unavailability of prolific striker Amber Hearn for this tour, the Football Ferns squad has a fresh look to it with several relatively inexperienced yet exciting players included [Anna Leat, Martine Puketapu, Malia Steinmetz and Liz Anton – while the uncapped Katie Rood and Olivia Chance, who last played for the Ferns six years ago, both also received a call up].

In contrast, the United States – number one on the rankings and reigning FIFA Women’s World Cup champions – possess a squad packed full of experience and world-class talent. "

More recent stories on team:

http://www.nzfootball.co.nz/white-combining-dual-p...

http://www.nzfootball.co.nz/anton-on-verge-of-drea...

People moaning about young Ferns quitting.  Again.

Really this is no different to the 90s where a lot of young men who might have played for the All Whites left the game in their late teens. 

Until there is a professional women's team or truck loads of money from NZ playing in the WC regularly, men's and women's football will struggle finacially in NZ.

The Kingz did more for the men's game then many realise and it was Auckland that brought about (official) professionalism to the game in NZ.  We can only hope that a women's equivalent happens sooner rather than later be it in AKL, WLG or elsewhere.

Has there been a resurgence of moaning? The only young Fern to quit has been Pereira, who had rather exceptional non-football circumstances? (sorry, I'm not counting late 20s as young)

HALF TIME | @ussoccer_wnt take a 2-0 lead into the sheds in Denver after that double from @julieertz #FootballFerns #USAvNZL pic.twitter.com/p1IS7BKLkI

— New Zealand Football (@NZ_Football) September 16, 2017

Ferns went down 3-1 to the USA.

Ferns currently 5-0 down in todays game against USA.

Cue for Readings to regurgitate his mantra: "learnt a lot", "a lot of positives", "moving in the right direction"...

They were playing the #1 ranked team in the world (and, unlike in the men's game) possibly the strongest team not just on paper. 

I certainly don't expect them to beat USA: they are a classy outfit and the goal by Morgan was a ripper. However, I just get a little tired of Readings "coach speak", which frequently bares little resemblance to what actually happened on the field...

He has been taking lessons from the Men's coach. 

that is one of the funniest comparisons i've ever heard, even if it was intended as a bit of a joke

We seem to have plateaued in the womens game.  Reading out.

Readings has stepped down.

http://www.nzfootball.co.nz/readings-steps-down-as-coach/

No quotes from Readings....

there have been (see Andrew Voerman's twitter) sounds like it was Reddings decision and NZF weren't aware he was thinking of stepping down 

England are looking for a new women's coach right now.

IMO Readings has simply seen the writing on the wall: unfortunately, his tenure has been one of diminishing returns. He's taken the team as far as he can, and realizes that with the retirement/unavailability of certain experienced players, and the relative paucity of talent in the promoted players, results are probably going to get worse in the immediate future...