Football Ferns

theprof

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/women-in-sport/127061344/football-ferns-nz-football-secure-major-sponsorship-deal-ahead-of-home-world-cup

Well done Ford, well done NZF. Good news for Nix ALW, and then by rights the Nix as a club re some financial costs help?

Would think The FFF would be in for some home games next year. Surely we can attract some teams that want to check out the place as we are hosting the world cup in 2023. NZF should be trying to host something in July August. 

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/women-in-sport/127061616/inexperienced-forward-line-to-lead-football-ferns-search-for-goals-against-south-korea

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/women-in-sport/300463604/ten-years-in-the-us-football-ferns-katie-bowen-is-still-kiwi-as

Still, she enjoyed welcoming the young rookies into the side for the Canada series, and recognises it’s an important step in the Ferns’ build-up towards the 2023 World Cup in New Zealand.

“The more caps we can get under players’ belts, the more confidence we hit 2023 with. It’s a great opportunity for us older players, too, to get a fresh perspective,” she says. “A lot of them have really seized their opportunities. I was really impressed.”

After an experienced New Zealand line-up suffered a tough 5-1 loss to the newly crowned Olympic champions in their opening game, new Football Ferns coach Jitka Klimková introduced more of the young players in game two, where they went down 1-0 , but with a much improved performance.

“You can’t help but think this is a fresh slate. With the massive progress I saw in just two days on that Canada tour, it got me really excited for what could potentially happen after we’ve had seven tours or longer tours of a few weeks,” Bowen says. “It does feel like a fresh start working towards 2023 and beyond.”

Bowen fully understands the prestige, the legacy and the advantages playing a World Cup at home brings.

“I was fortunate enough to play in the U17 world tournament here in New Zealand, and that alone was unbelievable. But it’s a whole new ballgame when it’s the full women’s FIFA World Cup,” she says. "Honestly you dream of this moment, and it very rarely happens for players.”

Most of all, Bowen knows what it will mean to her family.

“They've always travelled with me to tournaments like this, but this time it might be a 30-minute drive to see us play. It will be a huge honour to play in front of them and the other Football Ferns families," she says.

* The Football Ferns play Korea Republic at Goyang Stadium on Saturday at 6pm (NZT) and Tuesday 11pm. Both games will be live on Sky Sport 7.

Cringe at the NZF president butchering the name of the legacy programme 

Feverish

Cringe at the NZF president butchering the name of the legacy programme 

I ain't watching 70 minutes do you have a summary?

lthomas20

Feverish

Cringe at the NZF president butchering the name of the legacy programme 

I ain't watching 70 minutes do you have a summary?

nah I could only watch it on and off. Four pillars in legacy programme. Leo Bertos spoke to one, I think Dome was doing another. Not sure if there were any big ticket items released, but if you are going to use Te Reo then learn how to use it. Aotearoa United is the name if the legacy programme.

Feverish

lthomas20

Feverish

Cringe at the NZF president butchering the name of the legacy programme 

I ain't watching 70 minutes do you have a summary?

nah I could only watch it on and off. Four pillars in legacy programme. Leo Bertos spoke to one, I think Dome was doing another. Not sure if there were any big ticket items released, but if you are going to use Te Reo then learn how to use it. Aotearoa United is the name if the legacy programme.

Bit harsh, people want an inclusive organisation and when they are trying to do so, they get people given crap for pronouncin  words wrong. I'd hope most would appreciate the attempt. 

well if the All whites can't get decent teams for friendlies over here, then I doubt it will work for the ferns

morgenstern12

well if the All whites can't get decent teams for friendlies over here, then I doubt it will work for the ferns

Because the Ferns are much better respected in the womens game and teams will be enticed to play in the tournament location and get a sense of the country. 

watching_from_far

Feverish

lthomas20

Feverish

Cringe at the NZF president butchering the name of the legacy programme 

I ain't watching 70 minutes do you have a summary?

nah I could only watch it on and off. Four pillars in legacy programme. Leo Bertos spoke to one, I think Dome was doing another. Not sure if there were any big ticket items released, but if you are going to use Te Reo then learn how to use it. Aotearoa United is the name if the legacy programme.

Bit harsh, people want an inclusive organisation and when they are trying to do so, they get people given crap for pronouncin  words wrong. I'd hope most would appreciate the attempt. 

 
You’re kidding mate. There are attempts and then there are attempts.

This has been one hell of a 1st half performance against Korea. Maybe the best I've seen. That high press and the speed of the passing looks good

Sancho

This has been one hell of a 1st half performance against Korea. Maybe the best I've seen. That high press and the speed of the passing looks good

Yep was so impressed also... and then the second half we completely lost it. 

Good to see some of the younger players continue to get mins, Covid partly forcing Klimková's hand in that regard. But this is the time to experiment, before mostly locking in a first choice team late 2022.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/women-in-sport/127062153/football-ferns-let-firsthalf-lead-slip-against-south-korea-as-losing-run-continues

At least we know our 2023 WC co host has plenty of work to do as well.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/women-in-sport/300464882/australias-matildas-draw-record-in-sydney-but-are-humbled-30-by-usa

Plus she has the busiest job of all being a Mum. Which I'm guessing is the main reason, she's never played outside NZ/Aus.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/women-in-sport/300466686/footballs-flea-annalie-longo-leaps-between-roles-in-womens-game

Terrible first half on our part, Korea all over us. Esson is having a superb game and on top of that we've just been lucky not to concede, 2-0 would not be an unfair reflection so far. Korea are playing well but the sloppiness on the ball from us and inability to play out from under pressure is just really poor and not good enough. Jitka will have a busy half time that's for sure. 

Well I eat my words... got lucky with Korea's profilgacy in the first half, but was more than an even second half and we stuck at it and pushed out a 2-0 win, great stuff. Think there wasn't a lot as to quality, but certainly fitness, determination of the team showed. 

IFerns  incredibly lucky in second half, Without Chance assisting and doing the leg work very technical player, she was instrumental in Paige’s fantastic goal and Rennie tap in. Paige pace was exceptional.  Korea looks tired 2nd half performance.  Bott was solid defs player of match imp

A win and giving more experience to the younger brigade. Great way to finish 2021.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/women-in-sport/127136413/football-ferns-substitutes-strike-late-as-they-finish-the-year-with-a-win-over-south-korea

And a neat little recent video via Flying Kiwis.
https://youtu.be/nQx5BIx1SV4

Ka pai girls. You hung in there and then created and grabbed your chances. A real positive ending to the year.

Unable to see the matches as at work here in Blighty, but do some of the new players have the ability to permanently displace some of the older, out of depth players (especially up front and in goal).  
From what I've read, some of the new blood seems to have done quite well recently.  Great result too.

Marto

Unable to see the matches as at work here in Blighty, but do some of the new players have the ability to permanently displace some of the older, out of depth players (especially up front and in goal).  
From what I've read, some of the new blood seems to have done quite well recently.  Great result too.

Agreed, I only watched the last 40 odd minutes and was impressed with those playing forward. It makes a change from the "cart horse' Hannah Wilkinson who has appalling dribbling skills.

Ria Percival gets a Halberg nomination - Sportswoman of the Year.

https://www.nzfootball.co.nz/newsarticle/110747?newsfeedId=1223399 

coochiee

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/nz-teams/127220359/goalkeeping-glut-a-boon-and-a-burden-for-all-whites-football-ferns-coaches

Good to see that Erin Nayler has finally found a club, Umeå in Sweden.
I hope that she gets her career back on track and progresses as a keeper. 

Football Ferns are off to the USA next month to take on Iceland, US, and Klimkova's birth country Czech Republic in a mini tournament called the SheBelieves Cup

Rock Hopper

Football Ferns are off to the USA next month to take on Iceland, US, and Klimkova's birth country Czech Republic in a mini tournament called the SheBelieves Cup

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/women-in-sport/127440157/football-ferns-secure-invitation-to-shebelieves-cup-tournament-in-the-united-states

coochiee

Rock Hopper

Football Ferns are off to the USA next month to take on Iceland, US, and Klimkova's birth country Czech Republic in a mini tournament called the SheBelieves Cup

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/women-in-sport/127440157/football-ferns-secure-invitation-to-shebelieves-cup-tournament-in-the-united-states

That's one of the most prestigious women's friendly tournaments in the world, so good work to get an invite to that. Usually it sees bigger countries invited but the world Covid situation and clubs in Europe not releasing players is probably benefiting us in getting this gig.
Also our coach Klimkova's close connections with US women's football (former u-19 and u-20 national coach & assistant to the senior team) & being Czech, with her home country taking part, all must have helped us get the gig.
The likes of us and Iceland, even the Czech Republic, would not have been considered strong enough to be invited in previous years:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SheBelieves_Cup
"In its first three years (2016, 2017 and 2018), it was contested by the same four teams: the United States, England, France, and Germany. In 2019 the tournament line up changed for the first time to Brazil, England, Japan and the United States. The 2020 tournament included England, Japan, Spain and the United States. For 2021, the tournament included Argentina, Brazil, Canada and the United States." (Argentina are not a strong women's football country but would have been making up the numbers due to the Covid pandemic situation)
This tournament, since it started, has taken the best countries away from the other biggest women's friendly tournaments in the world, the decades-old Algarve Cup and Cyprus Cup which have been held at the same time.