NZF Statement on Player Contribution to age-group teams
September 26, 2013
AUCKLAND – New Zealand Football wishes to clarify the concept of player contributions to the cost of age group teams and outline the reasons behind this policy.
Since 2006 New Zealand has qualified to compete in 14 (fourteen) FIFA U-17 or U-20 World Cups, arguably more equivalent events than any other major team sport in this country.
This has benefits to both New Zealand Football and the players involved.
The exposure has undoubtedly helped New Zealand improve at senior level. This is borne out in improved results over the eight FIFA events at senior and/or Olympic level New Zealand has featured in since 2007.
It has also helped our players move into professional environments not just from the exposure at high profile events but also the technical improvement gained throughout the campaign. This includes coaching, playing ‘best-with-best’ on a regular basis, experiencing international competition and in some cases competing in domestic leagues as a national team selection.
Each of those age group campaigns has a budget in the region of $250,000 over the two year cycle to cover domestics camps, qualifying campaigns, additional international experience (when qualifying is held in New Zealand), training sessions and related staff and logistical costs.
Costs for competing at the respective World Cups including flights and accommodation are covered by FIFA but this is not included in the NZF budget outlined above. None of these events have prize money attached for qualifying.
The contribution of $2000 asked of squad members is put towards the cost of the entire two-year campaign not simply attendance at the respective World Cup.
New Zealand Football believes it is fair to seek a personal contribution to each two-year cycle of development to reflect the personal benefits players receive and that this is preferable than alternative options including reducing the level of activity for each campaign or placing the entire cost of the campaign on the wider football community.
However, in the case of the New Zealand team to compete at the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup in UAE, NZF acknowledges that the timing of the policy’s implementation mean this team and their families have not have had as much time as future age group teams will to plan for this expense. We have therefore reduced their contribution to $1000.