New Zealand Women's U-20s

Why, because a junior age group side lost to a better team, and then when they went 2-0 down they let (seemingly) their emotions get in the way and blew out in the last 20.  I think that is pretty natural to be honest.  Nothing worth holding an enquiry over.

I will agree it is dissapointing that we left our worst performance for last and we barely showed up.

Not sharp enough up front tonight unfortunately.

Unfortunately Nayler undid most of her good work from the Japan game.  Partly blameable for 3 of the goals tonight.

Disappointing we played so poorly, though credit is due to Mexico who were much sharper in all areas. Just shows that maintaining a lot of possession as NZ did means nothing if you don't threaten the opposition net.

Thought Rosie White was very poor in all areas, passing and shots on goal, and should have been pulled at about the 60th minute - worth trying someone else if your "star" striker is doing so bad. I'm concerned she hasn't recovered successfully from her broken ankle earlier in the year which ruled her out of the qualifiers. Seems to lack the pace she used to have. Lack of fitness/ sharpness restricted her appearances in the Olympics.

We were probably a bit unrealistic in our expectations entering this one - Mexico have the better recent pedigree in u-20 women's football, making the quarter-finals last time in 2010, whereas we'd only won one game in three previous u-20 World Cups (scoring 12 and conceding 21  in nine games).Their senior women's team is not far behind the US and Canada now -or you could argue, ahead of the USA since the US were only third behind Mexico in the last CONCACAF Women's Championship in 2010 when Mexico finished runners-up to Canada , beating the US 2-1 in the semi-final (the tournament also served as qualifiers for the Women's World Cup in Germany - Mexico went through directly with Canada, whilst the US scraped through after a play-off against Italy).

I was worried when the commentator said early on that Mexico have 14 in their squad playing in the USA, meaning they are playing at a much better level than most of our girls - of our starters only two play overseas, in US college football. It's probably like their senior national team where most of the players are Mexican Americans.

We are seriously handicapped at this level because our domestic women's football is so weak - means our players have ability but it's not yet developed. And means they can't maintain a consistant high standard at this u-20 World Cup level...Guess you have to walk before you can run and we don't realistically deserve to make the last eight at women's world cups yet.

Mexico is a huge country with 22 women's professional teams in their national league.

gutted to see the result this morning...but not more gutted than all the u20 squad are obviously feeling. We shouldnt be too hard on them.

A win and a draw at this level 6 or 7 years ago would have been a great result. We are competitive at higher levels now and as fans our expectations are growing...its all good.

Double post*

From the stands it looked like we did well in first half, but got a goal down early and then ha to chase the game.

I think white was average.  But chance looked great in first half before injuring her shoulder.  Was more quiet in the second half.

I was amazed at how many parents made the trip and had the pleasure of sitting with them.

My gf fussed the hell out of nyler at one stage. Lucky wa i Japanese as we were sitting with her family, which were great people

no one was more dissApointed with their performance than the girls themselvesb

but they were still nice enough to get my shirt signed by the whole team.

I was dissApointed to hear that they had nt seen any kiwi fans at all in the rest of japan

And the good ol USA are the winners!

McFarland reapointed coach

That rules him out of ever joining the nix as a coach in the future then...

 WHy you say that?

It was actually a joke. I do however love the irony of you calling me a stirring git, great work. 

I got the joke. It's another in-joke though, bad tegal!

Went to see NZ v Aus women's U-20 at Kiwitea today. 4-0 thrashing. The Matildas were up 2-0 within ten minutes. Their captain, Emma Cheka I believe her name was, was freakin' unstoppable. The Junior Ferns put some good moves together in the second half, but no finishing, took far too long to get rid of the ball and were dispossessed easily by swarming Aussie counterattacks. I am amazed to learn that the Ferns won the first match 2-1; they clearly hadn't had their weetbix today.

Weetabix for brekkie Monday b4 the decider at the Springs on Tigerturf. Could be raining goals.

Here's my post from yesterday's Junior Ferns game at Kiwitea for anyone interested. Got a few good photos. Pity about the result...

http://in-the-back-of-the.net/2013/07/28/aussie-aussie-aussie/

Shame about the day job Enzo. You missed a cracking game at Seddon (Elysian) Fields. Real ebb and flow about the match, and the surface just brilliant for showing off close control, making triangles etc. The Fernz really went for the win at the death, and the Oz girls were unlucky not to score a few early on. The draw does justice to both teams and a big crowd went home - or to the airport - pretty happy I'd say.

Well, except for the Kiwi girl who was stretchered off with 10 mins to go. Hope she's OK.

Crazy how many of these girls were in the U17s last year.

Girls are being told by NZ Football to choose between taking up a scholarship in the U.S and playing age group football. NZFootball you joke. - inside word from u20 camp

What about Bowen? Wasn't she captain?

If thats true it is a complete joke, are NZF going to pay for their uni education if they stay in NZ? not likely!

That's too easy. Scholarship.

Berger and ward? How come Bowen gets in then?

Well Ward is definitely off for a scholarship according to the club's website. Not sure if the two are related but seems strange she played every WC U17 match and isn't selected for the U20. Kinda makes sense.

Is this from the new Eastern European/Aussie with the good coaching credentials?

Is there someone heading up womens football at NZF these days or is this high performance Fred? 

We've made so many gains in last few years. Now we are saying we are going to go to higher levels with club footballers in NZ instead of players good enough to compete in full time football/study programme in one of the top women's football environments in the world? 

Is it April the first today?

A couple of points;

1. I think players are being told to choose their scholarship carefully! A lot of colleges have very average 'soccer' program's, with outdated training ideas and poor playing levels. Bowen as an example is at probably the best soccer program in the US with Anson Dorrance a former US national team coach as her coach. Some others are choosing very poor program's.

2. Through the prime ministers scholarships many of the Ferns do get their study paid for here in NZ.

For those interested, the OFC U20 Women's Championship, featuring the Junior Ferns, is taking place at Mangere's Centre Park on Feb 18, 20 & 22. Kick-off times 1pm and 4pm. Tournament winners qualify for Canada 2014.


Cheers,

JR

Back in 2004, Big Pete, there were only three Oceania countries who were in contention to qualify for both the Women's Olympic Football Tournament and the U-19 Women's World Cup Finals that year.

Unfortunately, one of them wasn't NZ. These were the days of Bill MacGowan's tenure as CEO, when the girls weren't entered for either tournament (something which still makes my blood boil a decade later!) The U-17 boys also suffered the same fate for their 2005 qualifying tournament.

Dark days, those.


Cheers,

JR

Hi all,

Full update on what's upcoming on the women's front can be found here:
http://www.ultimatenzsoccer.com/Scoreboard/in_the_spotlight.htm

Cheers,

JR

Hi all,

Herewith a wrap-up on the Junior Ferns' efforts against Vanuatu today - no "spin" attached! :-)

http://www.ultimatenzsoccer.com/Scoreboard/latest_junior_ferns_match_re.htm


Cheers,

JR

Interesting. A mistake-ridden 12-0 - I can only imagine how bad the oppo were. I think quite a few players (most) seem to unravel when they put on the national shirt. I thought that might be the weight of expectation - but surely nerves weren't a factor against these dirt trackers. Perhaps it was casualness (or maybe you are being overly harsh JR!). 

Media frenzy at this one! I was there too, my write-up is Vanuatu to JR's New Zealand, but I did get a few photos to mark the occasion! :-)

http://in-the-back-of-the.net/2014/02/18/where-the-bloody-hell-are-ya/

Just telling it like it is, Mike.

Sadly, too few are prepared to do that these days, preferring instead the platitudes of political correctness, aka applauding mediocrity, to the harsh reality of being honest with people.

I presume the games are being streamed live by OFC TV on matchdays - I know they're doing live TV commentary to the Pacific Islands - but there's a few highlights of the Matchday One action on here:  http://www.youtube.com/user/OFCfootball 


Cheers,

JR

PS  The average age of the Vanuatu squad at this U20 competition, by the way, is fifteen years, eight months! A team with an average age around four years more than that, never mind the advantages they enjoy in footballing experiences, physicality, etc., should be dipping their bread by far more than twelve goals in such circumstances. This was the equivalent of graduates from the University of Football against schoolkids - and far too many graduates let themselves down!