bigfudge wrote:
I've been seeing a lot of people in the Central Football comment section having a go at Napier City Rovers for this fall off from Taradale. I am not a Rovers fan in the absolute slightest, but these comments seem petty and short-sighted. After talking to a mate that plays for Rovers and moved from another HB club, it feels harsh to blame Rovers for this downfall.
If you're a women's player, would you rather be playing at Bluewater Stadium for home games, having access to gyms and Sport HB facilities, hugely experienced coaches, or play for a club that has been neglecting their Women's team more and more each year? Taradale used to be the force in HB, but their drop off has been quick and in turn, has given Rovers the opportunity to become the dominant force in HB women's football.
The same goes for Port Hill, who have also been vocal in the comments. For clubs at this level, a big thing for players at this level is "what is your pitch", or basically, why should I play for this team over this team? I've heard people accusing Rovers of paying women's players and signing them up for multi-year contracts, which is just ridiculous. Clubs should be thinking about what they're offering players at their club that Rovers aren't? It feels like people are a little bit butt-hurt that Rovers are finally stepping up their women's programme, and offering players in the region a level of setup that other club's can't.
I’ll preface my comment in saying that I am not a huge fan of NCR, more for historical issues and some of their decisions around junior football. So my views might be a bit one sided. My knowledge of the situation is from rumours, so I’m happy to be corrected by someone with actual facts.
I think a bit of the saltiness wasn’t so much that players are attracted to Rovers. More that (allegedly) 5 players transferred from Taradale to Rovers less than a week before the season started. If true, that’s pretty unethical from the Rovers leadership. Considering they are all about developing talent in Hawke’s Bay. I don’t see how encouraging 5 core players leaving the top women’s team in the region helps them. NCR are going to cruise the fed league and I assume they will be in the W-league next season.
In saying that, Taradale should certainly take a look in the mirror and ask why these players left. I didn’t realise they were neglectful of their women’s programme, from the outside it appeared they had set up a decent women’s pathway.
Regardless of whatever has happened, NCR doesn’t tend to have that many admirers around Hawke’s Bay football and I often hear comments in after match speeches that are quite pointedly against them. (I recall a reserve league men’s team after match speech Rangers v Havelock saying congrats to havelock for being the ‘true’ league champions for coming second, this was after that rovers team won without losing a game and scoring over 100 goals for the second or third season in a row).
The women’s fed team would already compete in the W league and I imagine with the right investment they could challenge for the title. Which surely can only be good for women in Hawke’s Bay.
I suppose the question is, If you are successful, does it actually matter what other people/clubs think?
I think a bit of the saltiness wasn’t so much that players are attracted to Rovers. More that (allegedly) 5 players transferred from Taradale to Rovers less than a week before the season started. If true, that’s pretty unethical from the Rovers leadership. Considering they are all about developing talent in Hawke’s Bay. I don’t see how encouraging 5 core players leaving the top women’s team in the region helps them. NCR are going to cruise the fed league and I assume they will be in the W-league next season.
In saying that, Taradale should certainly take a look in the mirror and ask why these players left. I didn’t realise they were neglectful of their women’s programme, from the outside it appeared they had set up a decent women’s pathway.
Regardless of whatever has happened, NCR doesn’t tend to have that many admirers around Hawke’s Bay football and I often hear comments in after match speeches that are quite pointedly against them. (I recall a reserve league men’s team after match speech Rangers v Havelock saying congrats to havelock for being the ‘true’ league champions for coming second, this was after that rovers team won without losing a game and scoring over 100 goals for the second or third season in a row).
The women’s fed team would already compete in the W league and I imagine with the right investment they could challenge for the title. Which surely can only be good for women in Hawke’s Bay.
I suppose the question is, If you are successful, does it actually matter what other people/clubs think?