Football Ferns

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coochiee
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Oceanic6
Don't forget to vote for Hannah Wilkson's goal for Sporting Moment https://halberg.co.nz/halberg-awards/vote/

January 23, 2024 15:42
coochiee
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Ferns play their 1st game next Wednesday (7th Feb) against Tonga in Samoa.
Klimkova still making phone calls to see who's available? Tourney (7th-19th Feb) outside a FIFA Womens window.

Nix ALW side play Jets this Sunday 4th Feb & Western United 19th Feb. Both games in Aus. Going to be a busy sweaty time for a few of the squad, with lots of air miles.

https://www.oceaniafootball.com/ofc-womens-olympic-football-tournament-oceania-qualifier/
January 29, 2024 16:14
brookem
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February 01, 2024 11:30
coochiee
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Pretty full strength side. Surprised likes of Bowen and those playing in the UK are available being outside a FIFA window. 

Given the OFC nations are so weak, thought Klimkova may have taken the opportunity to bypass alot of the Euro players inseason, and look at some younger ALW girls like Elliott, Whinham etc. Hannah Blake a bit unlucky to miss out to Rennie?

Nix players - Edwards, Barry, Taylor, Foster, Longo & Fraser.  
Major absentees - Riley, Percival, Bott, Clegg, Moore, Steinmetz and Satchell.
Only 1 player at a US college & 1 at Unattached FC.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/350163627/football-ferns-co-captains-sit-out-olympic-qualifiers
The 24-strong squad features two uncapped players in Wellington Phoenix’s Brianna Edwards and Macey Fraser. Striker Hannah Wilkinson has returned from suspension.

February 01, 2024 12:27 · Edited February 01, 2024 12:47
coochiee
Legend
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almost 9 years
Average tourney score 8-1?
Paul Ifill's Samoa (hosts) will be the toughest pool game.

Then likely meeting either of Fiji & PNG in the semi & then final.

https://www.nzfootball.co.nz/newsarticle/136929?newsfeedId=1275608

With the competition happening while many domestic leagues are still running, two players have been selected just for the first game before being allowed to return to their clubs. *First game only
Liz Anton* (19 caps) Perth Glory FC
Ruby Nathan* (1 caps) Canberra United

Head coach Jitka Klimková said:
“Our priority for this competition is qualifying for Paris 2024 and taking the Ford Football Ferns to the Summer Olympics for the fifth time.

“The format of tournament football always presents unique challenges and opportunities. In this case, with games happening every three days in hot and humid conditions, we have to be efficient in our final preparation and diligent with our recovery.

“The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 highlighted the fact that the level and standard in women’s international football is accelerating and the gap is closing. The OFC teams are no exception to that. We will rely on the full depth of our roster to meet the challenges that the teams in the OFC will present to us.

“The qualifiers are also a good opportunity to have the team together for an extended international window which, especially at the start of this new cycle, is really important to build on our connection on and off the pitch and lay the foundation for our style of play and evolution as a team for 2024 and beyond.”

OFC Women’s Olympic Qualifier – Group B games  

Game 1:
7 February KO 1pm
Ford Football Ferns v Tonga
Football Federation Samoa Stadium, Apia, Samoa

Game 2:
10 February KO 5pm
Ford Football Ferns v Samoa
Football Federation Samoa Stadium, Apia, Samoa

Game 3:
13 February KO 4pm
Vanuatu v Ford Football Ferns
Football Federation Samoa Stadium, Apia, Samoa
February 01, 2024 12:57
Ranix
Starting XI
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Wonder if some of the UK based players will arrive later on. Leat for example has the chance to play League Cup game 7th Feb for Aston Villa. 
Agree that Blake is unlucky to miss out. 
Really hope there are no injuries to any Nix players this time round. 
February 01, 2024 13:03
lthomas20
First Team Squad
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about 3 years
Very surprised at how strong our squad is. But looking forward to actually see us score some goals for once 🙃
February 01, 2024 13:52
Football40s
Trialist
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about 6 years
Yes surprised with Rennie also,  tough competition for her to get back into starting lineup,  has dropped off the radar and now unattached - she’d be hoping for some minutes
Team looks solid,good to see some new faces whilst the regulars are still in UK.
coochiee
Pretty full strength side. Surprised likes of Bowen and those playing in the UK are available being outside a FIFA window. 

Given the OFC nations are so weak, thought Klimkova may have taken the opportunity to bypass alot of the Euro players inseason, and look at some younger ALW girls like Elliott, Whinham etc. Hannah Blake a bit unlucky to miss out to Rennie?

Nix players - Edwards, Barry, Taylor, Foster, Longo & Fraser.  
Major absentees - Riley, Percival, Bott, Clegg, Moore, Steinmetz and Satchell.
Only 1 player at a US college & 1 at Unattached FC.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/350163627/football-ferns-co-captains-sit-out-olympic-qualifiers
The 24-strong squad features two uncapped players in Wellington Phoenix’s Brianna Edwards and Macey Fraser. Striker Hannah Wilkinson has returned from suspension.

February 01, 2024 14:58
coochiee
Legend
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lthomas20
Very surprised at how strong our squad is. But looking forward to actually see us score some goals for once 🙃

Careful what you wish for. Cue the first bit of comical goal keeping or defending against the Ferns. 

The last full Womens OFC qualifying tourney involving the Ferns was the Nov-Dec 2018, in Tahiti. Qualifiers for the 2019 WWC (France). From memory not long after the messy Heraf saga, and Sermanni came in.

Ferns GF 43 GA 0, from 5 games!   
So an average 8.6 to nil scoreline.  8-0 over Fiji in the final.

Hopefully the Island teams have narrowed the gap a bit. Samoa & PNG seem the big improvers the last few years.
https://www.oceaniafootball.com/womens-olympic-football-tournament-preview-vanuatu/
February 01, 2024 15:56 · Edited February 01, 2024 17:04
Marto
Starting XI
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almost 17 years
coochiee
lthomas20
Very surprised at how strong our squad is. But looking forward to actually see us score some goals for once 🙃

Careful what you wish for. Cue the first bit of comical goal keeping or defending against the Ferns. 

The last full Womens OFC qualifying tourney involving the Ferns was the Nov-Dec 2018, in Tahiti. Qualifiers for the 2019 WWC (France). From memory not long after the messy Heraf saga, and Sermanni came in.

Ferns GF 43 GA 0, from 5 games!   
So an average 8.6 to nil scoreline.  8-0 over Fiji in the final.

Hopefully the Island teams have narrowed the gap a bit. Samoa & PNG seem the big improvers the last few years.
https://www.oceaniafootball.com/womens-olympic-football-tournament-preview-vanuatu/

The worst thing about that is Wilkinson has played against the islands a few times but still has relatively low numbers of goals to her name:

9 Goals in 6 games. (4 in one match against Vanuatu to start off her Ferns goal scoring career). Shes not scored in every Pacific Island game she's played in.

Whereas 

Amber Hearn: 25 goals from 11 games.  
Every PI game she played, she scored and its interesting to note that since her retirement, the Ferns have struggled in front of goal.

Hearn and Archie Thompson have easily the best scoring records for kiwis in the Pacific.
February 02, 2024 06:34 · Edited February 02, 2024 06:58
theprof
Legend
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over 16 years
Amber Hearn was deadly in front of goal, such a talent. We've not been the same since she retired.
February 02, 2024 07:44
Showtime Nixie
WeeNix
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Amber in beast mode. 

Kirsty Yallop and Hayley Moorwood through the middle.

Abby at the back!

Those were the days!! They'd beat this lot by 5 or 6 every day of the week twice on sundays.
February 02, 2024 18:55
coochiee
Legend
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almost 9 years
February 03, 2024 03:18
lthomas20
First Team Squad
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about 3 years
Showtime Nixie
Amber in beast mode. 

Kirsty Yallop and Hayley Moorwood through the middle.

Abby at the back!

Those were the days!! They'd beat this lot by 5 or 6 every day of the week twice on sundays.
Since you always harp on about results, what did that team accomplish?
February 03, 2024 14:10
coochiee
Legend
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almost 9 years
February 04, 2024 21:57
Ranix
Starting XI
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Forecast for periods of rain all week. It'll be a mud bath before too long. Really concerned about injury potential to players.
Hopefully the weather is not as bad as the forecast.
February 04, 2024 22:15
Unused sub
Phoenix Academy
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almost 11 years
We have 24 players including 3 keepers, surely now is the time to play 3 different teams and give players a chance to play 90 minutes to see what they are capable of. We must have the consistency to do that. None of the island teams would be A league level so if we can’t beat them with ANY of the players we have in the squad then we are in trouble. 
February 04, 2024 23:20
Showtime Nixie
WeeNix
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lthomas20
Showtime Nixie
Amber in beast mode. 

Kirsty Yallop and Hayley Moorwood through the middle.

Abby at the back!

Those were the days!! They'd beat this lot by 5 or 6 every day of the week twice on sundays.
Since you always harp on about results, what did that team accomplish?

for a start...highest ever FIFA world ranking (16) and to the quarterfinals of the London Olympics. To add twice they beat Brazil in mini tournaments...two clean sheets might i add.. both 1-0 and both goals scored by Amber, in 2013 and 2015.

But if you want to go back even further when they all started playing together around 2008 they claimed the notable scalps of Argentina, Netherlands, Italy, Scotland, Wales and Colombia, while notching draws against Japan, Canada and England and Mexico.

do your homework. Don't expect to hear from you again. clown.

February 04, 2024 23:23
coochiee
Legend
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almost 9 years
There were only 12 teams at the London Olympics Womens Football. In their pool the Ferns had 1 win over Cameroon, and 2 losses (Great Britain & Brazil), so not actually a big deal to make the quarters.

The current team wouldn't be thrashed by that side. It's just that the Ferns have sat still, whilst a host of other nations have got better, overtaking them. Many serious football nations are only now pouring money into women's football. Sure NZF can do better, and ALW teams at the Nix and Auckland will help - but a slide down the rankings is going to very tough to avoid. "We are 2 poxy islands in the Pacific", to quote that Aussie Welsh rugby coach a few years back.

The Ferns of say the 2012 Olympics, played pretty dire route one football. Though yeah Hearn was world class in her time. Ali Riley's Yank/Kiwi predecessor Rebecca Smith a classy defender. Tyler Bindon's mum Jenny in goal.
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2012/08/03/world/olympics-women/united-states/new-zealand/1281792/
February 05, 2024 01:40
Showtime Nixie
WeeNix
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you've done well to get wifi up in mars mate.
February 05, 2024 12:17
lthomas20
First Team Squad
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about 3 years
Showtime Nixie
lthomas20
Showtime Nixie
Amber in beast mode. 

Kirsty Yallop and Hayley Moorwood through the middle.

Abby at the back!

Those were the days!! They'd beat this lot by 5 or 6 every day of the week twice on sundays.
Since you always harp on about results, what did that team accomplish?

for a start...highest ever FIFA world ranking (16) and to the quarterfinals of the London Olympics. To add twice they beat Brazil in mini tournaments...two clean sheets might i add.. both 1-0 and both goals scored by Amber, in 2013 and 2015.

But if you want to go back even further when they all started playing together around 2008 they claimed the notable scalps of Argentina, Netherlands, Italy, Scotland, Wales and Colombia, while notching draws against Japan, Canada and England and Mexico.

do your homework. Don't expect to hear from you again. clown.

Notable scalps? Those teams are notable scalps now?! Interesting revisionist history... Italy were decent I'll give that and the Dutch were getting there, but the rest of those teams... are you having a laugh? 

The Ferns teams of that era were better throughout friendlies and those forgettable mini-tournaments for sure, but they still blew it at major tournaments. That's why we had the longest streak of WWC matches without a win... until the current crop broke that against Norway. Admittedly the current crop then completely bottled it in the next game, but this acting like the previous team was superior in every way is just revisionist history. If anything - we missed the boat when it was easier to do well in women's football. 
February 05, 2024 13:01
Showtime Nixie
WeeNix
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straight facts. shhh. 

if you think this current lot would compete against the past era you're in la la land. 
February 05, 2024 13:24
Marto
Starting XI
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almost 17 years
Hard to call really but a number of current Ferns that many of us would like to say "hare ra" to, played in both eras.

If the Norway game had been in Australia, I think Norway would have won it and lets not forget that Norway team were crap too.
February 06, 2024 06:45 · Edited February 06, 2024 06:46
theprof
Legend
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over 16 years
3-0 is still a win, no point in going full force against a clearly weaker opponent in the first game in that heat and those conditions. There are plenty of games back to back and looking after players fitness and condition is key. Win all your games by 3 has the same effect as winning them all by 10.
February 08, 2024 08:44
coochiee
Legend
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almost 9 years
Good work NZF. ChCh football folk will be happy.
Reckon Nix ALW side should take a game there.

February 08, 2024 19:32
coochiee
Legend
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almost 9 years
Nice to see. 

February 10, 2024 16:25
coochiee
Legend
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almost 9 years
February 14, 2024 13:08
loyalgunner
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Good to see the Football Ferns coming back to Christchurch. I’m guessing these 2 games plus the 2 vs South Korea pre-WC were a “sorry your council sucks and you missed out” olive branch. From memory one of the Korea games drew 6,000 fans. You’d expect there to be much more hype given the World Cup buzz.
February 18, 2024 14:15
coochiee
Legend
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almost 9 years
February 19, 2024 16:40
coochiee
Legend
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almost 9 years
The softest qualifying standard/path for any Paris bound NZ Olympian?

https://theniche-cache.com/football/2024/2/22/the-football-ferns-have-qualified-for-the-paris-olympics-no-dramas

The Ferns scored 32 times in five games during this tour. They played exactly 50 games in between this series and the 2018 Nations Cup (aka the last time they took on the Oceania comrades) and in those games scored a mere 24 times.

Now for a major criticism: this team is not good at (attacking) headers. This team is actually quite bad at headers. Wilkinson scored a lovely one in the final but other than that they weren’t dominating in the air, to the point where even with such set piece maestras as Mickey Foster, Macey Fraser, and Ally Green involved they eventually started taking all their corner kicks short. One of Jale’s goals actually went in off her shoulder. Someone in this side is going to have to learn how to boss those things the way that Abby Erceg used to do (who still scores a couple headers from corners every year in the NWSL). Kate Taylor seems like the best bet.

Mackenzie Barry, Michaela Foster, Betsy Hassett, Katie Bowen, and Indi Riley are the five players who featured in all five games. Nobody started more than four. Everybody started at least once. Everybody played at least twice except for Liz Anton who was only there for one game, and Bri Edwards who was third-choice goalie.

Speaking of keepers, Vic Esson and Anna Leat each played two games but Esson getting the nod in the final suggests that she might have nudged back ahead in the goalkeeping rankings. That’s for future tours to determine... either way we’ve got two strong goalies driving each other to new heights through competition. An ideal scenario.

Probably not a great sign for either Ava Collins or Gabi Rennie that Ruby Nathan ended up getting more minutes than them. Collins had no goals or assists. Rennie did get a couple of nice assists in the Fiji game to make up for only getting 40 minutes in the group stage. Nathan scored her lone goal in the final. But there was a notable drop in potency when those three played compared to when the top choice forwards were out there. No surprises, considering that these three have only half a season of professional club experience between them (all belonging to Nathan).

Notably, Kate Taylor played almost exclusively as a midfielder. The lack of a hard-tackler like Steinmetz or Percival in this squad meant she got to continue on with what she’s been doing for the Wellington Phoenix and, while her passing could be erratic at times, her ball-winning was superb. She outplayed midfield specialist Daisy Cleverley to start in both the semi and the final.  

The other Phoenix player with a sneaky positional note is Mackenzie Barry, who operated as a right back throughout. Did alright there too, lacking the creative directness of Grace Neville but with a boost on the defensive end. CJ Bott is in some outstanding form for Leicester City so surely she strolls back into the Ferns when they next play, hence there may only be space for one of Barry or Neville in a full-strength side. Likewise, Ally Green began the tour as a left winger and scored a couple of goals off the back of her sturdy dribbling. She then ended up starting the final at LB ahead of Michaela Foster. Already mentioned some key performers earlier but in terms of those who raised their profile the most... Ally Green is right up there with Macey Fraser and Kate Taylor.

Also Katie Kitching, who suddenly feels like the eventual successor to Betsy Hassett’s role in this squad. Really slick close-control dribbling and an eye for goal. Her name literally appeared out of nowhere in the Ferns picture but over in Samoa she was belting out the national anthem with full gusto (in Te Reo no less, because nobody sings the English version any more). Kia ora, Katie. Haere mai and ka pai.

Usually Rebekah Stott plays RCB and Katie Bowen LCB but they swapped sides for the final. Another sneaky one. Can’t say for sure that’s always been the case but it will be something to track moving forwards. Also, Stotty was the main captain during this tour, with Claudia Bunge wearing the armband in the Vanuatu match that Stott didn’t play. Can’t remember who did what when the subs rolled but yeah if Ali Riley doesn’t play beyond the Olympics then Stott and Bowen are the standout candidates.

One last thing to consider is that the Olympics tend to have smaller squads (18 players plus four travelling reserves). Given the number of players who missed this tour, and a few of those who’ve boosted their cases for inclusion in Apia, as well as what can happen in club footy between now and then (with the Ferns also playing a two-game series against Thailand in Christchurch in April)... there are some tricky decisions that’ll need to be made between now and then. That’s what competition for places leads to. We’re finally in that place.
February 22, 2024 18:45
coochiee
Legend
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almost 9 years
Gooooooooooooooooooal.
Just another signal the depth in international women's football is increasing all the time, and the Ferns face a battle not falling down the rankings. Mexico weren't at last years WWC.

Mexico beat the United States for the second time ever, getting goals from Lizbeth Ovalle and Mayra Pelayo for a 2-0 victory Monday night in the Concacaf Women's Gold Cup. The US entered the game 40-1-1 against their rivals, with their only previous loss a 2-1 decision during Women's World Cup qualifying in 2010.

February 29, 2024 12:49
Procrastinixing
Starting XI
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almost 15 years
What a result for Mexico.  
February 29, 2024 22:17
loyalgunner
Marquee
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about 17 years
Just bought my tickets for the Football Ferns game on Saturday 6th April. Pax at 914. If we get good l weather I’d expect a big walk up crowd.
February 29, 2024 22:30
Marto
Starting XI
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4.8K
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almost 17 years
coochiee
Gooooooooooooooooooal.
Just another signal the depth in international women's football is increasing all the time, and the Ferns face a battle not falling down the rankings. Mexico weren't at last years WWC.

Mexico beat the United States for the second time ever, getting goals from Lizbeth Ovalle and Mayra Pelayo for a 2-0 victory Monday night in the Concacaf Women's Gold Cup. The US entered the game 40-1-1 against their rivals, with their only previous loss a 2-1 decision during Women's World Cup qualifying in 2010.


Sounds like an air raid siren!
March 01, 2024 03:31
coochiee
Legend
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almost 9 years
March 01, 2024 16:10
lthomas20
First Team Squad
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about 3 years
Colombia knocked out in the quarterfinals of the Gold Cup, 3-0 against the USA.

Considering they only beat Panama (55) and Puerto Rico (103), fingers crossed that won't be enough for them to catch us after our rise winning the OFC tournament.
March 04, 2024 16:44
coochiee
Legend
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almost 9 years
lthomas20
Colombia knocked out in the quarterfinals of the Gold Cup, 3-0 against the USA.

Considering they only beat Panama (55) and Puerto Rico (103), fingers crossed that won't be enough for them to catch us after our rise winning the OFC tournament.

When is the Womens Football Oympics draw made?

March 04, 2024 17:20 · Edited March 04, 2024 17:20
RR
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Bossi Insider
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almost 16 years

Hopefully NZF uses this as a chance to pick up some high quality friendlies vs AFC teams as they warm up for this.
March 15, 2024 21:15
andrewvoerman
Getting paid to be here
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lthomas20
Colombia knocked out in the quarterfinals of the Gold Cup, 3-0 against the USA.

Considering they only beat Panama (55) and Puerto Rico (103), fingers crossed that won't be enough for them to catch us after our rise winning the OFC tournament.

I've had a shocker here. Having gone into the OFC qualifying final thinking Colombia were well ahead of NZ, I somehow that afternoon found myself referring to the rankings as they stood in mid-2022, and have only just realised that with the release of the latest rankings update today.

Three of France, Spain, Germany, US, Canada, Brazil, Colombia, Australia and Japan it is then. Gulp.
March 15, 2024 22:27 · Edited March 15, 2024 22:28
Ranix
Starting XI
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over 5 years
Jeez.........
March 15, 2024 22:40
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