They came from around the city, around the country and around the globe for this week-long gathering, and by the end of their training camp in early January, thirty of the leading lights in New Zealand women's soccer had long since shed any excesses they may have enjoyed over the festive season.
Right from day one, and the inevitable yet dreaded fitness tests - impressive returns were achieved by many, despite it being out of season for the majority - national coach Allan Jones, assistant coach Rowena Fulham, manager Craig Alexander and goalkeeping coach Chris Milicich had themselves an attentive audience, each player eager to make a favourable impression in what, for some, will be the biggest year of their careers to date.
For many of the players, particularly those based overseas, this was their first opportunity to catch the eye of former All Whites mentor Jones, but they weren't alone in being a little hesitant at first, this being the first time since overseeing Auckland's 1990 National Tournament triumph that he has had the opportunity to coach some of the country's foremost elite female footballers.
By the end of the week, however, Jones was well pleased with what had been achieved over the course of the camp. “I'm delighted with what they've produced in the week. The attitude of the players and their work ethic was terrific.
“And although they were very tired on the final day, they played some very attractive football in that last session - the quality of the passing, the movement on and off the ball and the finishing when Wendi Henderson scored in that game was top class”.
Having spent a day with the squad during the course of their camp, this writer can verify Jones' assessment of the spirit in same being good, and the atmosphere tremendous.
“They bonded extremely well”, enthuses the coach, “and worked very hard for each other in the games during the afternoon sessions. That will carry over into the national squad.
“Best of all, however, is the fact you can trust them to perform - that's a massive plus for a coach”.
And a ringing endorsement of a group of players who, all too often over the last decade, have been afforded nowhere near as many opportunities to represent their country as their individual and collective abilities both merit and demand.
New Zealand has played just seventeen “A” internationals between the 1998 Oceania Women's World Cup qualifying series in Auckland and the end of 2006. It's a statistic which horrifies Jones. “Whilst the senior players who are involved are very enthusiastic, for one reason or another we've lost out on a lot of senior players over this period of time”.
A classic case in point is former New Zealand central defender Melissa Ruscoe, who, largely due to the national body's inactivity when it came to the
|
women's game, has crossed to the dark side in recent years and is now a highly prominent performer on the flanks for the Black Ferns, to the extent that she was the NZ Women's Rugby Player of the Year in 2005.
“The game has to work hard to keep the elite players in the game for longer, just as the men do”, states the former Auckland City mentor. “What applies for men should also apply for women - we shouldn't distinguish between the two. They are players”.
Areas where improvements can be made are crystal clear in Jones' mind. “We are not playing anywhere near the volume of football necessary at domestic level - the number of games being played should be at least double, if not triple, the current figures.
“Also, we've got to lift the quality and standards of coaching in the women's game, and encourage more women - the Jill Gilmores, Lesley Letchers and Rowena Fulhams of this world - to get involved.
“Another thing I've found as I've been going round the federations and coaching their National Women's League squads is that there is a real vibrancy out there - a re-emergence of interest in the senior side of the game, both from players and administrators.
“At present, we've a whole swag of very talented kids aged between thirteen and eighteen coming through - the future's very healthy. But it's no good bringing them throughout without a continuous programme of matches in place”.
Thinking with the bi-annual Women's World Cups at U-17 and U-20 levels in mind, as well as the senior Women's World Cup Finals and the Olympics, Jones is adamant that exactly the same exposure as the All Whites enjoy should be afforded the game's elite females.
“2007 and 2008 will be two years of high activity for the girls, with the Women's World Cup and Olympic Games top of the agenda. But we mustn't let that level of activity drop in 2009 and 2010, because we've got the 2011 Women's World Cup to prepare for, and the 2012 Olympic Games in London”.
It is shaping to be a case of `from famine to feast' for New Zealand's top women's players, as after playing an average of two internationals a year since the end of 1998, they could end up playing a staggering eighteen games in total in 2007, starting with two fixtures against Australia.
A four-day camp in March will precede their attempts to claim Oceania's berth at the 2007 Women's World Cup Finals in the first week of April, during which Samoa, Tonga and host nation Papua New Guinea stand in New Zealand's way.
The plans currently penciled in following this event will quickly come to fruition upon qualification being confirmed, but definite dates are in place for fixtures against the USA in August and China, this match taking place just five days before the Women's World Cup Finals commence in September.
|
