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2007 World University Games
Top Eight Finish The Target For NZU
by Jeremy Ruane
The New Zealand Universities squad takes part in the World University Games in Bangkok in August, and coach Macky Singh is quietly confident they will improve upon their ninth placing at the previous competition, in Turkey.
This is despite disruptions to their schedule in Auckland at the start of July, when inclement weather put paid to two of the four fixtures which the NZU squad were meant to play during their week-long training camp at Kings College.
While they got through training sessions aplenty, they only got to play on the North Harbour Stadium Tigerturf during their stay, recording a 3-0 win over the extended NZ U-17 squad on the all-weather surface before going down 2-0 to the Auckland-based members of the senior national squad.
NZU's performance in the latter match in particular greatly buoyed Singh, as did their entire stay in the Queen City. “We were impressive tonight”, he said immediately after the game. “It was a good test, and gave the players an opportunity to gauge themselves and see where they're at.
“The whole team stuck to the game plan. When we were out of possession, we were feeding on scraps, but we expected that. It'll be a whole different scenario in Bangkok, though.
“This performance has definitely changed my thinking. Before the camp, I was contemplating a finish in the ninth to twelfth place range, as there are sixteen teams in the Games this time, compared to twelve in 2005. But after this, top eight and even top six is possible”.
In the New Zealand encounter, among those to catch Singh's eye were Ashlee Delahunty - “up and down all day, really positive”, and Nicole Stratford, who became an emergency defender after an early injury suffered by Alex Hepburn.
“Considering she's never played there before, Nicole was very impressive in defence, and picked it up really quickly”, said Singh, who described the camp as “excellent.
“What we were trying to achieve and work on was discipline and fitness. While we didn't have the full compliment of games, our objectives were realised, and what we've done in five days came through against the national squad. Very pleasing”.
The Universities squad had a four-day preparation camp in Singapore at the end of July, during which they played Singapore's national women's team. And in Bangkok, a friendly against Canada Universities marks the first of seven games in thirteen days for the Jen Kendall-captained Kiwi women.
The last of these will mark the end of Singh's ten-year involvement in the New Zealand Universities programme. “I'll be sad to leave it, but I'm looking forward to the change and the challenge with which my new role will provide me.
“I'm switching to Canada, where I'll be the Technical Director of Soccer New Brunswick. I'll be doing the same job as our Directors of Football in NZ, but with a bigger population to look after. I can't complain - it's a hotbed of soccer”.
Singh is hopeful that NZ Football will embrace the Universities programme following his departure. “My biggest fear is that they won't pick up a programme which offers a variety of pathways to international football.
“There's a perception, borne from the long ago days of National Tournaments, that we're a big boozing culture. That hasn't been the case for a few years now, and when players come into the environment, they realise this, and discover that the NZU programme is another avenue to international football, and a springboard for them.
“As Oceania's representatives, we automatically qualify for the World University Games every two years. As well, we give players exposure - seeing Emma Humphries, Emily McColl, Rebecca O'Neill and Rebecca Tegg in contention for the NZ Women's World Cup squad emphasises this.
“All in all, we're not that far away from the level which the New Zealand-based players in the national team are at”, something Singh hopes will be borne out by a top-eight finish in Bangkok this month.
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Photos courtesy Helen Quirke, NZU
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Harsh Reality Check For NZ Universities
by Jeremy Ruane
The New Zealand Universities women's squad endured the harshest possible reality check at August's World University Games in Bangkok, finishing the competition with the wooden spoon following a nightmare fortnight in the heat and humidity of Thailand's capital.
Last spot was also New Zealand's lot at the 2003 competition in Daegu, South Korea, where the Kiwis, attending their maiden World University Games women's tournament, suffered convincing defeats at the hands of Mexico, eventual runners-up Japan, Germany and Russia.
A ninth placing at the 2005 Games in Izmir, Turkey, saw wins recorded over Taiwan, South Africa, Turkey and a draw with the Czech Republic, and was part of the reasoning behind outgoing coach Macky Singh boldly predicting a top-eight finish was possible for the Kiwi contenders this time round.
Sadly, the 2007 adventure was New Zealand's worst showing yet at this bi-annual competition, which featured sixteen teams for the first time. The squad returned home having conceded twenty-eight goals and failed to record even a draw in their six matches, fitness issues a contributing factor to this sorry situation.
Yet it could easily have been a completely different story for the NZU girls, had they not lost their way soon after half-time in the bulk of the matches they played.
After warm-up defeats by the Singapore national team (4-3) and Canada (5-0), the Kiwis were downed 4-1 by Taiwan in their first encounter, Georgia Goulding the goalscorer.
Two days later, they found themselves leading Brazil 2-1 after 34 minutes of their clash with the reigning Games champions, having come from behind to do so thanks to goals from Emma Boyack and Nancy Campbell.
Sadly, they couldn't hold on to their advantage beyond half-time, eventually succumbing 5-2. But while that was a case of what might have been, what happened in their final group game was a devastating blow to NZU's confidence, pride and collective spirit.
Russia 10, New Zealand 0. NZU's heaviest-ever defeat, and a result which will do little to encourage NZ Football to embrace the Universities programme, despite its merits, which include spawning four full internationals - Emma Humphries, Emily McColl, Rebecca O'Neill and Rebecca Tegg - in the last three years.
That condemned the Kiwis to last place in their group, and positional play-offs for ninth place down. That soon became a bottom four finish, a Leanne Tiffen goal unable to stave off a 2-1 defeat by Canada.
A 5-0 mauling at the hands of Germany - all the goals came in the first half - meant New Zealand had to beat host nation Thailand in their final game to avoid the wooden spoon. But a 2-1 defeat was the outcome, the Thais coming from behind after Jaime Hackett had scored on the stroke of half-time.
That two of NZU's group opponents finished in the top three indicates the size of the challenge they faced, particularly with an injury-hit, under-strength squad. Even so, last placing is not a good look, particularly with the Universities programme now requiring a new coach following Singh's departure to Soccer New Brunswick.
The tournament was won by North Korea, who defeated Russia 1-0 in the final. Brazil defeated Eire 2-1 to claim third place.
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