Twin Towers

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Twin Towers

"Twin Towers" As One For NZ Women's Cause

by Jeremy Ruane

New Zealand footballers who have played the game professionally are few and far between. Fewer still have gained financial recompense from regularly playing women's soccer on foreign soil.

Maureen Jacobson (in Finland and England), Michele Cox (Germany), Donna Baker (Denmark), Simone Ferrara (China) and Amber Hearn (England) are five of just seven players to have been paid to play the game they love while abroad.

The other two footballers come from entirely different backgrounds, but are fast developing a strong understanding, on and off the field, which is crucial to the success of their particular goal.

Rebecca Smith and Maia Jackman are the central defensive stalwarts of our national women's team, not to mention the captain and vice-captain respectively of a plucky young side who have a collective objective - qualifying for the 2007 Women's World Cup Finals in China, and the Olympic Games in the same country a year later.

The Whangarei-born "Football Central" co-presenter enjoyed a stint playing professionally in the Chinese Women's Super League in 2002, while the Duke University graduate joined the ranks of those paid to play in August last year, when securing a contract with leading German women's side, FFC Frankfurt.

Although she hails from Rolling Hills, California, "Bex" has strong New Zealand connections, with parents Ross and Penni hailing from Christchurch, her uncle (Richard Wilson) being a former All Black fullback, while her great-grandfather also played the odd-shaped ball code for the NZ Army.

Consequently, it is traditional for the Smith clan to make an annual pilgrimage south from their Californian abode to their second home, to celebrate Christmas with the family. While here on this occasion, New Zealand's captain took time out to host a training and chat session for all-comers at Halswell United, then headed north to team up with her back-line buddy and, amongst other activities, shoot the breeze with Soccer Talk.

In this day and age, it's somewhat rare - some would say decidedly refreshing, and certainly unique - to see the captain and vice-captain of a New Zealand representative side clearly enjoying themselves as they told tales of deeds done and experiences endured in a relaxed, pressure-free environment.

The national women's team's defensive lynchpins didn't hold back as they bounced thoughts and ideas off each other as seamlessly and swiftly as they have developed an understanding in the handful of internationals and training sessions since Maia was first employed in a central defensive role for New Zealand, at the 2004 Australia Cup tournament in Brisbane.

They offered plenty of food for thought along the way, kicking off with something of a sorry observation about our code, with particular regard to the lack of profile our leading internationals, male and female, boast in the general public arena.

"We went out for a run today and not one person stopped us en route. If the captain and vice-captain of Germany, China or the USA were to go for a run together on home turf, you can guarantee they'd at least be recognised!", remarked Rebecca.

"Recognised? Mobbed, more likely!", quipped Small Whites ambassador Maia, who found herself regularly signing autographs for participants at the pre-Christmas U-14 & U-16 Girls National Tournaments, in between fulfilling her physiotherapy duties with the Auckland squads.

So was set the tone for an entertaining discussion, two of the country's leading lights in the women's game pulling no punches in calling on their respective professional experiences to tell it like it is, and how it needs to be.

"We could use more of a large-scale plan for 2005", said Rebecca of New Zealand women's soccer 2004-style. "The Australia Cup invitation came about at the eleventh hour after Sweden pulled out, while the US games came about in fairly short order because US Soccer only finalised things after the Olympic success. As well, the tournaments were quite far apart, and there was nothing in between times.

"That said, the things we got out of the year were pretty decent. Most important of all, you could see the potential we have".

Cue Maia. "It was a long year - it certainly was for me, to the extent that I didn't mind being injured for ten weeks - it was a break in more ways than one!!

"While it was a long year" - some players went from mid-January to the end of November without respite - "we weren't always getting quality from what we did. The NZ training sessions on Monday evenings were good value, because there was a purpose to them - 'you are doing this because …'.

"Then", continued the Three Kings United and Auckland captain, "you'd go to your club trainings on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, and that purpose and challenge was missing, which led to a lack of motivation at club level, and, later, at provincial level too".

The importance of this key aspect was outlined by Rebecca, when describing her move to current German women's league leaders FFC Frankfurt. "At the start of 2004, I quit my job of eight months and dedicated myself to both NZ soccer and my own personal goals - primarily leadership.

"After (fellow NZ international) Simone (Carmichael, nee Ferrara) and I helped Southern California Ajax win the national championship in Florida, in August I was doing something brand new in a totally different country - training and playing at FFC Frankfurt with several members of the Women's World Cup-winning German women's squad.

"It has been so motivational", Rebecca continued, "seeing the highest standard you can aspire to at first hand, and trying to raise your standards to that level. Playing with the likes of two-time FIFA Women's World Player of the Year, Birgit Prinz, and defender Steffi Jones, and getting to know them - how they think, how they train …

"There were times in training, for instance, when I've been marking Birgit, and she's been helping me with my defending - you just cannot buy an opportunity like that! They pull you up, and help you raise your standard. It's been really good for me", says the NZ captain, "knowing that I can play at that level - it's huge for your confidence".

'Maia-mi Vice' quickly enhanced those thoughts. "If you're surrounded by the best, you can see what you have to do to reach their level. You may be there already, but you may not be - you don't know until you experience it at first hand.

"After my time in China", where Jackman found herself playing and training alongside five of the Chinese women's squad at Dalian, "I always know I can step up if put in that situation".

"While I don't regret it for one second, the Frankfurt experience has been somewhat bittersweet", reflects Rebecca, who is contemplating offers for her services from fellow Bundesliga clubs FSV Frankfurt, Hamburger SV and SV Essen-Schonebeck.

"It's been hard going, because there have been some non-playing obstacles I've had to overcome, and they're not language-related, although that itself was difficult in the first two months - learning your role in a foreign language was quite fun, however".

"I had that experience in China, too", recalls Maia. "Funnily enough, my first position there was central defence, and I was thinking 'What the …?'

"It's hard to go from being a goalscorer to someone detailed to stop goals from being scored. If you screw up in attack, it's not a problem, but if you do it in defence, chances are you'll be kicking off again soon after.

"I still have the instinct of wanting to score, but", Maia says, grinning at Rebecca, "I haven't put through my own net yet!", a reference to Smith's 'oggie' in the North Korea international.

"Ooh, that's mean!", retorts Smith, but before she can get another word in, Jackman dives in to make a goal-line clearance. "As a defender, there are certain players you like playing alongside, and others you don't. I like playing alongside Bex - we're the 'Twin Towers'!", a remark which suitably placates her twenty-three-year-old team-mate.

The defensive duo are in no doubt that New Zealand has a lot of work to do before China 2007 can become a reality. But a lot of what needs to be done is at an individual level, as Maia explains.

"We've got all the resources we need to develop and realise our full potential, but what we're lacking most of all can only be developed on an individual basis from playing against opponents of a higher calibre.

"Each player needs to understand the level they have to be at. Currently, too few have developed a taste for what it is to be at that level".

Rebecca chimes in. "I don't think the girls understand exactly where they need to be in terms of the standards expected of them, i.e. how technically sound they have to be to play at international level.

"The US tour proved to be quite a shock to many players, in terms of how regimented it was, but at the same time it opened their eyes, 'cause they quickly realised the standard we need to get to, compared to that which we are at currently".

"In fairness", says Maia, "it's a really young team which has come about in the last eighteen months, but there have been even more changes, in terms of the standards to which we must aspire.

"They weren't there to anything like the extent they are now a few years ago, which is to the credit of Paul Smalley and Mick Leonard, who are endeavouring to implement these standards and get the individual players to the required level of competitiveness.

"Consequently", Jackman says, "this means that there are increased expectations on we players, and while the progress we've made towards realising these standards is good, it's still not enough. We have to be at a particular level to be truly competitive on the international stage - to be as fast as this, as skilful as that, etc.".

"Knowing how much potential we have", opines Rebecca, "but not seeing it reflected in the FIFA rankings, has its drawbacks. Currently we're 21st, but I'm sure we will climb the ladder and establish ourselves well inside the top twenty within a very short space of time sooner rather than later.

"That's one of the things I'm hoping to see start to happen in 2005, a year which I'm hoping will bring more direction and focus for the New Zealand women's team. I hope we get a fair opportunity to realise this, but it's got to start now - we're already having to catch up, and I think everyone knows it.

"This team is really starting from scratch", says their eight-times-capped skipper. "It's brand new, it's fresh, it's hungry, it's very unique. I changed my whole life because of it, and I know Maia would do the same", at which point a nod of agreement is forthcoming from New Zealand's most capped active female international.

Bex continues. "The German and US players have told us how tired they are of it all. The Americans played thirty-four internationals in 2004, while in 2005, the Germans already have sixteen matches scheduled. We'd kill to be able to play that many internationals in a year, because we're so fresh and hungry".

Jackman follows up on the idea of more internationals for the squad. "We've heard there will be a minimum of two tours a year for the women, which can't be a bad thing. You need to be training for something, short-term as well as long, and while we know what the long-term goal is, we also need to be implementing the things we gain from training into a playing environment on a regular basis.

"It'll be interesting to see how the idea of bringing us all together goes, and the finer details of it. It will mean a few sacrifices will have to be made along the way, but in general, being a sportswoman has a few disadvantages - issues such as starting a family tend to disappear from life's priorities, for instance".

"That's true", agrees Rebecca, who then takes great delight in pointing out that she was twelve when Maia was making her New Zealand debut. "Man, you are getting old, buddy!!", says she of her aging sidekick.

"Thanks, Bex. I really needed that!", came the pained reply of a colleague fast approaching the big three-o, who defers to her Frankfurt-based friend in summing up the hopes they both share for 2005.

"I'm looking forward to seeing the effects of the management change with NZ Soccer", says Rebecca, "and that promises made will be delivered upon. I'd also like to see more kids involved in the game, and more support afforded the women's game as a whole - in that regard, you're an absolute rock for us, and please ensure you put that in!!" As you wish …

"On a personal note, I'm hoping to play a lot more than I have been for both club and country", Smith continues. "And there has been a lot of negativity towards NZS in general, so I would hope to see that turn round in 2005 with more positive media output about the game in general.

"Since their first international in 1985, US women's soccer has gone from nothing to something phenomenal. I'm sure a couple of key reasons as to why they have achieved what they have stems from their use of role models, and a lot of media support.

"It'd be great to see New Zealand soccer follow their lead, with the national women's team heading the charge. We've got so much potential, and a common goal - China 2007".

Maia Jackman Rebecca Smith