Football: National women's team making giant strides, coach says

New Zealand women's soccer coach John Herdman in Dunedin yesterday. Photo by Peter McIntosh.
New Zealand women's soccer coach John Herdman in Dunedin yesterday. Photo by Peter McIntosh.
June shapes as a big month for New Zealand football.

The All Whites will make their second appearance at the World Cup this year but it is June 2011 that has Football Ferns coach John Herdman excited.

Herdman, who was in Dunedin yesterday wearing his other cap - that of director of football development - believes there is good reason to feel positive about the women's game in New Zealand.

Last month, his side upset some of the traditional powerhouses to reach the final of the Cyprus Women's Cup.

The Football Ferns defeated Italy 1-0, Scotland 3-0 and drew 1-1 with the Netherlands to reach the final.

In it, they were beaten 1-0 by Canada.

Herdman said his side had made some dramatic improve-ments in the past three years.

"It was a pretty big step to make when you consider three years ago we were getting tonked by these teams 5 or 6-0."

The Football Ferns achieved some credibility with a fourth-place finish last year but to get to the final was a huge improvement, he added.

And it was not as if the teams they beat were understrength.

With Fifa rankings up for grabs, the teams were taking the tournament and the outcome of games seriously, he said.

"I think the most important thing is not the result but how they are playing.

"We have been seen as quite a defensive side.

"We'd soak up a lot of pressure and defend deep - what some people would see as quite negative football.

"But we've been able to shift that approach in the women's game to a more attack-minded style."

While his side still has to qualify for the women's World Cup in Germany next year, it should be just a matter of formality.

Australia plays in the Asian qualifying tournament which means the Football Ferns have an easy road to Germany.

The Oceania qualifying tournament is in Auckland in October.

"We're quite fortunate because Australia is in Asia now, so we just have to knock over the island teams."

The team has set lofty goals of more than just qualifying.

The Ferns want to make it out of pool play, and Herdman believes a quarterfinal appearance is within reach.

"We think that is realistic based on how we are tracking.

"But you never know what group you will get drawn in."

The World Cup draw will be made early next year, once qualifying is complete.

The Football Ferns assemble every three weeks for a three-day camp.

But from August on, the team will be training most nights of the week to prepare for the qualifying matches.

After the Oceania qualifying series, the Football Ferns will head to the Peace Queen Cup in Korea, where they will meet the world's best sides.

That tournament should provide a better gauge of how the side is progressing.

 

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