The pressure is off the Football Ferns, suddenly. The weight of their winless struggles has been lifted, at least temporarily, thanks to victories last window against Mexico and The Philippines. There’s been progress on display ever since Jitka Klimková took over but there just hadn’t been much reward for it, either in terms of results or even in terms of goals. They got both in the previous international window and that takes the heat off them as they face a difficult Japan team in Nagano at 6.55pm on Sunday 9 October NZT. A game which they’re a good chance to lose... but we can cop that knowing it’s not adding to another long winless streak.

That also makes that this tour feel kinda low-key compared to others. Only one game, whereas every other Klimková tour has had two games (and in one case three – the SheBelieves Cup). Away against a strong opponent. This is a Stay Busy tour coming just one month after the previous one, a chance to keep up some momentum on the training paddock as much as anything. And potentially to blood an important youngster into the group too.

The last tour was a bit of a disaster in terms of availability. Several regulars were out injured and then a few more caught covid during the tour whilst Annalie Longo suffered a serious knee injury in the first game. A lot of that damage still remains. The covid players have recovered but the injury list is pretty similar. Still no Ria Percival or Rebekah Stott, who are both out indefinitely. Daisy Cleverley is missing. Abby Erceg is in her Trent Boult stage so she’s not playing.

As such there aren’t too many changes from last time. Katie Bowen is available again and takes Longo’s spot. Emma Rolston is back to fitness and effectively comes in for Daisy Cleverley (whose injury came between being named and being able to travel last time). Maggie Jenkins and Aniela Jensen were added as late notice replacements, conveniently already in the USA where those games were due to their college footy, but neither are here. Instead fellow USA college baller Hannah Blake (a fully capped Fern with 5 past appearances) has been recalled... along with Welly Nix starlet Alyssa Whinham.

Klimková summed up the approach in her press conference. She said focus against Japan would be on defensive shape, aggressive 1v1 zonal defending, and being ready to surprise them with counter attacks and set pieces. If all that goes well then the belief is there that they can win. All good things, carrying on from what we’ve seen from this team under her coaching so far. Nothing to lose. Momentum to continue. Eyes firmly on the World Cup next year. Stay busy.

GOALKEEPERS

Victoria Esson – Rangers, SCO (9 caps, 0 goals)

Anna Leat – Aston Villa, ENG (8, 0)

Erin Nayler - Umeå IK, SWE (78, 0)

This goalkeeping contest is turning into something pretty intriguing. Vic Esson has won the starter’s gloves from long term incumbent Erin Nayler thanks to some superb performances. But Nayler’s recently back starting games again for her club in Sweden while Anna Leat’s WSL season with Aston Villa is now underway and, despite being backup to England backup Hannah Hampton there, she should get a game this weekend as the Conti Cup swings around. Leat skipped out on a couple recent squads but has now been picked for consecutive tours.

Last time out, Esson started the first game and Nayler the second (with Leat finishing it off the bench). There are three really talented players there and only one able to fit into each line-up. Great to see the others rising to the challenge... although there’s no doubt that Vic Esson has to be at the top of the pyramid. The clean sheet against Mexico was her fourth in six starts under JK... nobody else has any in that time. The Ferns have a 2W/2D/2L record in those six games. The rest of Klimková’s fixtures have served up 1W/0D/6L... and the lone win was in the most recent match. Expect Esson to start against Japan.

DEFENDERS

Elizabeth Anton – Perth Glory, AUS (12, 0)

Mackenzie Barry – Wellington Phoenix, NZ/AUS (0, 0)

CJ Bott – Leicester City, ENG (36, 2)

Claudia Bunge – Melbourne Victory, AUS (13, 0)

Ally Green – Vålerenga, NOR (2, 0)

Meikayla Moore – Glasgow City, SCO (57, 0)

Ali Riley – Angel City, USA (147, 2)

Kate Taylor – Wellington Phoenix, NZ/AUS (4, 0)

Where is Abby Erceg? In North Carolina as per usual. The frustrating thing about this situation isn’t so much that she tends not to be available for friendly games any more as it is the near-complete lack of clarity about it. Even in her presser, Klimková expressed an initial desire to talk about other players instead. But she did go on to explain the state of affairs better than anyone else has for a while, so that was helpful.

Erceg, same as with eight of the last ten squads, has remained at home in America to focus on her club team. In fairness, that’s never been more pertinent (on the field at least) than right now with the playoffs imminent. But she hasn’t retired from international football. JK still has a place for her in these squads and intends to have a longer chat with Abby after this tour.

Basically, she’s doing what Trent Boult is doing with the Blackcaps. After 146 international caps, a large chunk of them as captain, if anyone has earned the ability to do that then it’s Abby Erceg... it’d just be nice is NZF were forthcoming about it rather than hiding behind phrases like ‘personal reasons’ and ‘unavailable for selection’. As long as she plays the World Cup next year then nobody’s arguing. Just be honest, you know?

In the meantime there’s a blossoming combination emerging between Meikayla Moore and Claudia Bunge, plus Kate Taylor has featured off the bench in each of the last four matches, with Liz Anton steadily adding to her dozen caps (whilst also covering the fullback positions) and Mackenzie Barry in the squad awaiting a debut. Katie Bowen’s lone start for NCC this year came at centre-back too. Not to mention the injured Rebekah Stott. There’s some solid depth at the CB position... although ain’t that always the case with kiwi football?

Those A-League players are getting ready for preseason at the moment which isn’t ideal. Nor is Ally Green’s lack of game time with Vålerenga as they chase a Norwegian title (or at least Champions League qualification) in her first season there. But Ali Riley’s doing great work captaining Angel City, Moore’s playing more often than not for a strong Glasgow City team, and CJ Bott has been making the most of her bench cameos for Leicester City early in the English WSL campaign. Supposing that JK goes full strength to start then we’re looking at a very easy pick of Bott, Moore, Bunge, Riley across the backline.

MIDFIELDERS

Hannah Blake – University of Michigan, USA (5, 0)

Katie Bowen – North Carolina Courage, USA (84, 3)

Olivia Chance – Celtic, SCO (34, 1)

Betsy Hassett – Stjarnan, ISL (134, 14)

Malia Steinmetz - Northern Tigers, AUS (10, 0)

Midfield, on the other hand, is the most stretched by various injuries – in particular Ria Percival, Annalie Longo, and Rebekah Stott (who had to have ankle surgery on the eve of her return to Brighton – eh, she’s overcome worse). It’s also the position of the park most affected as Coach Klimková has flipped to a 4-4-2 shape in recent times after initially starting off trying to make a 4-3-3 work. Only two central mids but with more protection out wide.

Katie Bowen is back after missing the previous tour for personal reasons, which at first looked like the Courage wanted to hold her back for their game that week (the NWSL not respecting international windows!? Say it ain’t so!). But she wasn’t in that squad either so she must’ve just had something else going on, fair enough. She’s back now and will be raring to go given the few opportunities she’s had in the NWSL in 2022.

Liv Chance played really well in midfield against Philippines though has usually been picked as a left midfielder/winger in order to bring out more of her creativity. Either way works fine but the left mid thing seems to be more in the favour of the coach – that midfield gig came at a time when stocks were stretched mid-tour, remember. Probably gonna see her back there against Japan.

Betsy Hassett has started five of the last six games in midfield and seems to be first choice. Not been playing there much for her club team lately, used more as a winger or wing-back, but she has scored two magnificent goals in the last couple weeks so she’s in fine touch. Also Malia Steinmetz has tended to add something different with her work-rate and ball-winning ability whenever she’s played. It was Steinmetz who replaced the injured Longo against Mexico... however she missed the second game with covid.

Steinmetz was listed by NZF as a Western Sydney Wanderers player. That could be pre-empting a re-singing announcement although it’d be a tad surprising if she went back there given a lack of game time last season. Then again they do have a new coach with Kat Smith taking over for Catherine Cannuli so for all we know that changes everything. Also WSW’s head of women’s football: Tom Sermanni... who only ever picked her in one game out of his 23 in charge... but still, he’s familiar.

Officially though, Steinmetz remains un-signed for the next ALW season (at the time of writing). She’s most recently been playing for Northern Tigers in the New South Wales NPL in a midfield that also included Phoenix player Isabel Gomez. All sorts of combativeness there. The Tigers lost their state final on penalties to Macarthur Rams.

Meanwhile Hannah Blake is probably there more for experience than anything and it’s interesting that she’s been picked when Maggie Jenkins and Aniela Jensen were the ones summoned as mid-tour replacements last time. All three current USA college students. Blake was involved in JK’s first two tours and was a train-on player in the SheBelieves Cup as more first choice players became able to participate with lifting travel restrictions. Blake is definitely one to pay attention to over the next twelve months as she’s into her final year at uni and could be one, like Jacqui Hand and Daisy Cleverley did this year, with the potential to move into the professional realms afterwards.

We’re probably looking at Hassett and Bowen starting with Chance on the left (and either Indi Riley or Jacqui Hand on the right) but Steinmetz is putting up a strong case. We shall see.

FORWARDS

Jacqui Hand - Åland United, FIN (10, 1)

Grace Jale – Canberra United, AUS (7, 2)

Gabi Rennie – Arizona State University, USA (16, 2)

Indiah-Paige Riley – Fortuna Hjorring, DEN (2, 0)

Emma Rolston – Avaldsnes, NOR (12, 6)

Paige Satchell – Wellington Phoenix, NZ/AUS (32, 2)

Hannah Wilkinson – Melbourne City, AUS (107, 27)

Alyssa Whinham – Wellington Phoenix, NZ/AUS (0, 0)

There’s been a bit of ‘finally, about time’ chat with regards Alyssa Whinham’s selection. This is a team lacking in creativity and Whinham seems to have that in bundles. She took to the A-League with instant comfort and is the type of player who should look even better playing with superior teammates. With a skill profile that no other player in Ferns contention seems to have, it’s easy to see the need for someone like Alyssa Whinham.

But you have to be careful about rushing these things. Whinham’s last twelve months have been a whirlwind. From being picked up as a scholarship player to becoming first choice at the Nix within a couple weeks. All while living away from home in Australia with the obvious difficulties that will have posed. It made sense to let her focus on that first professional season. Then it made sense to let her focus on the under-20 World Cup at which she was going to be a key player for Aotearoa.

Now that’s finished and you can grumble about them not picking her earlier if you want but this feels like perfect timing. There’s still gonna be at least another half dozen games prior to the World Cup. Multiple tours to get accustomed to the scene. All while protecting a young player from unnecessary hype and expectation. That’s how it’s done.

The other issue is where to actually play her. There isn’t a central attacking midfield spot in this formation and Whinham isn’t going to be as effective operating out wide. Probably gotta feature as the second striker which does risk isolating the other forward if Whinham’s dropping in and searching for the ball. But that’s a risk you’ve gotta take, s’pose.

Hannah Wilkinson has just had her Melbourne City return announced. 14 goals in 14 games in year one, it’s been a long offseason in Australia but we’re slowly coming back around. Wilkie did also miss both games of the previous tour with covid so that lack of game-time is something to consider. And not only for Wilkinson but also Paige Satchell, as those two have been the main starting duo up top since the 4-4-2 came into preference. In theory, great combo. Strong, tall, hold-up player and the speedy, line-breaking comrade. Haven’t seen it click yet but that takes time.

Plenty of alternatives on the bench means neither should have to play ninety minutes during their offseasons. Grace Jale also missed both the last two games with covid so she’ll be impatient to show what she can do. Emma Rolston missed that tour with injury and may well be auditioning for a new club gig with Avaldsnes seeming destined for relegation in Norway. Gabi Rennie has become a familiar sight for fourth officials around the world with 14 of her 16 caps (and both her Ferns goals) coming as a substitute – she almost always gets a run. Jacqui Hand is in brilliant form for her club and should be pushing for a start. Indi Riley came into this squad and immediately started both games.

Don’t think we’ll see Ali Riley or CJ Bott having to play further forward this time, not with so many more options available... although they did both score crucial goals last time so you never know.

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