The stage could hardly have been more perfectly set for today’s National Women’s League Grand Final. Trusts’ Stadium’s pohutukawa-lined pitch looked flawless and Auckland produced one of its best December days. Most importantly, the two sides in the final were so evenly-matched that no one could predict what was about […]
In a small stadium in Colonia, Uruguay, 21 Young Football Ferns and their coaches danced in a circle, yelling at full voice: “What team? One team! One team, New Zealand!” In the evening sun, you could see tears on Aneka Mittendorff’s face as she led the chant. You could also […]
In June, New Zealand Football announced that an independent review into their organisation would be conducted. It was catalysed by 13 complaints made by Football Ferns players regarding a toxic culture under coach Andreas Heraf whilst the squad was on tour in Spain and in camp in Wellington. Today, Philipa […]
Let’s rewind back nearly a fortnight, shall we? In the bowels of Westpac Stadium, a press conference took place immediately after the Football Ferns played Nadeshiko Japan, in a friendly. Being the first Ferns home match since 2015, the first Ferns match in Wellington since 1991, and the first since […]
On Wednesday night, at 8pm, the Football Ferns released a video. It was captioned “We’re Coming Home”. Before even watching, then, we knew that New Zealand Football had obtained a major victory, and surmounted a large obstacle in the process, by securing a home game for the Ferns. The question became […]
So today, in a thoroughly unsurprising development, New Zealand Football announced that Anthony Hudson’s tenure as All Whites coach is over. It was always going to be thus, one feels. He’s an ambitious guy. We were always a stepping stone to something else. And for a man who so carefully […]
I had one of those Facebook memories pop up on my timeline this morning – it was a year ago today that I was named as a finalist in three categories at last year’s New Zealand Football Media Association awards. A bit has changed in the year that has passed […]
As you may have already read in John’s post earlier today, New Zealand Football have gone out to clubs with a consultation briefing document and a survey that explores options for the next stages of the development of our national competitions. While there are a series of possible directions that […]
I was interested to hear NZ Football’s Andy Martin’s speak as a guest of Eastern Suburbs on Sunday. We had to put together an open and transparent process so we could do the things we wanted to. Sustainability is one of the most important aspects of this competition. The standards and development […]
This piece was co-authored by John Palethorpe and Enzo Giordani On Monday, member clubs of the Auckland Football Federation (AFF) received an email concerning the postponement of the federation’s AGM, originally scheduled for Wednesday, May 18th. No future date has been given, although all member clubs were assured that “A […]