Canada coach spurns All Whites job as talks put on hold
Canada coach John Herdman has turned down an offer from New Zealand Football to be the new All Whites coach.
New Zealand Football announced that the appointment process had stalled on Wednesday, with negotiations with the leading contender put on hold due to a family health issue, which resulted in Under-20s coach Darren Bazeley being given the job on an interim basis for the series with China in March.
NZF chief executive Andrew Pragnell said the preferred candidate was a standout contender, with the deal “all but done” before personal issues intervened. Though Pragnell wouldn’t be drawn on identities, NZME understands that Herdman was the prime target.
Several sources told NZME that Herdman applied for the role when it was first advertised last year, and there have been ongoing discussions with the 47-year-old.
However, the former Football Ferns coach released a statement saying he was staying with Canada.
“Success at this level will always invite opportunity. I’ve received several offers in recent months, all of which I have turned down, including an offer from New Zealand Football,” the statement said.
“To our Canadian players and our fans, I want to reiterate my commitment to Canada Soccer and the growing of this programme. At the World Cup in Qatar, our men showed the world that they belong at that level. I’m not going anywhere. We still have a job to do, and the objective is to take this team to the next level in 2026.”
Herdman is a popular figure in Canada. The trajectory of the team is tracking upwards, with their potential shown in Doha despite the results (three defeats), in a group that featured two teams that reached the last four (Morocco and Croatia) and 2018 semifinalists Belgium.
Yesterday, NZF strongly hinted that the media had it wrong in initial speculation over who the next All Whites coach will be.
A NZF statement says they remain in “positive dialogue” with their preferred candidate . . . but won’t say who that is.
Phoenix coach Ufuk Talay missed out on the role initially and says he wouldn’t even take a call from NZF to put his hat in the ring again.