Third time lucky: Erceg insists she’s in for long haul

Abby Erceg is returning to the Football Ferns and is adamant this time she is back for the long haul.

The former captain has made herself available for the New Zealand team, coming out of her second selfimposed retirement in 18 months.

Erceg looks certain to be part of the upcoming Women’s World Cup in France, her fourth appearance at Fifa’s showpiece event.

She quit the international game last May, citing differences with then Ferns coach Andreas Heraf.

His subsequent departure — Heraf resigned last July, ahead of an inquiry into the Ferns’ culture and environment under the Austrian coach — appeared to clear the way for Erceg’s return.

Her return, which is likely to be confirmed when coach Tom Sermanni names the Ferns’ squad for the Cup of Nations tournament next week, will complete a bizarre two years.

Erceg first retired in 2017, mainly as a protest about the conditions young female players in the Ferns environment had to work under.

She said at the time she hoped to take a stand against New Zealand Football for future generations.

Last February, Erceg returned to the fold, after a series of meetings with Heraf, and was part of the squad that played Scotland in Spain in March.

But that tour was not a happy one, with issues off the field between Heraf and some players, and the 29-yearold retired again in May last year, a few weeks before the ill-fated friendly with Japan in Wellington

“It has been a big couple of years,” admitted Erceg. “I felt I needed to take a bit of a stand and there have been a lot of changes. Obviously the last time I came back it was a difficult time and it wasn’t quite right. This time, I have done my research that it is going to be the right thing for me to do. When I do come back I want to make sure that it is for good this time.”

Erceg added it was a move she hadn’t taken lightly, given her two previous retirements.

“Obviously it was a big decision again,” she said. “It was pretty hard the first time and even harder the second. I worked with Tom [Sermanni] for a number of years and we have had conversations around what the future of New Zealand Football looks like. He is obviously keen to have the best players on the team. I really want to do everything I can to help the team at these big events. That is what it has all been for. If he thinks that I can add to that environment then I am more than happy to come back and try and do that.”

Sermanni confirmed Erceg’s probable return could only be a positive.

“Abby is a world-class and highly experienced international player,” he said. “To have someone of her ability make herself available for the programme as we build to the World Cup is a huge boost for everyone. I don’t think if Abby comes in and starts it’s a case of being worried about the player whose position she takes. In reality, we have to put the best team on the field that we can and within a squad players understand that.

Sermanni said Erceg’s comeback, has been in the pipeline for “four or five months” following a series of positive discussions.

The North Carolina Courage defender has played 132 A Internationals for New Zealand since making her debut in 2006. Erceg has competed at three Olympic Games and three World Cups and captained the Ferns between 2014 — 17.

The Ferns will compete in the inaugural Cup of Nations against hosts Australia, Argentina and Korea Republic from February 28 to March 6.

New Zealand will also play the world No 1-ranked USA in May in St Louis.