‘Serious questions’ over Heraf debacle
Former Football Ferns player Kristy Hill still can’t fathom why it took more than a dozen complaints from disgruntled players who refused to play under Andreas Heraf for New Zealand Football to inspect the environment the nowdeparted coach created.
Although the ongoing independent investigation is expected to look at whether former chief executive Andy Martin could have acted earlier, Hill said it should have not reached the point where at least 12 players were willing to jeopardise their international careers by writing formal complaints, one eight pages long, in order for the organisation to finally act.
‘‘How come we had to get to a point where the only way of resolving the issue was for 12 players to put pen to paper? If that is the only way you can address an issue, then there are serious questions,’’ Hill said.
Having worked closely with the players during the investigation process in her role as a NZ Professional Footballers’ Association representative, Hill said she commended them for having the courage to take a stand against Heraf, who resigned from his roles as Ferns coach and technical director on Tuesday.
‘‘That’s always the hardest part. You’re in a vulnerable position from the start. It’s not a straight employment relationship where there is a way of guaranteeing your place. Basically, you’re always at the whim of the coach to select you.’’
‘‘You have to protect yourself and you have to ensure that you are being cooperative for all sorts of reasons. It’s an unequal playing ground by virtue of just by being a player-coach relationship and basically just coming out is jeopardising your career and you’re jeopardising your ability to wear the Fern.’’
Previous complaints were made by one player and a now-former member of staff following the team’s internationals against Scotland in Spain in March.
The complaints were understood to concern an unprofessional culture, and alleged bullying and intimidation.
Hill echoed the comments of another former Ferns player, Katie Duncan, who said while Heraf’s resignation should eventually provide the catalyst for the dozen players to make themselves available for selection again, there are likely to be some who still have reservations about returning.
‘‘We need to touch base with those players, the 12, the wider Ferns and even those who aren’t Ferns, to ensure that whatever environment they step back into, they’re stepping into one that is supported and values the people who are in the Ferns,’’ Hill said.
‘‘There’s probably a spectrum. Some players may see his resignation as good enough to come back and there’s probably others at the other end of the spectrum who say ‘what about these things?’
‘‘But for us, as the PFA, we need to go back to those players and understand exactly what the terms of bringing them back into the environment might be.’’