Ferns coach claims conspiracy
Football Ferns head coach Andreas Heraf has claimed there is a ‘‘large-scale conspiracy’’ against him while he is on ‘‘special leave’’ during an independent review over his conduct after a player revolt.
Heraf, who is also NZ Football’s technical director, was placed on ‘‘special leave’’ last month after NZF received a letter from the Players’ Association with up to 13 complaints from Football Ferns players, who have said they won’t play for the team again if he remains in charge. A former staff member also complained.
Andy Martin has since resigned as NZF chief executive after facing heavy scrutiny for his handling of the complaints around Heraf, a former Austrian international who was appointed to the NZF roles last year.
Heraf, 50, has spoken publicly for the first time since NZF announced it would conduct an independent review.
He said the allegations of bullying and intimidation levelled at him had come ‘‘out of thin air’’. ‘‘The players’ allegations lack any foundation and are based on fundamental differences in professionalism and performance,’’ Heraf told Austrian newspaper Der Standard.‘‘The players oppose my European style, with high standards and high expectations of professionalism, and prefer a fun and family culture with a focus on making fun videos and opening up to social networking.
‘‘It’s not a problem for me, fun culture and professionalism is not mutually exclusive if you say that we are 100 per cent committed to what we agreed to do.
‘‘Just as the players pretended to follow tactics, I told them that it would not be possible to have a say in the preparation and composition of the supervisor staff.
‘‘Some people wrote in the letter that they would not be available under these circumstances.
‘‘You have to take note of that, but I would talk to everyone again and try to change their minds.’’ Heraf said the player revolt was a ‘‘large-scale conspiracy’’.
He was given a notice of investigation with a proposal for suspension after complaints about his conduct were received via the Professional Footballers’ Association. NZF president Deryck Shaw declined the opportunity to respond to Heraf’s allegations.
He said he would not comment until the investigation was complete.
The complaints were understood to concern an unprofessional culture featuring bullying and intimidation.
A current Football Fern has told Stuff, on the condition of anonymity, that members of the playing squad were told they had to ask for Heraf’s permission before they could leave the table at dinner time.
She also claimed players were shouted at for passing the ball between defence and midfield or if they passed the ball backwards because it was deemed too risky, a claim backed up by a second Ferns player.
Concerns that Heraf’s Ferns environment was unprofessional were raised by a player to Stuff on May 10, following their tour of Spain in March, but that player withdrew her on-the-record comments following intervention by NZ Football and the PFA.
Heraf first came under scrutiny publicly after the Football Ferns lost 3-1 to Japan in a friendly in Wellington in June.
He faced huge criticism for his negative gameplan and for his post-match comments where he said ‘‘we will never have that quality to compete with Japan and even be better than Japan’’.
It was then revealed that NZF was deliberately flouting a Fifa directive by employing Heraf as both national women’s coach and technical director.