Former Ferns star makes shock return

Katie Duncan returned to training just three days after Tom Sermanni was revealed as the new Football Ferns coach.

The arrival of the popular Scotsman was enough to convince the vastly-experienced midfielder to come out of international retirement and put her hand up for selection ahead of the Women’s World Cup.

Duncan, who was praised for calling out former coach Andreas Heraf and urging him to resign in the wake of New Zealand’s controversial loss to Japan last year, is one of 28 domestic-based players selected for a training camp in Auckland this week.

The 30-year-old will be looking to play her way into Sermanni’s plans ahead next month’s Cup of Nations, where the Football Ferns will meet hosts Australia, Argentina and Korea Republic ahead of the World Cup later in the year.

Duncan, a veteran with 119 caps to her name, said Sermanni’s arrival was the catalyst for her shock return.

‘‘He got selected on the Friday, I discussed it over the weekend with my wife and started training on the Monday pretty much. That’s how my mind worked,’’ she said. ‘‘Having Tom on board, that was a massive draw card for me. He’s got a lot of experience, particularly in the women’s game, and I still feel like I have more gas in the tank and I have more to give to the team.

She was glowing in her praise of Sermanni. "He’s a great guy and he’s a great coach. I met up with him maybe a week after he had been selected and I told him I was keen to come back into the environment and he nodded away and told me that the priority is that the girls qualify, he hadn’t yet seen the girls play and he couldn’t give me an answer.

North Carolina Courage star Abby Erceg was not among the 28 players selected but Duncan is still hopeful the former Football Ferns captain will follow her out of international retirement in time for the World Cup.

‘‘I’d love Abby to come back,’’ she said. ‘‘She’s really in her prime at the moment, selected as the top defender in the American league.’’