Step up or step away

If Andreas Heraf is unable to embrace the pioneering Kiwi spirit then he should ‘‘bugger off’’, according to former All Whites coach Kevin Fallon.

Fallon made his comments in the wake of Heraf, the New Zealand Football technical director and Football Ferns coach, saying

New Zealanders would never be able to compete with supposed bigger countries.

Fallon helped guide the All Whites to the 1982 World Cup as an assistant coach and said he ‘‘hated the statement as much as anybody’’. ‘‘I totally disagree. I know what he’s saying, but if it’s too big for him, then bugger off.

‘‘You’ve got to have that pioneering spirit if you take on

New Zealand. We know how small we are, we know the limitations, we know the job, do the best you can with what you’ve got. I’ve always felt that way about every situation

I’ve ever taken. I always believe in miracles.

‘‘That’s so negative. Why would you coach? Why would you get out of bed? It’s amazing. The people who brought him in need their backsides kicked, don’t they? Simple.’’

Fallon has coached at an assortment of different clubs and schools around New Zealand, such as Gisborne City, Nelson United, Mt Albert Grammar and, now, with Manukau United. He was All Whites coach from 1985-89 and helped establish the nowdefunct national football academy in 1987.

Fallon said being a successful coach over a long period of time in New Zealand meant putting the work in and establishing strong team cultures.

‘‘When people start saying to me it can’t be done and you can’t do this and you can’t do that, then I’ll do my best to try and do it. I just don’t believe that kind of garbage.

‘‘I just come back to my career and wherever I’ve been I’ve always had sort of outposts. I’ve never hardly ever had the top one and I’ve always tried to do the best I can, do the work, put the time in, because I believed if we did that as a group and a team, eventually, we would come out on the best side.’’

Heraf made his comments after the Ferns’ 3-1 loss to Japan in Wellington on Sunday. On Tuesday, he said he felt New Zealand could beat those teams, just not compete with them on a technical level.

Former Fern Katie Duncan called for his resignation after Sunday’s comments, while 132-cap former Ferns captain Abby Erceg retired before the match, stating she could not play for a team which was not willing to have a crack.

‘‘I’d rather lose by one saying ‘we f...ing went for it’ than cowering in a corner. That’s my mindset, and if you tell me I can’t do that, then I can no longer represent that shirt with pride or conviction.’’