Ferns ‘mutiny’ may continue
Andreas Heraf has cut his ties with New Zealand Football but don’t expect the dozen Football Ferns who refused to play under the controversial coach to end their international mutiny straight away.
While former Ferns player Katie Duncan believes Heraf’s resignation will eventually provide the catalyst for their return, she said trust will need to be rebuilt between the players and NZF before they recommit to the national team.
"Obviously they will reconsider their stance and the new coach will need to be appointed. But it still really depends on who they are going to get to replace him and if changes happen,’’ Duncan said.
‘‘I’m sure they just won’t be ‘this was the decision’ and then they’ll be straight back in. There will need to be things that are looked at, for sure.’’
Duncan called for Heraf’s resignation in the wake of New Zealand’s 3-1 loss to Japan in June as she was ‘‘furious’’ with his ultra-defensive tactics and even more so with the ‘‘disrespectful’’ comments he made in the post-match press conference, where he conceded New Zealand could never compete with a team of that calibre.
She said Heraf’s position had become untenable after being placed on special leave last month, and she was relieved to hear Heraf had finally resigned from his roles as Football Ferns coach and technical director yesterday.
‘‘For the outsiders the writing was on the wall in a way. It all started with him after the [Japan] game putting his foot in it and in my eyes he’s continued to do that.’’
Heraf refused to comment when contacted by hanging up the phone on two separate occasions.
Duncan said it was ‘‘disappointing’’ and ‘‘sad’’ that the Ferns environment had become so toxic during Heraf’s reign that as many as 12 players reached the point where they could no longer represent New Zealand, writing complaints which are understood to have centred around an unprofessional culture of bullying and intimidation.
She also revealed Heraf tried to convince her to return to the Ferns, having successfully lured Abby Erceg and Sarah Gregorius back into the fold for their twogame series against Scotland earlier in the year. But Duncan said she had concerns about his lack of experience in the women’s game and she was not prepared to give up her jobs as a teacher and coach in order to add to her 119 international caps.
Although Duncan said the Heraf saga has been a ‘‘setback’’ for the Ferns, she said there was still time to rebuild under a new regime ahead of next year’s World Cup.
PHOTOSPORT