US dream team on but Kiwis scramble for
Football Ferns coach Jitka Klimkova´ will be busy making calls to clubs across the globe between now and the naming of her squad to play the United States early next year.
Klimkova´ will need to convince them to release players for the US’ visit to New Zealand in January, as their two matches against the world champions are scheduled to take place outside an official Fifa window.
The Football Ferns will kick off the World Cup year with a match against the US at Sky Stadium in Wellington on January 18 before the two nations meet again at Eden Park in Auckland three days later.
If the games were in a Fifa window, clubs would be obligated to release players for international duty. But clubs will be within their rights to say no on this occasion, which could leave the Football Ferns with an understrength squad for matches against the most successful team in the women’s game.
NZ Football will be hoping to draw record crowds for the two matches against the world number one, but it is imperative the Football Ferns have the strongest squad possible to ensure they are not embarrassed.
Klimkova´ said she would need to get ‘‘creative’’ in order to gain access to her best players.
‘‘Playing them outside a Fifa window means a lot of work for our coaching staff to make it happen but first thing’s first, I’m happy the players are keen for me to communicate with their clubs,’’ Klimkova´ said.
‘‘They want to come and be part of those two games even if they are not going to be automatically released.
‘‘I’ve started this already and I really believe if we find some compromise and if we can be creative, we can make it happen and we can have a strong team that will play against the States.’’
The US are expected to bring a full-strength squad for their first trip to New Zealand, which will involve a six-day training camp, as most of their players ply their trade in the NWSL and they will be out of season.
The problem for the Football Ferns is that most of their players will be busy with club commitments at that time of the year.
The two matches against the US clash directly with round 11 of the A-League Women, which is where the Football Ferns would draw most of their players from.
‘‘Like I said we have to be creative with it, and I can see a potential opportunity where we fly players in for one game and then for the other game they can stay with their clubs.
‘‘I respect the clubs the players are in and I respect that they are in their season or in their pre-season, so it’s going to be very individual
and it’s going to depend on our conversations with NZ Football and with the clubs.
‘‘At the end of the day it’s going to be a decision with the club and the player if they are going to release our players. But on the other hand, what an opportunity.’’
Phoenix players Paige Satchell and Kate Taylor were involved in announcing the US fixtures in Wellington yesterday.
They said their preference would be to play for the Football Ferns in January, but also understood the decision was not theirs to make.
‘‘It could be tricky with it not being in a Fifa window but the clubs will work together with New Zealand Football and we’ll make it work. Hopefully we’ll be able to put out a quality squad still.
‘‘I’m sure everyone would love to be a part of this game. It’s an amazing team to play against.’’