Readings signs four-year contract

TONY Readings’s contract as Football Ferns coach has been extended until 2019.

Readings was first appointed in September 2011, and he’s guided them to their highest ever world ranking of 16th in his 55-match tenure.

He was in charge for this year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada as New Zealand earned their highest points total of two at a World Cup, though they still finished bottom of Group A. The Football Ferns’ second World Cup point was earned in a controversial 2-2 draw with China, that knocked them out of the tournament, when the 39-year-old Englishman was widely criticised for refusing to shake the hand of Chinese counterpart Hao Wei after the game.

Readings can now begin to build his team for the Rio Olympics next year and the 2019 World Cup in France.

He said the biggest appeal of the job was the potential he saw in the women’s game. ‘‘New Zealand Football have shown faith in me to carry on in the role and it was quite an easy decision really because we’ve got this great group of players and we’re performing better than ever.’’

‘‘What’s most appealing . . . is that as a group there is so much potential yet to be realised.

‘‘We’ve come so far but there is still more we can do and I’m really glad to be part of that and I’ve got a strong belief we can keep kicking on from here.’’