Duncan’s shock decision
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 later 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 as they continue their preparations for 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.
‘‘I’m very much looking forward to being involved in the camp in a couple of days and I’ve still got to prove myself. Just because I’m coming out of retirement doesn’t mean I’m automatically getting back in, I know I have to work hard to hopefully be selected. Every pinnacle event with the Football Ferns is an honour and it’d be great to get another one under my belt.’’
Last year Duncan called for former coach Heraf to resign following the Football Ferns’ loss to Japan. 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.
In contrast, 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 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.
‘‘But even though he did not give me an answer his honesty was [appreciated], especially compared to the last coach.
‘‘Tom, he’s just an honest coach and you just respect the guy when the coach is like that. You can tell that there’s no hierarchy and he won’t pick his favourites. He’ll pick the players who are training the best and playing the best.’’
North Carolina Courage star Abby Erceg was not among the 28 players selected for this week’s camp but Duncan said she is still holding out hope that 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. Here’s hoping that she will also return.’’