It’s all over now: Hudson quits
Anthony Hudson is gone, and you have to wonder if it was ever going to end any other way.
New Zealand Football chief Andy Martin tried to keep Hudson on as All Whites coach, but when he couldn’t get a signature before the Fifa World Cup qualifying playoff against Peru, he had to know the writing was on the wall.
The 36-year-old’s departure was finalised on Monday night, over dinner with Martin, and he is now busy negotiating a new deal elsewhere, and preparing to shift from his Auckland home.
It was announced to no great surprise yesterday that he wouldn’t be staying, but beyond a short statement, Hudson wasn’t willing to speak while his future remains uncertain.
That Hudson confirmed to Martin that he was off on Monday night, less than 48 hours after he returned from Peru, was telling. There was clearly no great discussion to be had. There was no need for a back and forth, or for prolonged negotiations.
‘‘I am proud of how far the team have come in the past three years.’’ Anthony Hudson
Terms of an extension had been drawn up as far back as September, Martin has revealed, but Hudson had been in no rush to sign a new contract – his existing one expired when the All Whites’ World Cup campaign ended.
He leaves New Zealand having brought the country a lot closer to next year’s showpiece event than many had expected it to get, especially when they were drawn against a team from South America.
The All Whites were only one goal away from being in a position to qualify for all but the final 25 minutes of the tie, and that was enough to please most, especially with star striker Chris Wood injured and restricted to a limited role.
However, while the events of the past few weeks have ensured that Hudson departs on a positive note, his tenure as a whole has been up and down.
In his three years and three months in the role, Hudson led the All Whites to nine wins, seven draws, and 11 losses. Against Pacific Island opposition, they had eight wins and three draws. Against the rest of the world, they had one win, four draws and 11 losses – results that compare poorly to those in the past two World Cup cycles.
Hudson’s legacy will be what he has done for the team away from the playing field, more than what his team have done on it.
Players have been impressed by the level of professionalism he has brought to the All Whites setup, and he has done that by being very demanding of his bosses at NZ Football, who invested $8-9 million in the team over the past four years, helping them operate at a ‘‘Premier League standard,’’ as Martin sees it.
Hudson hasn’t been shy in coming forward to make his case, whether about the lack of All Whites games, and in particular, the lack of home games or about the attitudes of young Kiwi players who are still trying to make it.
His frustrations have led to clashes with his boss, and prompted speculation about the state of their relationship – an issue Martin dismissed yesterday, not for the first time, as ‘‘rubbish’’.
Martin said Hudson wouldn’t have been doing his job properly, had he not been constantly challenging NZ Football to provide him with more.
‘‘There’s no doubt about it, he’s pushed the boat, and he’s done it in different ways, and full marks to him, because what we’ve got as the end product is something that is very, very powerful, and financially we’re still in a good shape.’’
In a statement issued by NZ Football, Hudson said his time in New Zealand had been unforgettable. ‘‘I’ve enjoyed every second. It’s been a pleasure and an honour to work with this team and to truly experience what it means to be a proud Kiwi.
‘‘As a group we were obviously sad to not achieve our goal of qualifying for the World Cup, but from where we were three years ago to where we were in the dying few minutes of the game against Peru, I have to say I’m incredibly proud of all the players and staff, they were magnificent.
‘‘They were together, they played with pride and bravery and were superb when we had a mountain to climb. The effort they have put in for this team over the years has been first-class.
‘‘I am proud of how far the team have come in the past three years and I hope my time here has built the foundation for future success. I have no doubt New Zealand has a great team that is capable of achieving big things.’’
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