Klimkov´a’s Football Ferns blueprint clear to see

Now that Jitka Klimkova´’s first match in charge of the Football Ferns has come and gone, her vision for the team is clearer to see.

The Ferns may have been wellbeaten by Olympic champions Canada, but that was to be expected.

Canada had won eight of the 12 previous meetings, after all, including two in 2019. Until Ria Percival slotted her consolation penalty midway through the second half of the 5-1 defeat, they hadn’t conceded against New Zealand for more than 600 minutes. The one Ferns win was in 1987.

What was less easy to predict was how they would line up.

Since she was appointed in September, Klimkova´ has repeatedly stated her desire to have a clear style of play and clear roles for her players.

Against Canada, there was a back four – featuring captain Ali Riley and CJ Bott at left and right back and Meikayla Moore and Katie Bowen as centre backs – a midfield three – anchored by Ria Percival, with support from Daisy Cleverley and Betsy Hassett – and a front three – Olivia Chance, Emma Rolston, and Rosie White, from left to right across the pitch.

It seems then, unless Klimkova´ has been feinting, that a 4-3-3 system will be the starting point for the Ferns over the next 21 months, as they prepare for the 2023 Fifa Women’s World Cup on home soil.

They were prepared to be brave and play and while there were clearly defensive concerns – partly due to absent personnel – and a lack of end product, it was nevertheless a solid foundation to start from.

There will undoubtedly be tweaks going forward. Eight Tokyo Olympians aren’t present on this tour – Abby Erceg for personal reasons, seven others because they’re based in New Zealand and Australia and Covid-19 border restrictions are still in place. There are others set to play in A-League Women, especially those signed by the new Wellington Phoenix team, who will hope to push their case.

But at least there is now a blueprint to assess the team against, as it looks to end its current slump – 12 losses in 13 matches – and secure its first World Cup win in two years’ time.

When the time comes for them to achieve that goal, it won’t be a team of Canada’s calibre they will be trying to beat, which is one reason why the results of this month’s matches are only one part of the picture.

With that in mind, it will be interesting to see what tweaks, if any, Klimkova´ makes to her lineup for the second match [ 12.30pm tomorrow NZ time]. She will never have a better time to try things out.

Debutant Jacqui Hand was singled out by Riley for praise after replacing White at halftime, while Gabi Rennie provided some muchneeded pace up front. Ava Collins also made her debut, joining Hand and Rennie in a new-look front three, and so did Amelia Abbott, who joined fellow substitute Hannah Blake in front of Percival in midfield.

If there are to be changes, it figures that they would be in those positions, and room could be made in the front three by moving Chance or Rolston into midfield, where their creativity could still be utilised and their lack of pace would be less glaring.