January 27, 2025 • 12 mins
The Football Ferns are set to make their grand return to the field for the 2025 season.
They're gearing up to play a two-game series against Costa Rica next month.
Interim Football Ferns coach Michael Mayne joined Piney to discuss.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Duncie Wildegrave
from News Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
The Football Ferns our women's football side will be in
an action for the first time in twenty twenty five.
Next month, they'll meet Costa Rica in two matches. These
will be their first outings since the Paris Olympics back
in July. So it's been a week while between between
matches for our Football Ferns. The upcoming games Sunday, the
twenty third of February one o'clock New Zealand time and
(00:33):
then Wednesday, the twenty sixth of feb at eleven o'clock
New Zealand time, both played in San Jose, Costa Rica.
Interim Football Ferns coach is Michael Main, who joins us now. Michael,
thanks for your time this evening on sports Talk. When
will you announce your squad for these matches?
Speaker 3 (00:52):
Yeah, thanks having me fining. So we'll look to announce
this probably the end of this week, maybe start of
the following week. We're just working through some of the
final thoughts around the squad and what we want to
I guess or how we want to reach these games
in Costa Rica. So ye're not too far away. We're
really excited about the opportunity ahead of us. So we've
(01:14):
got a few days to just typically box them and
tran discussions and then that's will be out pretty surely.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
What has been front of mine for you when you're
putting the squad together, Well.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
Yeah, I think front of mine and this is something
that I guess is my role while I have it
is we've got to make sure that we're hitting the
ground and performing. I think a big part of I
guess what we want to try to do early in
the cycle was just make sure that we're really building
for twenty seven. Now that might be me taking it
(01:49):
through and it might not, so I guess answering the
challenge of making sure we're building some depth in this
teas and competition in this team. So I think there's
a there's a rare opportunity here to I guess, showcase
some plays that maybe have been in the squad previously
and some that may be new to the squad, as
well as obviously leaning on the experience that we've we've
(02:10):
currently got. I think it's just about making we're setting
up as well as we can going into twenty seven.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
So we may see some new faces, some players in
the squad who haven't featured for New Zealand before it.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
Yeah, potentially, I think. I think there's a couple of
players there that are we having discussions with, and my
coaching staff and technical staff are looking close to that.
We've got to look and see a couple a couple
more days just to let a few games play out.
And I guess you see, we're playing and now I
think the thing is is just making sure it real
good I guess out of across the squad and the
(02:43):
way we want to play. So, yeah, there could be
some opportunities that players that comes to the squads for
the first time, and like I said, there are opportunities
possibly for players that have been around the squad previously
but maybe haven't taken part with the last couple of
big clinical events. But the whole point of it is
just to make sure that we've got real competition going
(03:04):
for because I think everybody we want to see this team,
you know, region of the teacher it has and get
results on the pitch, and we're hyping for this team.
That's that's what we should be doing.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
I think Melia Steinmetz has an a c L which
she's recovering from. But apart from her, are the other
seventeen players you had with you at the Olympics all available?
Speaker 3 (03:28):
Good question, there's yeah, obviously Malaia's are real. It was sallow.
She's a big piece of this team and great character
and great great on the pitch for us, So obviously
we're tracking her progress really closely, but she's a while away.
There there's a couple. There's a couple sort of I
guess nedles in the group that we're having a chef
(03:53):
service last. You know, again, where players are at and
I think for us is just making sure we've got
players that can go across sa Rica hid the ground
running filled in a good place is super important to
the way I want to I guess progress with this team.
So yeah, without going into probably all the names, is
(04:15):
normal sort of wear and tear and niggle that you
get from a season. And then there's a couple that
we're just tracking that have probably just before Christmas, that
have picked up a little injuries that we just want
to make sure we're doing the right thing for the player.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
Can you give us an update on Ellie Riley? I
know she picked up an injury back end of last year.
Has she has she retired? What's her situation?
Speaker 3 (04:37):
No, not, as far as I know. I've been in
touching with Ali obviously since the Olympics. She's obviously really
focused on returning and returning strongly to play. So again,
we're just staying in contact. Is that piece sort of
as she weeks through that piece and tries to get
(04:58):
back on the pitch and get playing again. Obviously since
the end of the season, she's she did a lot
going on, and yeah, again she's one that we'll just
stay in contact with and and sort of make sure
that she's progressing how she needs and.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
An elite she was in golf for you in all
three games at the Olympics. She's now without a club
though having departed Aston Villa. Will she still be in
contention even though she doesn't have a club currently.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
Yeah, So Ana's one that again she was on the
injury list as she departed that club, and that's something
we're just working through at the moment as well. So again,
been in many conversations prior to Christmas and as a
couple of days ago. So she's one that's probably more
at the moment one of those ones on that injury
(05:49):
list that I'm just sort of tracking and making sure
we make good decisions for her. And obviously she's she's
got a little bit of working here her to figure
out her next steps in terms of club and returns
to play, So we've got a bit of a plan
and place there. So yeah, again, international footballs are an
interesting on this in particular with you know, number of
players that kind of between seasons. Always always tricky. But
(06:13):
I think that's where my I guess my technical teams
been doing a really good job just to mushal that
our players are still still doing the work and affect
us they're called upon to coming to the store.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
And we had the news in the last couple of
weeks that Maya Hahn has committed to New Zealand. She's
been in the German system for the last little while,
playing club football over there and playing well, being in
and around some of the German sides, but she's committed
to New Zealand. Is she on your radar for the squad?
Speaker 4 (06:41):
Yeah, it'll have.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
Had some really good conversation with Maya. I am lucky
enough to work with her when we're in Uruguay after
multiple sort of conversations with her. Her desired to come
back to represent our all in New Zealand was high
on her agenda.
Speaker 1 (06:59):
So.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
Has been a really positive thing for us prior to Christmas.
And then yeah, look, she's she's definitely in the conversation
for this tour. I think what she can bring this
team in terms of the I guess, the way she
likes to play and what she likes to get on
the ball. She's she's mobile, like she's playing in a
very good league. So yeah, it would be silly for
(07:24):
me not to I guess consider immediately at the start
of this news cycle. So again, she's one that's definitely
in the conversations for Costa Rica.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
All right, good to hear. We know the Wellington Phoenix
women are playing a league football Auckland FC about to
join well next season will join the women's competition. How
much of a boost will that be to the game here?
Another professional pathway for female footballers here in New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
That's it in this role of a real point of
betting close to the next setup down with Paul. So yeah,
I've been there a handful of times this season. I
read for sort of multi day visit. I look forward
to kind of ould be able to do that to
progress that we've bought it as well. I think for
(08:12):
us in the country, this is one of our competit
advantage that we can which so closely with our two
professional clubs and really you know, like see how that
plan as we've been together with the football firms, because
there's no yeah, there's no A lot of our players
can through the system now are going to go through
(08:33):
those two clubs before they either step in the first
team there or they progress overseas. Like that's it's just
part of our it's going to look going forward. So
I think for us, the smartest thing we can do
is get super aligned on the types of players that
are being developed through those systems how we can support them,
but also shewing a lot of the I guess the
(08:53):
knowledge we get from international football and make sure of
that feeds down really really well. So yeah, that's been
a big piece of my work for the last three
months probably is aligned in that pathway ecosystem and making
sure that it will makes sense as part of the
I guess the wider camp a plan for twenty seven brilliant.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
You're still interim coach. When are they going to give
you the job full time?
Speaker 3 (09:16):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (09:16):
Yeah, look, I'm you know, I'm waiting and ready for
whenever he's done a football decide it's time to press
go on that process. Like, look, I've been with his
team now for over two years, and whilst it was
I guess a different way.
Speaker 3 (09:34):
To come into the role. Yeah. Look, I feel like
while I'm holding out the moment and I guess the
outcomes I want, this will be one hundred per me
in terms of how I approached this and what I
want to do with a squad. So look, I can
only do the job that I think everybody in the
country wants us to do, and that's to make sure
this team's progressing. I'm sure it's performing well and scoring goals.
(09:55):
And yeah, whenever he's on a football decide to yeah,
hit the hit the green light on that and progress
this process, I'll be ready to go.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
Well, I guess it took a while from Darren Baisley
to go interim to head, so maybe it's the same thing.
Come on your way, Michael, Hey, all the best for
the upcoming games against Costa Rica. Look forward to the
squad coming out the next week. Well, thanks for taking
the time for a chat.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
I appreciate it. Thank you, mate.
Speaker 2 (10:18):
That's Michael Maine, interim head coach of the Football Ferns,
soon to be your hope head coach. It's a rather
unusual situation. Michael Mayne, if you're not aware of the
background of this, was an assistant coach for a couple
of years to Yitka clim Kova. I'm not going to
re litigate all of the Yetkak Climkova saga, but of
(10:40):
course she left the post, didn't take the team to
the Olympics. Michael Mayne did that and did a fairly
serviceable job against some tough opponents with a team that
he didn't really select. It was kind of handed to him.
It was a very difficult situation. Not that the squad
I don't think would have been too different, but the
fact remains he almost inherited a team with not a
(11:03):
lot of notice really and did a pretty good job.
So they haven't played since the Olympics. They haven't yet
announced a time frame for the appointment of a new
permanent head coach of the Football Ferns. In the meantime,
it's as though Michael Mayne just carries on until he's
told otherwise. Similar situation as I say to when Darren
Baisley took the reins and that was in an interim
(11:26):
capacity after Danny Hay left and Darren Basley had the
team for quite a while before he was confirmed as
as permanent head coach. So maybe the same thing's going
to happen to Michael Maine. Regardless he'll take them to
Costa Rica next month for these two matches twenty third
of feb twenty sixth of Feb. Be good to see
if there are some new faces in there, some new
(11:46):
new names, a bit of fresh blood. Next World Cup
of Courses in twenty twenty seven. So it's like a
long way away and is, but it'll be something that
I'm sure Michael Mayne will be thinking about when he
puts that squad together.
Speaker 1 (11:58):
For more from Sports Talk, listen Lived and News Talk
sai'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Duncie Wildegrave
from News Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
The Football Ferns our women's football side will be in
an action for the first time in twenty twenty five.
Next month, they'll meet Costa Rica in two matches. These
will be their first outings since the Paris Olympics back
in July. So it's been a week while between between
matches for our Football Ferns. The upcoming games Sunday, the
twenty third of February one o'clock New Zealand time and
(00:33):
then Wednesday, the twenty sixth of feb at eleven o'clock
New Zealand time, both played in San Jose, Costa Rica.
Interim Football Ferns coach is Michael Main, who joins us now. Michael,
thanks for your time this evening on sports Talk. When
will you announce your squad for these matches?
Speaker 3 (00:52):
Yeah, thanks having me fining. So we'll look to announce
this probably the end of this week, maybe start of
the following week. We're just working through some of the
final thoughts around the squad and what we want to
I guess or how we want to reach these games
in Costa Rica. So ye're not too far away. We're
really excited about the opportunity ahead of us. So we've
(01:14):
got a few days to just typically box them and
tran discussions and then that's will be out pretty surely.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
What has been front of mine for you when you're
putting the squad together, Well.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
Yeah, I think front of mine and this is something
that I guess is my role while I have it
is we've got to make sure that we're hitting the
ground and performing. I think a big part of I
guess what we want to try to do early in
the cycle was just make sure that we're really building
for twenty seven. Now that might be me taking it
(01:49):
through and it might not, so I guess answering the
challenge of making sure we're building some depth in this
teas and competition in this team. So I think there's
a there's a rare opportunity here to I guess, showcase
some plays that maybe have been in the squad previously
and some that may be new to the squad, as
well as obviously leaning on the experience that we've we've
(02:10):
currently got. I think it's just about making we're setting
up as well as we can going into twenty seven.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
So we may see some new faces, some players in
the squad who haven't featured for New Zealand before it.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
Yeah, potentially, I think. I think there's a couple of
players there that are we having discussions with, and my
coaching staff and technical staff are looking close to that.
We've got to look and see a couple a couple
more days just to let a few games play out.
And I guess you see, we're playing and now I
think the thing is is just making sure it real
good I guess out of across the squad and the
(02:43):
way we want to play. So, yeah, there could be
some opportunities that players that comes to the squads for
the first time, and like I said, there are opportunities
possibly for players that have been around the squad previously
but maybe haven't taken part with the last couple of
big clinical events. But the whole point of it is
just to make sure that we've got real competition going
(03:04):
for because I think everybody we want to see this team,
you know, region of the teacher it has and get
results on the pitch, and we're hyping for this team.
That's that's what we should be doing.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
I think Melia Steinmetz has an a c L which
she's recovering from. But apart from her, are the other
seventeen players you had with you at the Olympics all available?
Speaker 3 (03:28):
Good question, there's yeah, obviously Malaia's are real. It was sallow.
She's a big piece of this team and great character
and great great on the pitch for us, So obviously
we're tracking her progress really closely, but she's a while away.
There there's a couple. There's a couple sort of I
guess nedles in the group that we're having a chef
(03:53):
service last. You know, again, where players are at and
I think for us is just making sure we've got
players that can go across sa Rica hid the ground
running filled in a good place is super important to
the way I want to I guess progress with this team.
So yeah, without going into probably all the names, is
(04:15):
normal sort of wear and tear and niggle that you
get from a season. And then there's a couple that
we're just tracking that have probably just before Christmas, that
have picked up a little injuries that we just want
to make sure we're doing the right thing for the player.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
Can you give us an update on Ellie Riley? I
know she picked up an injury back end of last year.
Has she has she retired? What's her situation?
Speaker 3 (04:37):
No, not, as far as I know. I've been in
touching with Ali obviously since the Olympics. She's obviously really
focused on returning and returning strongly to play. So again,
we're just staying in contact. Is that piece sort of
as she weeks through that piece and tries to get
(04:58):
back on the pitch and get playing again. Obviously since
the end of the season, she's she did a lot
going on, and yeah, again she's one that we'll just
stay in contact with and and sort of make sure
that she's progressing how she needs and.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
An elite she was in golf for you in all
three games at the Olympics. She's now without a club
though having departed Aston Villa. Will she still be in
contention even though she doesn't have a club currently.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
Yeah, So Ana's one that again she was on the
injury list as she departed that club, and that's something
we're just working through at the moment as well. So again,
been in many conversations prior to Christmas and as a
couple of days ago. So she's one that's probably more
at the moment one of those ones on that injury
(05:49):
list that I'm just sort of tracking and making sure
we make good decisions for her. And obviously she's she's
got a little bit of working here her to figure
out her next steps in terms of club and returns
to play, So we've got a bit of a plan
and place there. So yeah, again, international footballs are an
interesting on this in particular with you know, number of
players that kind of between seasons. Always always tricky. But
(06:13):
I think that's where my I guess my technical teams
been doing a really good job just to mushal that
our players are still still doing the work and affect
us they're called upon to coming to the store.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
And we had the news in the last couple of
weeks that Maya Hahn has committed to New Zealand. She's
been in the German system for the last little while,
playing club football over there and playing well, being in
and around some of the German sides, but she's committed
to New Zealand. Is she on your radar for the squad?
Speaker 4 (06:41):
Yeah, it'll have.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
Had some really good conversation with Maya. I am lucky
enough to work with her when we're in Uruguay after
multiple sort of conversations with her. Her desired to come
back to represent our all in New Zealand was high
on her agenda.
Speaker 1 (06:59):
So.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
Has been a really positive thing for us prior to Christmas.
And then yeah, look, she's she's definitely in the conversation
for this tour. I think what she can bring this
team in terms of the I guess, the way she
likes to play and what she likes to get on
the ball. She's she's mobile, like she's playing in a
very good league. So yeah, it would be silly for
(07:24):
me not to I guess consider immediately at the start
of this news cycle. So again, she's one that's definitely
in the conversations for Costa Rica.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
All right, good to hear. We know the Wellington Phoenix
women are playing a league football Auckland FC about to
join well next season will join the women's competition. How
much of a boost will that be to the game here?
Another professional pathway for female footballers here in New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
That's it in this role of a real point of
betting close to the next setup down with Paul. So yeah,
I've been there a handful of times this season. I
read for sort of multi day visit. I look forward
to kind of ould be able to do that to
progress that we've bought it as well. I think for
(08:12):
us in the country, this is one of our competit
advantage that we can which so closely with our two
professional clubs and really you know, like see how that
plan as we've been together with the football firms, because
there's no yeah, there's no A lot of our players
can through the system now are going to go through
(08:33):
those two clubs before they either step in the first
team there or they progress overseas. Like that's it's just
part of our it's going to look going forward. So
I think for us, the smartest thing we can do
is get super aligned on the types of players that
are being developed through those systems how we can support them,
but also shewing a lot of the I guess the
(08:53):
knowledge we get from international football and make sure of
that feeds down really really well. So yeah, that's been
a big piece of my work for the last three
months probably is aligned in that pathway ecosystem and making
sure that it will makes sense as part of the
I guess the wider camp a plan for twenty seven brilliant.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
You're still interim coach. When are they going to give
you the job full time?
Speaker 3 (09:16):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (09:16):
Yeah, look, I'm you know, I'm waiting and ready for
whenever he's done a football decide it's time to press
go on that process. Like, look, I've been with his
team now for over two years, and whilst it was
I guess a different way.
Speaker 3 (09:34):
To come into the role. Yeah. Look, I feel like
while I'm holding out the moment and I guess the
outcomes I want, this will be one hundred per me
in terms of how I approached this and what I
want to do with a squad. So look, I can
only do the job that I think everybody in the
country wants us to do, and that's to make sure
this team's progressing. I'm sure it's performing well and scoring goals.
(09:55):
And yeah, whenever he's on a football decide to yeah,
hit the hit the green light on that and progress
this process, I'll be ready to go.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
Well, I guess it took a while from Darren Baisley
to go interim to head, so maybe it's the same thing.
Come on your way, Michael, Hey, all the best for
the upcoming games against Costa Rica. Look forward to the
squad coming out the next week. Well, thanks for taking
the time for a chat.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
I appreciate it. Thank you, mate.
Speaker 2 (10:18):
That's Michael Maine, interim head coach of the Football Ferns,
soon to be your hope head coach. It's a rather
unusual situation. Michael Mayne, if you're not aware of the
background of this, was an assistant coach for a couple
of years to Yitka clim Kova. I'm not going to
re litigate all of the Yetkak Climkova saga, but of
(10:40):
course she left the post, didn't take the team to
the Olympics. Michael Mayne did that and did a fairly
serviceable job against some tough opponents with a team that
he didn't really select. It was kind of handed to him.
It was a very difficult situation. Not that the squad
I don't think would have been too different, but the
fact remains he almost inherited a team with not a
(11:03):
lot of notice really and did a pretty good job.
So they haven't played since the Olympics. They haven't yet
announced a time frame for the appointment of a new
permanent head coach of the Football Ferns. In the meantime,
it's as though Michael Mayne just carries on until he's
told otherwise. Similar situation as I say to when Darren
Baisley took the reins and that was in an interim
(11:26):
capacity after Danny Hay left and Darren Basley had the
team for quite a while before he was confirmed as
as permanent head coach. So maybe the same thing's going
to happen to Michael Maine. Regardless he'll take them to
Costa Rica next month for these two matches twenty third
of feb twenty sixth of Feb. Be good to see
if there are some new faces in there, some new
(11:46):
new names, a bit of fresh blood. Next World Cup
of Courses in twenty twenty seven. So it's like a
long way away and is, but it'll be something that
I'm sure Michael Mayne will be thinking about when he
puts that squad together.
Speaker 1 (11:58):
For more from Sports Talk, listen Lived and News Talk
sai'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio
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