September 15, 2024 • 7 mins
Burg talks us through the shambles that is NZ Football and resigns three years into a six-year term. The Czech native won’t be returning to the role she has held since September 2021
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the Country Sport Breakfast with Brian Kelly on
Gold Sport.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
We're talking footy now on the Country's Bold Breakfast. We're
on Friday, Last Friday. Yitka cm Kova has ended it
uncertainty surrounding the future as Football Fern's coach by resigning
three years into a six year term. The check native
won't be returning to the role that she's had since
September of twenty twenty one, after stepping aside for the
(00:28):
Paris Olympics following an investigation into an undisclosed employment matter.
Joining us on the show this Morning out of New
Zealand Herald as football writer Michael Burgas want to Burge
good morning, talk us through how we got to this point,
what happened.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
I don't know if we've got long enough to be honest,
but yeah, I mean I wrote it. I wrote a
piece about it on Friday and described it as a
as a mess of mystery and a muddle, and that's
sort of that's sort of what it is. But the
short summery is she was decided to stand down a
few days before their last friendlies before the Olympics due
to this investigation. They did the investigation, she was cleared,
(01:10):
so she came back. There was a statement saying she's
coming back. This is after about two weeks. She's coming back.
She'll be in charge for the Olympics. About two weeks
later another statement comes out. I think, oh, actually, due
to some other factors around the environment, around con COB's
well being and some other things, she won't be in
charge in Paris. And of course we had Michael Maine
in charge in Paris, so there was already all this
(01:33):
this back and forth, which was frankly quite bizarre to
have a coach, you know, step away, come back, and
then step away again. The Ferns went through their Olympics
campaign and now here we are a few weeks after
the Olympics and it's sort of finally been decided that
she's definitely not coming back.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
I believe though, that she's going to remain working for
New Zealand Football for the next six months doing what.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
Yeah, that's where it gets interesting. New Zealand Football wouldn't
say much about this on Friday. They've just sort of
said she'll be helping with high performance things and with
team activity. I don't think she'll be too involved with
the team because you know, there's been there's been a
few dramas and friction and that sort of thing. So
(02:22):
I can't see her being involved with the team, but
maybe she'll be the thing. I can see her doing
maybe some scouting, so maybe scouting some of their opponents
and helping with some other things around their fixtures. But
my suspicion is that this situation, which is pretty weird.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
I mean, I don't know if you can think.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
Of too many other situations where a coach steps away, resigned,
as to leave, whichever way you want to put it,
because I think saying she resigned is it is half right,
and the other thing is, you know, she was also
a bit pushed to leave. But the fact she's still
going to be around for six months to me indicates
that it's just a compromise with the six year contract
(03:01):
that you pointed out, So it's sort of a way
of them continuing to pay her for another period. Because
obviously there must have been some pretty well not must
have been I know there were some pretty intense negotiations
about that situation because she was on a six year contract.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
So what's next, I mean, who's going to take over
the head coaching role.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
Yeah, that's one of the questions around this. There's still
a few other questions to be answered around how this
is all unfolded. But yes, who is going to take
over the culturing role?
Speaker 3 (03:36):
New Zealand football don't have Let's be honest, they don't
have a great track record when it comes to this
process of searching for coaches because finding football coaches is
always tricky because there's coaches all over the world with
these fancy cvs and you've got to work out who's
going to be good and who's not. Then I'm sure
you and your listeners remember when Danny hay stepped away.
(03:59):
They took a long time to find Danny Hayes's successor.
There was talk that Canadian coach John Herman was going
to take the role. Then he wasn't that he was
interested in He wasn't and ended up with Darren Baisley,
who who had been assistant. So I'm sure Mike, the
current interim coach, Michael Maine, will be a contender. But
also I also know they're planning to have another process
(04:22):
where basically they go to the market because this is
a big appointment, Brian, because they've got a bit of time.
I guess the one good thing about that's a good
bit of time because the next you'd say, major milestone
event is the Woman's World Cup, which isn't until the
next Woman's World Cup, which is until twenty twenty seven.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Do you think we'll we'll attract some big names, some
good coaches. Can we get them?
Speaker 3 (04:49):
You'll get some yeah, good, good question. You'll get some
decent names. I think because the reason the Fern's job
is so attractive is that due to the situation I
know she where women's football in the Islands or the
competing nations is so far behind where we are in
New Zealand, just because of the way the game's developed,
so it's so far behind. So the football firms have
(05:10):
a free ticket to the Olympics and the World Cup,
so whereas if you're coaching in anywhere else in Europe
and Asia and South America, even the big countries, it's
bloody hard to get to those tournaments. England didn't make
the last Olympics. They couldn't qualify for the last Olympics,
so that makes it quite attractive. But yeah, there are
(05:32):
some tricky things. You're you're down at the bottom of
the world and also the salary package won't compare to
what you would get coaching in North America Europe. But yeah,
I think they'llar tracks and dollar tracks and decent contenders
because people will see the potential of coaching at these
big tournaments.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Yet gil be remembered as the coach that led us
to our first ever FIFA Women's World Cup win. But
her track record isn't really the best, is it.
Speaker 3 (06:04):
No? No, yeah, there's definitely two sides of this. Her
results were not great, probably in comparisons and previous firms coaches,
not quite as good if you look at it overall results.
And I know we all remember leading into that World
Cup there was a lot of concern because the results
had been poort, although she had been trying a lot
(06:25):
of different players and she also had to deal with
a lot of injuries. But yeah, the results hadn't been great.
But that night against Norway that the whole country remember
is at Eden Park, that was incredible. It wasn't just
the result, It wasn't like a fluky one they'll win.
It was an amazing performance and she got out of
a group of players that had basically underperformed a previous
(06:48):
major tournament, so she'll always have that and that will
always be special. It was a shame they couldn't capitalize
in that with the loss of the Philippines and Wellington
and then the draw against Switzerland, which meant they didn't
the second round, which is probably what they needed to
do at a home World Cup. But yeah, she certainly
leaves with a mixed legacy.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
Yeah, I think eleven from thirty nine matches since she
took charge. Bur It's nice to chat mate. Thank you
so much for your contribution.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
No problem, Good to chat again, Brih.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Michael Burgess, New Zealand Herald forty writer. So we'll watch
the space regarding who's going to take charge of the
team
This is the Country Sport Breakfast with Brian Kelly on
Gold Sport.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
We're talking footy now on the Country's Bold Breakfast. We're
on Friday, Last Friday. Yitka cm Kova has ended it
uncertainty surrounding the future as Football Fern's coach by resigning
three years into a six year term. The check native
won't be returning to the role that she's had since
September of twenty twenty one, after stepping aside for the
(00:28):
Paris Olympics following an investigation into an undisclosed employment matter.
Joining us on the show this Morning out of New
Zealand Herald as football writer Michael Burgas want to Burge
good morning, talk us through how we got to this point,
what happened.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
I don't know if we've got long enough to be honest,
but yeah, I mean I wrote it. I wrote a
piece about it on Friday and described it as a
as a mess of mystery and a muddle, and that's
sort of that's sort of what it is. But the
short summery is she was decided to stand down a
few days before their last friendlies before the Olympics due
to this investigation. They did the investigation, she was cleared,
(01:10):
so she came back. There was a statement saying she's
coming back. This is after about two weeks. She's coming back.
She'll be in charge for the Olympics. About two weeks
later another statement comes out. I think, oh, actually, due
to some other factors around the environment, around con COB's
well being and some other things, she won't be in
charge in Paris. And of course we had Michael Maine
in charge in Paris, so there was already all this
(01:33):
this back and forth, which was frankly quite bizarre to
have a coach, you know, step away, come back, and
then step away again. The Ferns went through their Olympics
campaign and now here we are a few weeks after
the Olympics and it's sort of finally been decided that
she's definitely not coming back.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
I believe though, that she's going to remain working for
New Zealand Football for the next six months doing what.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
Yeah, that's where it gets interesting. New Zealand Football wouldn't
say much about this on Friday. They've just sort of
said she'll be helping with high performance things and with
team activity. I don't think she'll be too involved with
the team because you know, there's been there's been a
few dramas and friction and that sort of thing. So
(02:22):
I can't see her being involved with the team, but
maybe she'll be the thing. I can see her doing
maybe some scouting, so maybe scouting some of their opponents
and helping with some other things around their fixtures. But
my suspicion is that this situation, which is pretty weird.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
I mean, I don't know if you can think.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
Of too many other situations where a coach steps away, resigned,
as to leave, whichever way you want to put it,
because I think saying she resigned is it is half right,
and the other thing is, you know, she was also
a bit pushed to leave. But the fact she's still
going to be around for six months to me indicates
that it's just a compromise with the six year contract
(03:01):
that you pointed out, So it's sort of a way
of them continuing to pay her for another period. Because
obviously there must have been some pretty well not must
have been I know there were some pretty intense negotiations
about that situation because she was on a six year contract.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
So what's next, I mean, who's going to take over
the head coaching role.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
Yeah, that's one of the questions around this. There's still
a few other questions to be answered around how this
is all unfolded. But yes, who is going to take
over the culturing role?
Speaker 3 (03:36):
New Zealand football don't have Let's be honest, they don't
have a great track record when it comes to this
process of searching for coaches because finding football coaches is
always tricky because there's coaches all over the world with
these fancy cvs and you've got to work out who's
going to be good and who's not. Then I'm sure
you and your listeners remember when Danny hay stepped away.
(03:59):
They took a long time to find Danny Hayes's successor.
There was talk that Canadian coach John Herman was going
to take the role. Then he wasn't that he was
interested in He wasn't and ended up with Darren Baisley,
who who had been assistant. So I'm sure Mike, the
current interim coach, Michael Maine, will be a contender. But
also I also know they're planning to have another process
(04:22):
where basically they go to the market because this is
a big appointment, Brian, because they've got a bit of time.
I guess the one good thing about that's a good
bit of time because the next you'd say, major milestone
event is the Woman's World Cup, which isn't until the
next Woman's World Cup, which is until twenty twenty seven.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Do you think we'll we'll attract some big names, some
good coaches. Can we get them?
Speaker 3 (04:49):
You'll get some yeah, good, good question. You'll get some
decent names. I think because the reason the Fern's job
is so attractive is that due to the situation I
know she where women's football in the Islands or the
competing nations is so far behind where we are in
New Zealand, just because of the way the game's developed,
so it's so far behind. So the football firms have
(05:10):
a free ticket to the Olympics and the World Cup,
so whereas if you're coaching in anywhere else in Europe
and Asia and South America, even the big countries, it's
bloody hard to get to those tournaments. England didn't make
the last Olympics. They couldn't qualify for the last Olympics,
so that makes it quite attractive. But yeah, there are
(05:32):
some tricky things. You're you're down at the bottom of
the world and also the salary package won't compare to
what you would get coaching in North America Europe. But yeah,
I think they'llar tracks and dollar tracks and decent contenders
because people will see the potential of coaching at these
big tournaments.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Yet gil be remembered as the coach that led us
to our first ever FIFA Women's World Cup win. But
her track record isn't really the best, is it.
Speaker 3 (06:04):
No? No, yeah, there's definitely two sides of this. Her
results were not great, probably in comparisons and previous firms coaches,
not quite as good if you look at it overall results.
And I know we all remember leading into that World
Cup there was a lot of concern because the results
had been poort, although she had been trying a lot
(06:25):
of different players and she also had to deal with
a lot of injuries. But yeah, the results hadn't been great.
But that night against Norway that the whole country remember
is at Eden Park, that was incredible. It wasn't just
the result, It wasn't like a fluky one they'll win.
It was an amazing performance and she got out of
a group of players that had basically underperformed a previous
(06:48):
major tournament, so she'll always have that and that will
always be special. It was a shame they couldn't capitalize
in that with the loss of the Philippines and Wellington
and then the draw against Switzerland, which meant they didn't
the second round, which is probably what they needed to
do at a home World Cup. But yeah, she certainly
leaves with a mixed legacy.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
Yeah, I think eleven from thirty nine matches since she
took charge. Bur It's nice to chat mate. Thank you
so much for your contribution.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
No problem, Good to chat again, Brih.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Michael Burgess, New Zealand Herald forty writer. So we'll watch
the space regarding who's going to take charge of the
team
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