Teenager Milly Clegg has been included in the Football Ferns squad. Photo / Photosport
Teenager Milly Clegg has been included in the Football Ferns squad. Photo / Photosport
When the Football Ferns played at the 2019 Women’s World Cup, Milly Clegg was a 13-year-old student at Mt Albert Grammar.
Studies took a back seat for a couple of weeks as Clegg got up in the middle of the night to watch the games beamed in from France.
Fouryears on and the Wellington Phoenix prodigy can contemplate playing at football’s showpiece event after being named in the Ferns squad for the tournament.
“It feels amazing, really surreal,” Clegg told the Herald. “It hasn’t really sunk in yet but it’s so exciting.”
Clegg is still at school — in Year 13 — but by correspondence, necessary after relocating to Wellington late last year to play for the A-League club.
“It’s been going okay, sometimes I miss getting the work done,” she said.
Her rise has been rapid, after appearing at the Under-17 and Under-20 World Cups last year, then being a late signing for the Phoenix before making her Ferns debut in April.
In the end her selection wasn’t a massive surprise — as her raw talent couldn’t be ignored — but it is a wonderful story.
But yesterday there were a lot of wonderful stories.
There was Rebekah Stott, with some teammates almost in tears as she took the stage after her long battle with Hodgkin’s lymphoma before returning to the sport.
Rebekah Stott was always confident she would beat cancer and return for this year's home World Cup. Photo / Photosport
There was Annalie Longo, who overcame the adversity of a torn ACL last September to make her fifth World Cup. A year ago Michaela Foster was a teacher playing Northern League football, while 32-year-old goalkeeper Victoria Esson had to wait more than a decade for her international opportunity.
Ria Percival overcame an awful knee injury to make the squad, while combative midfielder Malia Steinmetz — who had questioned her football future not so long ago — was onstage receiving her Ferns jersey from her 84-year-old grandmother.
It was a family affair at Eden Park, with parents — including All Blacks coach Ian Foster and his wife Leigh — brothers, sisters and even Katie Bowen’s young nephew Frankie involved in the ceremony.
The squad has an exciting, fresh look, compared to previous editions. Along with veterans such as Percival, Ali Riley, Hannah Wilkinson and Betsy Hassett, there are 10 players who could make their first appearance at a World Cup.
It’s a well-balanced group. During the presentation, coach Jitka Klimkova reflected on her tenure, which has seen 50 players called up — 24 for the first time — and 14 make their international debuts. Some of those players — like Clegg, Foster, Finland-based striker Jacqui Hand and former Australian representative Indiah-Paige Riley — could have pivotal roles at the tournament.
Defender Meikayla Moore, who has amassed 63 caps since her debut in 2013, was the notable omission. It will be tough to take, especially as Moore played no part four years ago in France after a cruel training injury days before the first game.
But Moore has struggled for form over the last two years and has been recently hampered by a back injury, which has seen her slip in the rankings.
“It was a really, really hard call,” said Klimkova. “She is wonderful in the group.”
The versatility of Liz Anton — who can cover every backline position — won her the spot, which was also contested by Kate Taylor. Moore, Taylor and Ava Collins were named as training players, who can be called in as replacements up to 24 hours before the first match on July 20, should injury strike. Either way, they will remain with the team throughout.
In terms of setting the tone for the tournament, yesterday was a special event. There were more than 30 former Ferns in attendance, including several members of the legendary 1975 group — the first New Zealand women’s side — who won the Asian Cup.
The Football Ferns at the squad announcement. Photo / Photosport
The captain of that team, Barbara Cox, talked about legacy, reminded the 2023 squad of their whakapapa and implored them to “make the most of this amazing opportunity”.
Percival was confirmed as co-captain, alongside Ali Riley. Klimkova said that was a decision made some time ago, but Percival’s injury against Australia last April — which took her out of the Ferns equation for more than a year — meant the announcement was put on ice.
Klimkova said it was a move Riley had been supportive of, as a way to share the responsibility and decision-making that came with the role.
“For Ali it is more about having someone in the team that she can discuss things with and being a little challenged, too,” said Klimkova. “That is the best way for this team and they are so different. Ali is the positive one and Ria is a tougher nut. She doesn’t talk much but if she says something everyone is listening. So it’s a good combination of two different personalities.”
In a short but passionate speech, Percival thanked all of the former players — “we wouldn’t be where we are today without you” — and said the team were ready to go.
Klimkova echoed those sentiments, emphasising the progress made over the last nine weeks in camp.
“We are in a good place,” said Klimkova. “We are excited, we can’t wait and I know we can perform.”
The squad have a few days off before reconvening ahead of the Vietnam match in Napier on July 10. From there they will go into full tournament mode — at their Keith Hay Park base — ahead of their tournament opener against Norway on July 20.
