Football: Veteran midfielder claims Football Ferns are stronger unit from 2018 dramas

Tom Sermanni replaced Andreas Heraf as Football Ferns coach. Photo / Photosport

Football Ferns veteran Katie Duncan believes the national team has become a much stronger unit, after the dramas of last year which sent shock waves through the sport.

The New Zealand side, who face Argentina on Sunday night in the Cup of Nations in Brisbane, were put through the mill in 2018.

There was an unhappy tour of Spain in March, with all kinds of off field dramas, before the 3-1 loss to Japan in Wellington, where the players were forced to implement a highly negative, defensive style of game, and then listen to their coach Andreas Heraf pronounce post-match that New Zealand "could never compete" with countries like Japan.

Behind the scenes there were multiple problems with the environment under Heraf, which led to the extraordinary step of 12 players submitting formal letters of complaint against their coach.

The ensuing investigation led to Heraf and former chief executive Andy Martin departing, as well as New Zealand Football chairman Deryck Shaw.

One can only imagine what was happening within — and around the group — during that time but Duncan says the team have rebounded well.

"That's done and dusted," said Duncan. "We try not to talk too much about that. We can learn from it but we are focussing on our upcoming games and want to improve and do better."

"We don't dwell on it. Obviously you can't ignore what happened but the team is in a completely different head space and the environment is such a positive one because of what happened.

"I feel the team is stronger in a way and more connected. Looking back now that was just a little blip in the scheme of things and we are focussing on what we can do now to go forward."

119-game-veteran Duncan, who retired in 2017 before returning to the fold earlier this year, was an outspoken critic of Heraf, and called for his resignation in the wake of the Japan match.

"It was a real deep sadness seeing the girls so restricted in their home game," said Duncan. "You wait all your life to play in a home game [like that] and everyone [was] limited to a shell of a player that they really were.

"I was so wound up about it - in utter disbelief. In my opinion I just had to be the voice and I shared my voice and my disbelief. At the end of the day, [it] helped with the momentum to get a proper investigation done."

Duncan hung up her boots at the conclusion of the Cyprus Cup in May 2017, after a career that encompassed three World Cups, three Olympics and club football in five countries. A qualified teacher, she spent last year in a "full on" job as head of P.E. at Stonefields school.

But a sense of unfinished business — and the appointment of Tom Sermanni as coach — has brought her back.

"It was good to have a go at what they call real life and working," laughed Duncan.

"But I wanted to take the opportunity to work with a highly respected new coach.

"And I felt I had more to give back to the team and the girls and thought I don't want any regrets later down the road. I thought I would give it a go and see how I goes."

Duncan is full of praise for Sermanni's work so far, saying the 65-year-old Scot is "just what the team needs.

"He has a lot of experience," said Duncan. "It's refreshing to have someone when you don't feel like you are playing from fear or you are playing restricted and he is not over complicating things."

The Ferns have an unprecedented build-up to the Women's World Cup in June, with six more games against quality opposition.

Duncan has a battle to make the side — there is no shortage of quality in the midfield area — but she is going to enjoy the ride.

Katie Duncan

Age: 31

Football Ferns debut: 14 November, 2006 vs China

A-Internationals: 119

Overseas clubs: SC 07 Bad Neuenahr, Notts County, FC Zurich and Melbourne Victory
Katie Duncan