NZ Football CEO Andy Martin (left) and NZF technical director Andreas Heraf (right). Photo / Photosport
NZ Football CEO Andy Martin (left) and NZF technical director Andreas Heraf (right). Photo / Photosport
Two weeks on from announcing a historic pay parity agreement, the Football Ferns are seemingly at a crossroads — with allegations of a dressing room fallout leading to their best player quitting for the second time in 15 months and a senior staff member also walking away.
The Herald on Sunday was told "a series of disagreements" between coach Andreas Heraf and 129-cap defender Abby Erceg in the build-up to and during New Zealand's twin defeats to Scotland in Spain in March led to the latter's unexpected retirement after first calling it quits in February last year — firing a broadside at the sport's national body. Erceg returned to the international fold a year later.
Her latest retirement was announced this week when Heraf named his team for a friendly against Japan on June 10.
Heraf, NZF's technical director, was also appointed Ferns coach in December last year. He denied there were any issues with Erceg when contacted by the Herald on Sunday yesterday.
"Nothing happened between us," Heraf said. "I worked hard to get her back to the team, met her three, four times, and now she has gone again. Before, she told me she had lost the fun of playing for the [national team] and maybe that is her feeling again. But she has retired once, twice, and I don't think she will play again."
It's believed there were disagreements between Erceg and Heraf during the camp, right from when the former Ferns captain linked up with the squad from the United States.
Nothing happened between us. I worked hard to get her back to the team, met her three, four times, and now she has gone again.
Her absence is a big loss — she remains New Zealand's best female player, and as a defender, the 28-year-old should be coming into her prime. As one current Fern said, "it's a lose-lose situation for everyone".
Long-time manager Claire Hamilton resigned immediately after returning from the tour, while experienced technical analyst Gary Connell has left after getting a job in Qatar.
New conditioning coach Juan Roman also raised eyebrows among some of the players, with his methods, the Herald on Sunday understands.
According to another team member, the long-established player-driven culture, the hallmark of this current Ferns generation, "was gone ... it just wasn't there".
There was also some disquiet about a speech Heraf gave to the team after their second game against the Scots, when it's believed he questioned the desire and will to win among the group — and allegedly warned the players that none of them were indispensable. However, Heraf remains buoyant, insisting his methods will engender the right results.
"Whenever there is a change in environment, things can be uncomfortable," said Heraf.
"Change is necessary to improve, but sometimes changes hurt. As human beings, we don't like change. But we need to bring in a new way, we have to raise the level and for some players, especially if you have 70, 80, 90 games, it might be difficult. But it's necessary."
The Austrian maintains the Ferns need to improve their mental edge.
"[New Zealand] only won two of 19 games on the world stage in the last 10 years. Maybe that 100 per cent winning mentality is a little bit missing. We need to change that a little bit ... we will always be underdogs but will need to find a way."
Heraf also insists he hasn't lost the dressing room.
"All of the players have come back, apart from Abby," said Heraf. "These other statements [in the media] are just rumours.
"I've been in touch with all of the girls, they are all excited to come back. No one has said anything to me.
"Remember, being coach was not my idea. It was not Andy's idea [NZF chief executive Andy Martin]. It was the girls. They came to me, they came to Andy, after the Thailand tour, asking if I could continue.
"Of course I like coaching, and I thought it could work, with the TD [technical director] role for a short time. There is no issue at all and I feel quite comfortable."
