Olivia Chance misses out on Cup squad

Being the right player trying to fit into the wrong formation for her game has bumped Tauranga schoolgirl Olivia Chance out of the 21-strong New Zealand women's football squad for the World Cup in Germany, which starts later this month.
Chance's name was missing from the squad read out by New Zealand Football chairman Frank van Hattum at a press conference in Auckland yesterday, although a phone call from Football Ferns coach John Herdman last Friday confirmed what the 17-year-old had feared all along - she wouldn't be in the squad leaving for Europe on Sunday.
Chance, New Zealand's young women's player of the year after a standout under-17 women's World Cup for her country, said today she'd known all along that adapting her game, which is based on pace and one-on-one attacking ability, to Herdman's "holding" formation would be a big ask.
She made her debut for the full New Zealand team at the Cyprus Cup tournament in March, starting in one match and playing two others off the reserves' bench, and also had game time in the recent tour to Australia and China.
But Chance said Herdman's diamond formation, in place of the traditional 4-3-2 or 3-4-3 setups, meant changing her style to playing more of a holding role in midfield rather than using her pace to push forward down the flanks.
"With the diamond formation there's less of a role for wingers, which is my favoured position. John explained to me his reasons for leaving me out, saying while I had good ability on the ball my game just didn't fit the formation he was using.
"Playing his formation sort of removes my strengths, using my pace, getting wide and taking players on, and that was one of my big concerns from the start, that he had that formation and that I'd struggle to fit that pattern. I gave it my best shot but it wasn't a huge shock to learn I didn't make it."
Chance is listed as non-travelling reserve, meaning there's still a slim chance of a call-up, although she's not holding out much hope and will carry on training and playing for Claudelands Rovers and Tauranga Girls' College.
Teenagers Katie Bowen and Erin Nayler forced their way into the squad. Bowen, 17, who represented New Zealand at the under-17 World Cups in 2008 and 2010, makes the squad as fullback and midfield cover after making her debut against Australia last month. Nayler, 19, was a standout performer for New Zealand at the under-20 World Cup in Germany last year and boosts the goalkeeping stocks behind veteran Jenny Bindon and Aroon Clansey. Otherwise, the squad is notable for continuity of selection and tournament experience. This will be New Zealand's third World Cup. Herdman believes a lot has changed since China four years ago, when they lost pool matches to Denmark, Brazil and the hosts by a combined score of 9-0.
"It's nice not to be taking a whole raft of teenagers this time. We had nine under-20 players in the 2007 World Cup squad and while we are still a young team in comparison to the teams we have to beat, it's a reflection on the evolution of the game here that we are not as reliant on youth players."
New Zealand open their World Cup against group B seeds Japan in Bochum on June 27 before taking on England on July 1 in Dresden and completing pool play against Mexico in Sinsheim four days later.
Squad: Goalkeepers: Jenny Bindon (Hibiscus Coast, 54), Aroon Clansey (Three Kings United, 5), Erin Nayler (Eastern Suburbs, 0).
Defenders: Katie Bowen (Glenfield Rovers, 1), Abby Erceg (Fencibles United, 56), Anna Green (Three Kings United, 36), Kristy Hill (Three Kings United, 17), Ria Percival (Lynn Avon United, 53), Ali Riley (Western New York Flash, 46), Rebecca Smith (captain, VfL Wolfsburg, 52).
Midfielders: Betsy Hassett (UCAL Berkeley, 22), Katie Hoyle (Glenfield Rovers, 45), Annalie Longo (Three Kings United, 29), Hayley Moorwood (Chelsea, 63), Kirsty Yallop (Fencibles United, 47).
Forwards: Sarah Gregorius (Eastern Suburbs, 12), Amber Hearn (Lynn Avon United, 42), Emma Kete (Three Kings United, 39), Sarah McLaughlin (Claudelands Rovers, 8), Rosie White (Three Kings United, 36), Hannah Wilkinson (Glenfield Rovers, 18).
Coaching team: John Herdman (head coach), Tony Readings (assistant coach), Simon Eaddy (goalkeeping coach).