Football Ferns head coach Jitka Klimková. Photo / Photosport
Football Ferns coach Jitka Klimkova was given the longest contract in New Zealand Football history, along with the unique opportunity to oversee a home World Cup. Michael Burgess assesses her performance.
Football Ferns’ coach Jitka Klimkova deserves a lot of credit for the team’s performances at this Fifa Women’s World Cup, though some lingering questions remain.
The pain of the team’s exit sharpened on Monday night, watching an Australian side under immense pressure demolish the highly-rated Canadians to stay alive.
It’s an unfair comparison - as the Matildas have been a world-class side for several years - but will be made, as they achieved what the Ferns couldn’t, and against tougher opposition than Switzerland.
But history will judge this New Zealand campaign a success.
The Norway game wasn’t just a historic first World Cup win, it was the best performance - by some distance - in the Ferns’ history, as they outplayed the world 12th-ranked team and coped with the occasion admirably.
The display against Switzerland also had merit, particularly in the first half.
And Klimkova coached without luck, as Jacqui Hand hit the woodwork twice in successive games, along with the fractional offside in Wellington.
If any of the three opportunities counted, the Ferns are likely preparing for the Round of 16 this week.
Preparation
Klimkova’s early tenure was hampered by Covid, which made staffing and selection difficult. There was an awful run of injuries to senior players and she had a comparatively short lead in-to the World Cup, though that can’t completely excuse some of the flat performances in the build-up.
Squad Selection
After trying out a record number of players, Klimkova got her squad calls right. Victoria Esson emerged from nowhere to become the starting keeper, while Hand was a revelation. Klimkova got the best out of Malia Steinmetz and the decision to use Katie Bowen as a defender was a masterstroke. But she was overly cautious with the likes of Michaela Foster and Milly Clegg, who should have been brought into the environment earlier.
Resourcing
Klimkova had almost unprecedented resources. She had a fulltime assistant, which has only happened once before for a senior national coach (Anthony Hudson). The Ferns’ staffing levels dwarfed any previous New Zealand squad, even the 2010 All Whites World Cup team.
New Zealand Football (NZF) spent millions preparing this team, including the nine-week camp, and the total budget is believed to eclipse any national team in history. The Ferns had 23 preparation matches in 18 months, many against higher-ranked teams.
But within NZF, the high-performance programme wasn’t always aligned, while the sight of the team training occasionally on unforgiving turf pitches during the preparation camp was bizarre.
Contract
Klimkova has the luxury of a six-year contract, unique in New Zealand history. It’s a responsibility but also a privilege, especially as the Ferns are guaranteed participation at World Cups and Olympics, due to the lack of any strong Oceania opposition in qualifying.
Considering the programme around her, NZF have invested millions in Klimkova.
Tactics and style
Klimkova and her staff got their plans spot-on at Eden Park, in a coaching triumph. They surprised Norway with their set-up, never let them settle and defused their strengths. But the switch to a 4-3-3 in Wellington backfired, with Hannah Wilkinson isolated and both Malia Steinmetz and Ria Percival used away from their strongest positions.
While Philippines coach Alen Stajcic admitted his team would have lost on points in a boxing match, he out-coached Klimkova that night. The team was more balanced against Switzerland, though the decision to use Olivia Chance as a left winger was hard to understand.
Overall the team played a more attractive and complete style than previous Ferns outfits.
Attack and defence
After issues in the past year, they solidified at the World Cup, becoming a much harder team to break down. The work in the final third gets a pass mark, as they created a number of opportunities, especially against Norway and the Philippines.
Game management
This is the biggest question mark. The inability to react during the first half in Wellington - when the Ferns looked unbalanced - was ultimately costly. The other flashpoint came in the last 45 minutes against Switzerland, which was a chance for Klimkova and principal assistant Keri Sarver to shine. But they didn’t, instead making a series of substitutions that were hard to follow.
They took a long time to counteract the Swiss switch to a midfield diamond, which left the Ferns overmatched. The decision to replace co-captain Ria Percival was a head-scratcher, as was the move to use Grace Jale out of position on the left when desperate for a goal, or bring on Gabi Rennie when it didn’t seem the kind of situation for her to make an impact.
Instead of building to a finale, the Ferns lost all structure and barely created a clear-cut chance, especially compared to the first period.
No plan B
The Switzerland finale demonstrated the lack of an alternative plan if Hannah Wilkinson can’t provide a breakthrough. It was difficult against such a packed defence but there were other options.
What about Michaela Foster? She has the best set-piece delivery in the team, along with the ability to get down the flank and whip in crosses.
The pure pace of Paige Satchell could have also provided headaches, while Clegg is the most instinctive finisher in the team. There was also an option of changing to a back three, given they needed more width and numbers forward.
Taking responsibility
When asked about the costly Philippines result, Klimkova felt it was partly due to dealing with an unprecedented situation, after the Norway breakthrough. “This was about really learning from what we have not done before,” said Klimkova.
But the coach needs to take more responsibility. Klimkova had to ensure that the recipe was right for Wellington. It was a hard act to follow - especially such a momentous win - but the likes of Nigeria and Colombia have shown it is possible.
Conclusion
Klimkova has earned her place in history.
She wasn’t blessed with the most technical or talented squad, but she got a lot out of them.
But was there more to be mined? It still feels like a missed opportunity. The Ferns had the benefit of playing on home soil and had a navigable path, in the only group without a top-10 nation and the Philippines as genuine minnows.
For context, the 2015 assignment in Canada, grouped with the eighth-, 12th- and 16th-ranked teams, was a much tougher prospect and the Ferns were a dodgy penalty decision away from both their first win and a ticket to the knockout stages.
Michael Burgess has been a sports journalist since 2005, winning several national awards and covering Olympics, Fifa World Cups and America’s Cup campaigns. A football aficionado, Burgess will never forget the noise that greeted Rory Fallon’s goal against Bahrain in Wellington in 2009.
Interim coach Michael Mayne lost a key opportunity to prove his suitability.