Jay Herdman shone for the Junior All Whites. Photo / Photosport
As part of a Herald series looking at future 20-or-under stars in major New Zealand sports, Michael Burgess analyses five names to watch in football.
The surname will be familiar to Kiwis, as the son of former Football Ferns mentor and current Canada men’s coach John Herdman starts to make his mark in the professional game.
Born in Dunedin, Jay moved to Canada as an eight-year-old. He is eligible for England — through both parents — and had already represented Canada at age-group level, before he opted to join the New Zealand Under-20 team in September.
That could be a pivotal decision.
Herdman was a standout for the Junior All Whites in September’s Fifa Under-20 World Cup qualifying campaign in Tahiti, a vital presence in Darren Bazeley’s team, picking up the Golden Ball award for player of the tournament. He is technically very good, with a huge engine and can play in a number of attacking midfield roles. Perhaps most importantly, Herdman is a creative type, with an independent streak that is rare among players of his age, while his strength on the ball belies a small stature.
Last March, Herdman moved from the Whitecaps academy into the second team at Vancouver, who play in the MLS Next Pro, the reserve league of the MLS and the third tier of North American football.
The 18-year-old made 17 appearances (nine starts) last season, helping the Whitecaps to seventh in the Western Conference and 14th overall in the 21-team league.
Like any other young player, his allegiance won’t be fixed until he makes a senior international debut in a competitive match. Herdman is in a unique situation — with his father in charge of the Canada men’s team — and his progress will be closely watched.
If there is a bolter for the Football Ferns 2023 World Cup squad, Clegg could be the one. It would be a big call — as she doesn’t turn 18 until November — but certainly not out of the question.
Ferns coach Jitka Klimkova is reluctant to heap too much pressure on the youngster, conscious that she be allowed to develop in her own time. And the Auckland product needs to make a mark at the Phoenix before she could be considered for the senior national team.
But the excitement around Clegg is understandable, as she is that rare find in New Zealand football: A natural goal scorer.
Clegg was a strong performer at the Fifa Under-20 World Cup in Costa Rica, in an otherwise underwhelming campaign from the Junior Football Ferns, marked by a superbly taken goal against Colombia.
Before that, Clegg had showed her potential in tournament preparation matches with Australia. A few months later, she turned her attention to the Fifa Under-17 World Cup in India. She played all three games and was the only member of Leon Birnie’s team to find the net, scoring against Chile and Germany.
A remarkable year was topped off when she was offered a Wellington Phoenix contract, becoming the last member of Natalie Lawrence’s squad.
“She’s a huge talent,” Klimkova told the Herald. “We need to be careful how we are going to approach her journey but when it’s the right timing and she is performing then she is going to be invited at some point.
“The door is open and if players are ready, I always want to give them a chance. But Milly has had a big year with two World Cups and now her focus is getting some minutes at the Phoenix and step by step from there.”
Clegg started her footballing career at Ellerslie, before making a mark at Bucklands Beach over three seasons, where she scored a ton of goals.
She has also spent time at Auckland United, with the key assist in their 1-0 win in the 2022 Kate Sheppard Cup final over Northern Rovers.
Leuluai was first profiled by the Herald as a 12-year-old, in December 2018.
Part of a legendary New Zealand rugby league family — father Kylie played for Manly and Leeds while uncle James and cousin Thomas are Kiwis immortals — Marley had been at the Manchester City academy since he was seven.
He is now in his ninth season in that system, which has also meant a scholarship to a prestigious private school in Lancashire.
Though there is still a long way to go, Leuluai has great foundations to carve out a professional career, with experiences most Kiwi teenage footballers could only dream about.
Thankfully, Leuluai strongly identifies with his New Zealand heritage, despite spending almost his entire life in the north of England.
He will wear the silver fern for the first time in January, part of the national Under-17 team heading to the Oceania World Cup qualifying tournament in Fiji, ahead of the World Cup in Peru in 2023.
It comes after a frustrating period. He missed much of last season with a knee injury, while a back issue suffered in pre-season has interrupted this campaign, though Leuluai, who turned 16 in November, is back to full fitness now.
New Zealand Under-17 coach Martin Bullock says his progress can’t be underestimated.
“He has to be a top player to be in that environment for that amount of time,” says Bullock. “There is generally a turnover of players and if you are not operating at the required level your place would be taken by someone else. There are so many kids who would be desperate to get into that environment.
“Training four times a week and playing games with and against players of similar ability, you are going to be improving at a great rate.”
Bullock has yet to see Leuluai play live but has been impressed with what he has seen in the regular match footage provided by the English club.
“His physical attributes are very good,” said Bullock. “He’s an aggressive defender, presses forward really well and has the pace to cover in behind. He is also good in possession. He drives forward well and can pick passes and break lines.”
Canham has undoubted potential. The midfielder could have been part of the New Zealand campaign at the Fifa Under-17 World Cup in October but opted out of the trip to focus on her studies, as well as some pre-existing motocross commitments, another sport in which she is accomplished.
It was a loss for Leon Birnie’s team, as Canham brings valuable attributes.
She is a box-to-box midfielder with an impressive engine but also reads the game well. Canham specialises in late arrivals into the penalty area and has an eye for a goal. Whereas most in her position might be happy with finding the net five times in a season, Canham can manage double that.
Her prodigious ability was shown last July, when she celebrated her 17th birthday with four goals in a 5-0 win over Tauranga City.
A Kumeu product, Canham came through the grades at Forrest Hill Milford, before the amalgamation with Glenfield to form Northern Rovers. Canham helped Rovers reached the 2022 Kate Sheppard Cup final and also finish top of the Northern Women’s Premier League.
“Her leadership and ability to read a game stand out,” says former Rovers coach Ben Bate. “Even as a 15, 16-year-old, the senior players would bow down and listen to her because what she says is almost gospel. She reads the game so well she can direct those veterans around.
“It was quite interesting, we had players who had been in the team 10 years but they were prepared to follow Dani as they valued what she said.”
Bate said Canham was almost a coach on the field for him — “she was really good at solving problems on the pitch” — which complemented her standout technical ability.
Like many observers, Bate is hopeful she will wear the silver fern one day.
“I believe she has the potential to do that. She just needs to keep developing, keep learning.”
Surman has already made his mark at A-League level but most judges feel there is a lot more to come. Injuries have seen him slip down the pecking order at the Wellington Phoenix but the impact he made last season won’t be easily forgotten.
A Christchurch product, the Phoenix Academy player was initially flown to Australia as short-term cover during the FFA Cup run — when Covid had caused fixture congestion — but quickly proved his worth.
At one stage, he made seven 90-minute appearances in the space of 30 days, winning Ufuk Talay’s trust despite his inexperience.
The teenager had managed 15 league games by the end of that season and started in the playoff match against Melbourne City, impressing with his composure, resilience and calmness under pressure.
Two years ago, as a 17-year-old, he was already in the mix for the Junior All Whites as they contemplated the 2021 Fifa Under-20 World Cup, before it was curtailed due to Covid.
Surman, who turns 20 in September, is eligible for another cycle and is likely to be captain when Darren Bazeley finalises his squad for the global tournament in Indonesia.
“He is one of the most mature, responsible young players I’ve come across,” said Bazeley. “He is a real leader, has a lot of respect from the squad and is a calming influence. But he is also a good player; he is aggressive when he needs to be, he is quick and he’s comfortable on the ball. He is very important to us; he is our rock at the back.”
Judging on his trajectory so far, many judges expect Surman to be a future All White, though the immediate priority is getting game time at the Phoenix and navigating the professional pathway from there.
Michael Burgess recounts a memorable weekend in Melbourne for Auckland FC.