Q&A with Jitka Klimková: Football Ferns on the World Cup and her plan to rescue women’s football in New Zealand

Football Ferns coach Jitka Klimkova. Photo / Photosport

On the eve of World Cup warm-up games against Portugal and Argentina, the Football Ferns’ Czech coach Jitka Klimková tells Chris Rattue about her plan to rescue women’s football in New Zealand, her approach to the Abby Erceg crisis and the squad’s identity issue with the tournament just five months away.

The 48-year-old, who lives in Auckland, reveals how Covid lockdowns actually helped her prepar-ations, a scary Elton John concert moment, why she loves Kiwi fans, her motorcycle mania, and more

Your squad is much stronger than the one outplayed by the USA last month...

January was not an official window and we knew not all the players would be released. Everybody we asked for has been released this time - the best players are in the squad.

What do you want to get out of these games?

We will play for the wins, focus on every point, every goal for and against, every card issued ... all those details are important. And our growth as a team.

What about off the field?

We are in transition - we need to find our identity. How do we want to be remembered after the Fifa World Cup at home?

For example, we can learn from the Black Ferns about playing the World Cup at home, how we can be more prepared? I know they are busy but we want to connect with them. We will have past Ferns come in, to talk about the past which is important. What do we want to give the shirt?

It’s great timing to start talking about that. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with a lot of excitement and pressure on us.

Jitka Klimkova during a Football Ferns training session. Photo / Photosport

Are you frustrated by star defender Abby Erceg’s unavailability?

She has 146 caps, which is incredible. She has done so much for this country and women’s football in New Zealand. She is still part of our family, we are going to be honouring the past, and she is the past.

I know she still can play but decided to focus on her club career [in the USA] and I respected that.

I’ve done everything I could. I had coffee with her, we organised Zooms, had calls ... she was always very consistent.

So we all respect Abby Erceg and she is still an amazing footballer and role model for players around the world. We wish her all the best.

How much scouting can be done on your World Cup group opponents Norway, Switzerland and the Philippines?

Fortunately, we played Norway last year, and we’re quite familiar with the Philippines, having also played them in 2022. The performance analyst and I worked together during July’s Euros when we saw Norway and Switzerland.

But the most critical information will come from their most recent games. It has been amazing to see how much the Philippines have improved since we played them.

New Zealand teams, including the Ferns, are struggling to score goals...

We are focusing on our decision in the final third. This is something clear to me - those technical skills, sophistication and composure in the final third need to be taught a bit earlier. That’s now our priority for our youth teams, so we can have more players who can score goals and be dangerous in international games.

A lot of our players are working hard on finishing and crossing from different areas.

A lot of our forwards and attacking midfielders have been doing extra stuff in their performance plans with their clubs.

Is your brief wider than just the Football Ferns?

I have a long contract, which shows New Zealand Football is investing long-term in women’s football.

One of my jobs is to integrate us with the under-20 and under-17 teams. We are looking for new coaches for those teams and should finalise that soon. That will be a key to our success in future. Fortunately, the country is quite small so the alignment is quite realistic.

I was here eight years ago working with the under-17s and as an assistant with the under-20s and I can see there has been progress.

But we have to be clear - everybody around us in the world is making progress. Investment in women’s football is a key focus for Fifa and the confederations.

We need to do more. We need technical players who are more comfortable with the ball, and making sophisticated decisions.

Football Ferns coach Jitka Klimkova speaks to players. Photo / Photosport

Your family had little connection with football...

My older brother and father were motorcycle racers and I thought I would race as well. My mum was a singer with a big band. At one time I thought I’ll sing like my mum. But football became my passion. Everyone was surprised because it is not part of my family.

So do you get to ride around Auckland?

In Czech [Republic], I have a bike - a Kawasaki 600. I ride just for fun, with my brother and nephew, just cruising. I had to do my driving licence again here and I said forget the motorcycle, just do the car. I have other things I need to worry about here.

Has it been a culture shock moving here? I lived here eight years ago so I knew who the Kiwis are and what New Zealand looks like, so I was already prepared.

I’ve come here with my partner. She is working for Fifa, a former coach who is a high-performance mentor.

She tries to mentor me ... but there are many times we say “no football talk”. It’s nice to come home and not talk about it.

Hobbies?

I love hiking, exploring beautiful New Zealand. I take a bicycle and go to Woodhill Forest to challenge myself.

You’ve hit some bad weather...

The Elton John concert, yes I was on my way, so I experienced the flooding fully. Luckily we have a good car and managed it really well, but we could see cars in front of us floating. It was not fun.

And you were locked out of New Zealand for a long time because of Covid...

I always try to make the best of things and it was actually a good opportunity to visit European clubs where our players are, and I went to the Euros in July. I made some good connections with the clubs - my wife is from the USA so I spent a lot of time there connecting with the clubs and colleges where our players are. It was a blessing in disguise.

Jitka Klimkova. Photo / Photosport

Back to the World Cup - pundits claim the USA are slipping so who are the favourites?

The USA will always be the favourites in tournaments - they find a way. That’s why they have won the World Cup four times.

But the gap is getting closer. I saw in July how much England had improved, Germany will always be dangerous, France are always knocking on the door, and I believe Australia at home can be very dangerous. There are a lot of teams that can with the World Cup which is exciting.

What would you rate as a successful World Cup for the Football Ferns?

We want to get out of the group. This team has not won a World Cup game yet - we need to start winning. As a team we want to be clear about how we want to be remembered.

These are exciting if pressure-filled times for women’s football in New Zealand...

We set two records with the fans coming to watch the USA games, and now we have another opportunity to really start that football fever in New Zealand.

What I’m learning about our Kiwi fans is incredible - how much they appreciate it if we are committed and competing even against giants like the USA. They were with us, really pushing us to compete. That’s awesome to have behind you.

People don’t know 100 per cent yet, but they are starting to realise what is coming, the July boom when the World Cup is here.