New Zealand Women's U-17s
Given they just beat our senior team twice, they will look even more appealing.
https://theniche-cache.com/football/2024/1/10/looking-back-at-new-zealands-u17-world-cup-bronze-medallists-five-years-later
Birnie had his side in a 4-4-2 formation with a clearly defined idea of what the best eleven looked like – with this specific line-up starting every game except for one (the third group stage game, when they rotated things around)....
As for building up from the back, maaaate. Anna Leat played literally one short pass all tournament. No goalie kicked the ball long more often than she did. They were direct. They were compact. There was almost no difference between their average shape in and out of possession.
It was this push and pull between ideals that led to Maya Hahn switching allegiances to Germany. Having been the standout player in qualifying, she only played 229 minutes at the World Cup itself, being predominantly used as a second half substitute for Macey Fraser. The two most technically gifted players in the group had to do a job-share. Can’t argue with the outcomes... but that stylistic disillusionment was one of the stated reasons for her decision (alongside her strong German heritage, better professional pathways, and other similarly valid personal reasons).
That squad as initially named featured only domestically-based players, though at U17s level that’s entirely normal – it’s usually only after this when the pro/college offers begin to emerge. You could also see how diligently Birnie and his team had scouted the nation by the range of regions represented. Ten players were based in Auckland, although several had moved there for football reasons (such as Anna Leat of Arrowtown, Hannah Mackay-Wright of Nelson, Maggie Jenkins of Wellington, and Ayla Pratt of Tauranga). Six more came from the wider Canterbury region – including three from Waimakariri Utd (Macey Fraser, Jayda Stewart & Gabi Rennie) and one from Nelson Suburbs (Amelia Abbott). Only one was based in Wellington (Maya Hahn) back in those days before the Phoenix Academy... ironically six of this squad have since played for the Nix in the A-League Women’s. New Plymouth was also represented by Mackenzie Barry, while a trio of Hamilton Wanderers players flew the Waikato flag in Brown, Wisnewski, and backup keeper Georgia Candy.
International footy is going to be tough to acquire for (Maya) Hahn from here. The pandemic spoiled her best chance of that. Bottom line is that she hasn’t actually played competitively for Germany... maybe they’ll let her switch back? Times have changed since the 2018 World Cup. Klimková’s also got a decent record at recruiting dual internationals. Let us get the lawyers involved and see if it’s still possible.
As for the Where Are They Now yarns, here’s a list of the 21 players in the main squad (plus the three non-travelling reserves) and where they played their football in 2023...
- Anna Leat - Aston Villa (ENG)
- Mackenzie Barry - Wellington Phoenix (NZ/AUS)
- Hannah Mackay-Wright - Dunedin City Royals/Southern United (NZ)
- Aneka Mittendorff - N/A
- Marisa van der Meer - Wellington Phoenix (NZ/AUS)
- Macey Fraser - Wellington Phoenix (NZ/AUS)
- Gabi Rennie - Arizona State University (USA)
- Amelia Abbott - University of Texas (USA)
- Maggie Jenkins - University of Central Florida (USA)
- Grace Wisnewski - Wellington Phoenix (NZ/AUS)
- Kelli Brown – Macarthur Rams/Wellington Phoenix (NZ/AUS)
- Jayda Stewart - Coastal Spirit/Canterbury United Pride (NZ)
- Britney Cunningham-Lee - Ellerslie (NZ)
- Laney Strachan - Eastern Suburbs (NZ)
- Genevieve Ryan - Rider University (USA)
- Maya Hahn - Turbine Potsdam (GER)
- Ayla Pratt - Hamilton Wanderers (NZ)
- Rose Luxton - N/A
- Arabella Maynard - N/A
- Georgia Candy - Wellington Phoenix (NZ/AUS)
- Blair Currie - Spring Arbor University/South Georgia Tormenta (USA)
- [Aniela Jensen - University of the Pacific (USA)]
- [Rylee Godbold - Wofford University (USA)]
- [Casey Klyn - Queenstown AFC (NZ)]
The internet wasn’t forthcoming with much information on the others, though Arabella Maynard has played some NPL in Australia before so who knows she could be tucked away somewhere unpublicised (or injured, as the case may be – another sad note is that Grace Wisnewski and Marisa van der Meer are both currently sidelined with ACL tears).
New Zealand under-17 international Suya Haering has joined @Turbine_Potsdam in Germany, where she will be teammates with Maya Hahn. pic.twitter.com/kilxyv4IP0
— Phillip Rollo (@ByPhillipRollo) January 11, 2024
Haering’s signing adds another professional graduate to the U17 Class of 2022. Milly Clegg is at Western Sydney Wanderers and Ruby Nathan is at Canberra United in the A-League. Aimee Danieli, Manaia Elliott, Helena Errington, and Olivia Ingham are all with the Wellington Phoenix first team while several more are with the Nix Academy. Olivia Page is with Sheffield United. Kiara Bercelli is on the books at Sampdoria though is currently on loan at Chievo.
Errington spent some time with Sporting Lisbon, though wasn’t able to sign on full pro terms. That’s a pretty decent graduation rate already, with several more teammates capable of joining them in the future.
It's been a pretty choice week for the 2018 U17s alumni, with Gabi Rennie making her professional debut for Aland United and Macey Fraser getting a big money move to Utah Royals 🤙https://t.co/JSZnoVXDmp
— The Niche Cache (@thenichecache) April 17, 2024
The U17 Women have been drawn into Group A at the 2024 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup, to be held in the Dominican Republic later this year 🇩🇴🏆
— New Zealand Football 🇳🇿 (@NZ_Football) June 22, 2024
🇳🇿⚔️🇳🇬 | 17.10.24
🇳🇿⚔️🇪🇨 | 20.10.24
🇳🇿⚔️🇩🇴 | 23.10.24 pic.twitter.com/QLaXu7QPlK
Moturoa AFC in the Naki, and Grants Braes in Dunners!
Only 3 girls at the Phonenix. Do girls generally sign up at a older age than boys at Weenix? I know there are still more boys teams there than girls.
But I imagine a promising 15-16 year old boy from Taranaki, would already be down in Welly, to make a NZ U16/17 team.
FIFA want the U17 World Cups to happen every year so now we’ve gotta go qualify for the 2025 edition before we’ve even had the 2024 edition https://t.co/FPrT1RixVS
— The Niche Cache (@thenichecache) August 26, 2024
Moturoa AFC in the Naki, and Grants Braes in Dunners!
Only 2 girls at the Phonenix. Do girls generally sign up at a older age than boys at Weenix? I know there are still more boys teams there than girls.
But I imagine a promising 15-16 year old boy from Taranaki, would already be down in Welly, to make a NZ U16/17 team.
FIFA want the U17 World Cups to happen every year so now we’ve gotta go qualify for the 2025 edition before we’ve even had the 2024 edition https://t.co/FPrT1RixVS
— The Niche Cache (@thenichecache) August 26, 2024
I watched Kya Soloman playing for Taradale in The Central League a few weeks ago against Petone and she certainly gave them the run around. First thing I wondered was why is she not with the Nix!
A sign that the coaches thing they have qualifying covered?!
A sign that the coaches thing they have qualifying covered?!
She will be eligible for the 2025 U17 WC?
If so yes I imagine they think they will win the tourney comfortably without her, and leave Jerez to focus on ALW pre season plus this year’s U17 WC edition