So a
week after assuming that Canterbury United Pride would beat Central,
Northern would beat WaiBOP and Capital would end up with an away game
in the finals of the National Women's League the wonderful world of
football threw up something completely different!
Firstly,
Central shocked everyone by drawing 1-1 with Canterbury United Pride
and then WaiBOP came from 2-0 down to beat Northern 3-2 with a last minute
goal. The result was that one point separated the top four teams.
Defending champions, Northern, ended on 12 points and missed out on
the finals. Canterbury United Pride, Capital & WaiBOP, all on 13
points took the top 3 spots (in that order). It means Capital get a
home semi final against WaiBOP, which will be played at Petone
Memorial on Sunday at 1pm.
Having
such a close league has shown that no team can be taken lightly and
has been really good for Women's football in NZ according to Capital
co-coach Emma Evans, who commented “...over
the last couple of years maybe the quality and how the leagues
(have been) perceived hasn't been where it should be so I'd like to think that
this year it would show everyone it's getting back there again”
Evans,
Capital's Football Women's Development Officer and an assistant coach
of the women's team last season was joined by Petone women's head coach, Sam Morrissey,
in a co-coach role for this season, something that Morrissey says is
going really well “we've
been together with FTC (Football Talent Center's) and other various
different things as well, in terms of how its gone its worked really
well”
 |
| Capital Co-Coaches Sam Morrissey & Emma Evans The JourneyFan |
Taking
on a Capital team that had seemed to have lost the pride of playing
for the yellow jersey, finishing 6th
last season, which bought with it the ignominious record of the worst
ever performance by a Capital \ Wellington team at the national level
was always going to be a challenge but it is one Evans and Morrissey
were well prepared for.
Evans
said “Although
its still a young squad we have girls that have been in the league
for quite a few years and have quite a bit of experience to add, its
just drawing on that. I think believing in them a little bit, they
weren't very confident after last years campaign so trying to build
them back up again this year I knew would be key if we wanted to succeed in the league.
While
building up their confidence, Evans and Morrissey wanted the players
to redefine what playing for the yellow jersey of Capital Football
meant. At an early season session the players outlined to the
co-coaches what the campaign meant to them, identifying togetherness, unity and team culture. Evans says “Technically
and tactically there's not much between each team in this league but for
us that team culture and togetherness would help us in a short
campaign those things make a massive difference”.
 |
| Capital 2016 - The JourneyFan |
This
team spirit has shone through in all their games even being picked up
on by their opposition, after Capital had won 3-1, Auckland's
Ally Toailoa said “no
particular player stood out (but) if they dropped their heads they
always picked each other up”
Morrissey
said “To do it (create a culture) in such a short space of time
as well, its worked out really well”
With such a tight team culture, it's
hard to pick the standout players and something that Evans and
Morrissey don't like to do. Evans heaping praise on the entire squad
of 24 “...even the players that aren't in the starting eleven,
who might not even make the game day squad, the effort and the work
they are putting into every training session, even if they aren't
getting on the park on the weekend those things make a huge
difference and are just as important as the player who scored the
winning goal”
 |
| Briar Palmer The JourneyFan |
While
not picking standout players, its undeniable that getting former NZ
youth international, Briar Palmer, back on board after she had spells
in Auckland and Australia (with W-League side Melbourne Victory) has
been huge. Evans says “Briar leads by example in all that
she does, she turns up to training early, works on her own individual
work-ons in her own time.......her leading by example and setting the
standards and driving that intensity at training....shes played overseas and that experience has
been invaluable at this level and shes been a really big role model
for the younger players coming through”
Sunday's
opponents WaiBOP probably have the best banner in the league that
says “WaiBOP when you can boogie?” when asked if they thought
they would lead WaiBOP on a merry dance, Evans replied “I'd
like to think so, although we can't take them lightly, we know what
they are capable of. To come back from being 2-0 down to win that
game against Northern, that takes heart and its a real team effort. We
cant take them lightly we know what they are going to bring to the
field on the weekend”
 |
| Best Banner in the league Enzo Giordani |
Morrisery
agreed that both teams have nothing to lose pointing out “both
teams missed the finals last year so for both its good we've gotten
this far, but yeah hopefully we'll do one over them”
So get along to Petone Memorial this
Sunday 4th December at 1pm to cheer Capital on
Thanks to Emma Evans & Sam
Morrissey for giving me their time.
Comments
Post a Comment