Young veteran Hassett key for ambitious Kiwis
New Zealand have been quietly building momentum in recent years and, having flown under the radar for so long, they now aim to demonstrate a new level at the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015™.
Indeed, Football Ferns midfielder Betsy Hassett says “our goal is to win the cup". The Kiwis will be the first to admit they will be one of the outsiders when the pre-tournament odds are drawn up, but their stated goal is certainly evidence of a new-found confidence.
Hassett is well placed to comment having been part of New Zealand’s elite football ranks from a young age. She spent her school days at Auckland’s Avondale College, a suburban school which has somehow produced a vast quantity of past and present national team stars, including Amber Hearn, Kirsty Yallop and long-time former skipper Maia Jackman. Hassett would then spend after-hours training at the Wynrs academy, operated by no less a figure than New Zealand football icon Wynton Rufer. Little wonder then that the industrious central midfielder - invariably one of the first on the Football Ferns teamsheet - has such pedigree.
Going for gold
It feels like Hassett has been on the scene forever, though she is still only 24. Hassett debuted at 17, while still at school. And the young veteran says the mentality in the playing group between her 2008 debut and the present day couldn’t be starker. “Heading into Germany 2011 we were still establishing ourselves when we competed against the top teams, and getting a feel for what it is like to compete against the best,” Hassett told FIFA.com.
“Going into Canada we are going for gold. We have played a lot of games against the top teams in the past few years, and our results show we can really compete. We are going to (Canada to) win the World Cup. That is our team goal. Back in 2011 our goal was just to get out of the group, but now it is to win.”
The notion might seem fanciful to some, but the Women’s World Cup is perhaps a stage in which the outsider can shine. Japan were crowned world champions at Germany 2011, yet heading into the tournament they had never won a knockout stage match.
Meanwhile, New Zealand, for their part, have advanced to the quarter-finals of the 2012 Women’s Olympic Football Tournament: a first in a senior global tournament. In the past two years alone New Zealand have secured results against the likes of Norway, Denmark, Brazil, China PR and Korea DPR.
Home and away
Like many in the New Zealand squad, Hassett is well-travelled. She commenced her overseas odyssey with a four-year stint at University of California studying social welfare on the eastern side of San Francisco bay. More recently Hassett played in Germany with SC Sand, and then in England with Manchester City.
Like Hassett, almost the entire squad have played overseas, and most have also benefitted from a massive amount of international match experience. The average age of the squad is still young, yet there is a vast amount of experience with eight squad members boasting 75 caps or more, and another three with more than 50.
Aside from players based overseas, the remainder of the squad are currently domiciled in New Zealand, effectively in a camp-based environment in the lead-up to Canada 2015. All the players are based in Auckland under the direction of coach Tony Readings, competing in training games every week against youth boys teams.
Hassett says the experienced gained at club and international level has been invaluable and helps overcome any perceived mental barrier when the Football Ferns take the field. “Playing against other professional players makes you realise you are at the same level,” she said. “It is a much better level playing overseas, especially the top leagues where we have players in the likes of Sweden, Germany and now even in Japan. It is great to have that high level training or playing every day.
“When we come back together we share a little of what we learned and I think that is really healthy for the team. It is unbelievable how much better we have become. And what is crazy is that we are still so young, but have been together for so long.”