12:58 AM
Happy new year 2012
SAM WORTHINGTON
Last year Rebecca Smith completed a masters of business administration while playing professional football in Germany.
So when the high-achieving Smith declares this New Zealand women's team as the "best ever", that it "expects" to advance out of its group at the upcoming World Cup and that Germany is experiencing an "incredible buzz" in preparation for the tournament, you stop and listen.
The Football Ferns flew out of Auckland yesterday en route to Switzerland for warmup games against Wales, Colombia and Denmark before opening their World Cup campaign against world No4 Japan on June 28.
New Zealand, who are ranked 24 in the world, also play 10th-ranked England and 22nd-ranked Mexico in pool play, so on the surface a draw or two would seem a fair return. But that wouldn't good enough, according to Smith, who also led the Football Ferns at the 2007 World Cup in China, where they lost to Brazil (5-0), Denmark (2-0) and China (2-0).
Her efforts in central defence that year earned her a world player of the year nomination, the first player from Oceania to receive that distinction.
Smith, 29, with 52 caps, says there is no comparison between the 2007 and 2011 teams.
"Four years ago when we played in the World Cup, our goal was to keep the ball out of the net and get reasonable results," Smith said.
"It's amazing how much we've developed in four years and now we're looking to score more goals.
"We still have a way to go when it comes to the top-10 teams in the world but it's really exciting because it is definitely the best Football Ferns team we've ever had."
Smith says the optimism stems from having a smattering of players with overseas experience, and NZ Football funding a comprehensive build-up programme.
The downside, Smith admits, is that they can no longer sneak up on the opposition.
"About a year ago I think we were a bit unknown on the world stage and we could have taken them by total surprise. But this World Cup, they'll have game tapes of us and they'll see how much we've improved.
"We're beyond our underdog days."
Japan are world class and ominously England and Mexico have both recently upset world No1 the United States, but Smith remains bullish.
"It will be a challenge but we definitely expect to get out of our group."
Smith, who plays for VfL Wolfsburg in the women's Bundesliga, was in Germany a fortnight ago and said there was genuine anticipation for a tournament the hosts expect to win.
"Two weeks ago, it was really starting to spread like wildfire. It's everywhere, the German women's national team is on TV, they're all over the newspapers, on buses, there's billboards just splattered everywhere about the women's World Cup so it's really exciting."
New Zealand will rely on the Los Angeles-born Smith to anchor its defence while Chelsea midfielder Hayley Moorwood and Western New York Flash wingback Ali Riley are the other stars.
Football Ferns Squad
Goalkeepers: Jenny Bindon (Hibiscus Coast 54 caps/0 goals), Aroon Clansey (Three Kings United 5/0), Erin Nayler (Eastern Suburbs 0/0).
Defenders: Katie Bowen (Glenfield Rovers 1/0), Abby Erceg (Fencibles United 56/4), Anna Green (Three Kings United 36/4), Kristy Hill (Three Kings United 17/0), Ria Percival (Lynn Avon United 53/7), Ali Riley (Western New York Flash, USA 46/1), Rebecca Smith (VfL Wolfsburg, Germany, captain 52/2).
Midfielders: Betsy Hassett (UCLA Berkeley, USA 22/2), Katie Hoyle (Glenfield Rovers 45/1), Annalie Longo (Three Kings United 29/0), Hayley Moorwood (Chelsea, England 63/7), Kirsty Yallop (Fencibles United 47/11).
Forwards: Sarah Gregorius (Eastern Suburbs 12/8), Amber Hearn (Lynn Avon United 42/21), Emma Kete (Three Kings United 39/3), Sarah McLaughlin (Claudelands Rovers 8/0), Rosie White (Three Kings United 36/7), Hannah Wilkinson (Glenfield Rovers 18/8).
The games: June 28: v Japan, Bochum July 2: v England, Dresden July 6: v Mexico, Sinsheim
- The Dominion Post
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