It was the first camp since Jitka Klimkova took the reins and the new head coach was pleased to see her charges adapting well to the environment and taking on board the goals of the camp.
“I’m happy to finally be with the team,” Klimkova says. “I just saw them during the FTC camps and that was all separated with one in Christchurch, one in Wellington and one in Auckland. So finally I have all the team together.
“Twenty-nine girls have been invited and the main goal of this camp is to talk about our principles, our style of play, our behaviour on and off the field and I think everyone seems to be happy and enjoyed their time here.”
Klimkova says with players coming from a number of different regions throughout the country the camp is a good chance to bring them all together and see not only how they operate as a team, but also compare them to one another.
“When I came here everyone said Auckland is the strongest area and I have to say a lot of players are from Auckland, but we have girls all over the New Zealand. The most talented girls at this moment got a chance.”
The camp also includes three veterans of New Zealand’s previous U-17 girl’s squad who participated in the U-17 World Cup – Daisy Cleverley, Martine Puketapu and Emily Oosterhoff – as well as goalkeeper Emily Hanrahan who was in the wider squad but didn’t travel to Azerbaijan.
“A lot of the girls actually know each other from the team which did a tour of Fiji at the end of last year. I think 80 per cent of the girls know each other and have played together,” Klimkova says.
Having spent the best part of a week improving their relationships both on and off the field, Klimkova says the next project will be choosing a squad to travel on a week-long tour of Australia.
“We go to Australia to play three games in August, fly August 9 and come back August 18. We want to take 20 players and this camp has been a bit like a selection for this trip, but to be honest it was not the goal as I didn’t want to put pressure on these girls.
“They know that we go to Australia, they know we will have 20 players but I didn’t want to put the added pressure that this camp is about Australia. It’s about our style and principles and taking the rest out of the equation means the girls are more open and relaxed and they can just put their best performance on the field.”
Following the tour of Australia the side will next come together for a camp in September and Klimkova says this camp will focus on any issues that have been identified this week and in Australia.
Klimkova is also hopeful a near full-strength side will participate in the Womens’ National League.
“I want to have as many players together as possible. It will be challenging, these girls will be 15, 16 and playing against girls that are much more experienced. But it’s always good to have a challenge rather than play against someone you will beat 5-0.”
The New Zealand U-17 girl’s training camp ran from 15-20 July at OFC Academy in Auckland and was held in preparation for the OFC U-17 Championship which is scheduled for January 2013.
For more on New Zealand Football visit www.nzfootball.co.nz

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