While last year’s league boldly focussed on youth – just five over-age players were allowed in each squad and only three on the pitch at any one time – the restrictions this season have been relaxed to cater for the bubble of talented players moving into their early 20s.
Each squad must field at least five U-18 (born in 1994 or later) players on the field at any one time but squad composition outside that restriction is up to the individual federation.
The choice of the age-limit aligns the league with the age-group World Cup cycle, with the next FIFA U-20 World Cup scheduled for Canada in 2014. This will ensure a group of eligible players that were too old for this year’s U-17s and missed out on the U-20 group get the continued development they need.
Despite the dropping of the word ‘youth’ from the league’s title – a convention adopted for the last two seasons – development is still very much the bigger picture for a host of reasons.
The national league has been part of the springboard to international success for a number of players. The Football Ferns’ Olympic squad included many national league alumni, including now professional players Abby Erceg, Ria Percival, Sarah Gregorius, Anna Green and Katie Hoyle and US collegiate starlets Rosie White and Hannah Wilkinson, who was last season’s MVP and Golden Boot.
The new rules will see the best domestic-players squaring off against each other, something Football Ferns coach Tony Readings hopes will lead to uncovering the next stars.
“The ASB Women’s League is an important part of the pathway. With so many players playing overseas now, there’s a real opportunity for the next layer to develop and stake a claim for inclusion in age group teams and the national team,” said Readings.
“It can only increase the depth of players and coaches in New Zealand.”
The seven federation teams will be joined by a New Zealand development squad comprised of U-17 players. Once again the league is split geographically into two groups of four teams playing in a home and away league format.
This year’s age group sides appear to have reaped the harvest of recent seasons’ youth focus, with a greater geographic spread of selections than ever before.
Combined with the advent of girl’s only football and FTC/NTC programmes around the country, there is a real hope that the tenth season may be the closest fought yet.
The league kicks off on October 27 and on December 9 the top team in each conference hosts the runner up from the opposite group in cross-conference semi-finals. The winners of each semi meet a week later to find the New Zealand champion.
ASB Women’s League
Northern Conference – Northern Football, Auckland Football, Waikato-Bay of Plenty Football, North-based NZF U-17
Southern Conference – Central Football, Capital Football, Mainland Pride, Footballsouth
Story courtesy of New Zealand Football.
For more on New Zealand Football visit www.nzfootball.co.nz

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