Since her senior debut in November 2006, Erceg has missed only two matches the Ferns have played – one through injury in 2009 and one recently through rotation in a World Cup qualifier.
Her 50th cap arrived this week when she was part of the side which lost 4-1 to the Netherlands in the Football Ferns’ opening 2011 Cyprus Cup match.
Her presence at the heart of the defence against the Dutch was no surprise – she has been in the starting eleven for all 50 of her appearances, including a remarkable run of 37 consecutive matches, and her partnership with German-based professional Rebecca Smith is such that New Zealand coach John Herdman has elected to take just one other central defender as cover in his Cyprus Cup squad.
“I don’t really know how to put what it means into words,” she says. “I think the caps record for a Football Fern is in the sixties so to get to 50 at such a young age is an achievement I’m really proud of and I know there’s still so much to look forward to.”
Herdman has nothing but admiration for the young defender.
“To get to 50 caps at 21 says a lot about the special qualities of Abby as a player,” he says. “She’s worked very hard to improve and develop her game so she can move into that category of a world-class centre back.
“She has been a rock in this team at the back and while caps don’t necessarily equal consistency Abby’s standard of performance doesn’t drop.
“Abby is one of those players who genuinely loves playing for her country and she just keeps getting better. In the last two years she’s emerged as a composed and technically competent centre back and one that wants to get on the ball and step into midfield.”
Herdman handed Erceg her debut against China six days shy of her 17th birthday after previously coaching the former Northlander as part of the New Zealand squad for the 2006 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Russia. Less than a year later, he had no hesitation in playing the teenager in all three of the Football Ferns’ matches at the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Erceg has since played at another FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup and the 2008 Beijing Olympics and, although she would love to celebrate her milestone with success at the Cyprus Cup, the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Germany in June and July is the Aucklander’s focus.
“We’re always looking to improve and we always play to win but the main focus in Cyprus is getting combinations right for the World Cup and giving some experience to new players before a big tournament,” Erceg says. “Having said that, if we get things right then the wins will come as well.”
The Ferns must bounce back quickly from the Dutch defeat as they now face France and Switzerland in the space of five days and the squad will have more than a passing interest in the tournament’s other pools where World Cup opponents England and Mexico line up.
While two other current players, including captain Hayley Moorwood, have passed the 50-cap mark, that group will soon have to find room for many more as Erceg is just one of six current players sitting in the forties.
“In terms of international experience within the group now, it’s definitely good to see a wave of players about to hit that milestone and I’m surprised I’m ahead of that bunch to be honest considering a couple of them have been involved a lot longer,” Erceg says. “But it’s good to see that we’ve got young players with that sort of experience coming through.”
Wendi Henderson, a former national teammate of Erceg, holds the record for appearances with 64 caps but Herdman for one believes Erceg will set a new mark well beyond that.
“I think Abby has a fair few World Cups in her and I think she could be the player who hits 100 caps first. I hope one day she looks towards a professional career. There’s no doubt she has the ability but she loves playing for New Zealand and in her own country.”
Football Ferns 50-cap club (includes ‘A’ Internationals only)
Wendi Henderson 64
Maureen Jacobson 59
Hayley Moorwood 59*
Wendy Sharpe 50
Maia Jackman 50*
Abby Erceg 50*
Others
Jenny Bindon 48*
Ria Percival 47*
Rebecca Smith 46*
Ali Riley 41*
Kirsty Yallop 41*
*still active
Story courtesy of New Zealand Football.
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