Speaking after Tuesday’s captain’s training run at the Pedro Escartin Stadium, Readings says conditions are perfect for the clash of his 18th-ranked Football Ferns with the 15th-ranked hosts.
“It’s always everyone’s favourite session of the week when you get to train at the stadium and get on the pitch,” Readings said.
“It’s a good surface; it’s one that should be suitable to the way we play. The grass is short and is slick and quick. It was really enjoyable and a good end to a good few training sessions and the team are looking good for tomorrow.”
As the New Zealand side enter the first of their remaining build-up matches off shore, Readings and the group are raising the stakes with the FIFA Women’s World Cup just three months away.
“Every time we get together we always talk about how much closer we’re getting to the World Cup and the urgency for us to keep making those strides forwards is so important.
“Competition for places is heating up and players are getting fitter and stronger as they are reaching their peak fitness so it’s definitely a step up but we need that because at the moment we’re not as good as we need to be for the World Cup.
“It’s good to see, but no doubt the rest of the countries we’ll be facing at the World Cup will be doing the same, so our job is to make sure we do it better.”
Readings says Wednesday’s clash with Spain will see the Football Ferns focussed on ensuring they are able to use a range of solutions to the problems their hosts will pose.
“We’ve been working a lot this week on making the right decisions within the way we play,” Readings said.
“We have got a varied playing model we can use and for us sometimes we persevere playing a certain way which isn’t always conducive to getting the best performances and the best results.
“So it’s about being adaptable. Every team we come against at the World Cup are going to be tactically sound with good coaches. We’re not going to get it our own way. They’re not going to let us play exactly the way we want to play.
“This week there has been a lot of focus on being adaptable during games and we’ve got a lot of different weapons in our team we can use and we’ve got to be better at using the right ones at the right times.
“We’ve got an idea of what Spain will throw at us but you never know. At the World Cup teams have had a quite a few months to prepare for us and I’m sure they are going to come up with really strong game plans and we’ve got to make sure we’ve got the tools at our disposal to overcome them no matter what they throw at us.”
Wednesday’s game kicks off at 7am (NZ time) and you can follow updates of the action via New Zealand Football’s Twitter account @NZ_Football.
Match details
Spain v Football Ferns
Tuesday 3 March, 7pm (Wednesday 4 March, 7am NZ time)
Pedro Escartin Stadium, Guadalajara, Spain
Football Ferns (from): 1. Erin Nayler (GK), 2. Ria Percival, 4. Katie Hoyle, 5. Abby Erceg (capt), 6. Rebekah Stott, 7. Ali Riley, 9. Amber Hearn, 10. Sarah Gregorius, 11. Kirsty Yallop, 12. Betsy Hassett, 13. Rosie White, 14. Katie Bowen, 15. Meikayla Moore, 16. Annalie Longo, 17. Hannah Wilkinson, 18. CJ Bott, 22. Evie Millynn, 23. Cushla Lichtwark (GK), 24. Jasmine Pereira, 26. Daisy Cleverley
Coach: Tony Readings
Game 2
Spain v Football Ferns
Thursday 5 March, 8pm (Friday 6 March, 8am NZ time)
La Roda Municipal Stadium, La Roda, Spain
Story courtesy NZF Media. For more on New Zealand football visit www.nzfootball.co.nz.

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