February 21, 2025 • 9 mins
The Football Ferns have their first games of 2025 in the next few days.
They'll come up against Costa Rica tomorrow and again on Wednesday.
Interim head coach Michael May has appointed an all-new coaching staff for this tour, including former Football Ferns goalkeeper Jenny Binden as his assistant coach.
Bindon appeared at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, as well as the FIFA Women's World Cups in 2007, again in 2011, and she talks to Piney about the upcoming games.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
All Ferns have their first games of twenty twenty five
in the next few days. They'll meet Costa Rica tomorrow
at midday New Zealand time, and again on Wednesday at
two o'clock New Zealand Time. Interim head coach Michael Maine
has appointed an all new coaching staff for this little tour,
including former Football Ferns goalkeeper Jenny Binden as his assistant coach.
(00:35):
Jenny Binden played seventy seven times for the Football Ferns.
She appeared at the two thousand and eight and twenty
twelve Olympics, as well as the fief for Women's World
Cups in two thousand and seven and again in twenty eleven.
Jenny Binden joins us out of the Football Ferns camp
in Costa Rica. Let's start with how you came to
be there, Jenny. How did this conversation with Michael Main
(00:57):
play out?
Speaker 3 (00:59):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (00:59):
I think I've known Michael was quite some time and
I stay really close to what's happening with the Ferns,
and the opportunity came up for us to have a
discuss through mutual friends that you know, have always kind
of been like, I want to want to get back involved.
If you ask me, my dream job, it was always
to be back involved with the Ferns in some capacity.
And yeah, great, good conversation, get on really well with them,
(01:20):
really believe in and what he's trying to do, and
take the team and progress and get us back up
in the top twenty and be ready for twenty twenty seven.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
So I'm looking forward to it.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
What sounds like it's a fairly easy yes for you
to jump aboard the football Ferns. What's the situation, Jenny?
Is it a is it a sort of camp to
camp window to window situation or will you be with
the Ferns for the next year, a couple of years.
What's the situation there?
Speaker 4 (01:44):
Yeah, it's it's camp to camp and you know, if
things work out, I mean, yeah, who's to know. But
right now we're just really focusing on Costa Rica and
you know, really trying to get the performances that the
Ferns need on the pitch and I'm just take whatever
opportunity is come my way. And you know, if you
would have told me, would you be living in England.
You know, three years ago, I would have laughed at
(02:05):
you and I live in England, so I kind of
take things as they come.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
That's kind of how our family operates.
Speaker 4 (02:11):
And yeah, so here with the Ferns, fully committed, want
to you know, give back to a team that has
given me.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
So much wonderful stuff. All right, we'll tell us about
what the last few days have been like your first
football Ferns camp. How have you enjoyed it and what
has the team mainly focused on ahead of these two matches.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
Yeah, I'm really focusing on, you know, producing.
Speaker 4 (02:33):
On the pitch and what we talk about in our
meetings and on whiteboards and on video and and and
really taking a style of football that is going to
be successful against this particular team.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
And I think that that's that's where we're kind of pushing.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
You know.
Speaker 4 (02:48):
I think there's there's a lot of positive things that
the Ferns have done. There's things that you know, they
want to we want to keep pushing and move forward
and really focus on taking this team where it needs
to go.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
And and that's really where we're trying to progress.
Speaker 4 (03:02):
So that being back with these girls, I mean, you know,
getting to connect with Anilie Longo again. I mean I've
known Annaly since she was fourteen, you know, Grace Jala
since she was I don't know, sixteen years old. So
there's quite a few of these girls I've had previous
connected connections with. I think I trained Geo Candy when
she was at a you know, national ID center.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
So there's lots of connections.
Speaker 4 (03:26):
Rekindling those relationships and just trying to be a really
positive sounding board for them and their football and them
as people and connecting with them, you know, their hearts
and why we play this game, you know, if you know,
one of the questions we're really focusing on is what
would you tell your previous self before you were a
professional footballer. I played internationally, but I was never a
(03:47):
professional footballer. And the opportunities that these women have and
what things that they have done are amazing, and I
just want to, you know, try to harness those and
help them to be the best versions of themselves.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
As a former goalkeeper yourself, I know your brief is
wider than that, but do you take an added interest
in the side goal keepers or do you leave that
to the goalkeeping coach? Will Britt who's come on board
as well, or do you still take a fairly keen
interest in the sides goalkeepers.
Speaker 4 (04:17):
I think that's interesting you make that coent because I
think as a coach that's you know, been a goalkeeper
and now working with the field players. I think there's
a real connection there. You know, we jokingly say you
can't play the game without the goalkeeper, So I think
it's really connecting those bits of pieces, both in possession
and out of possession. And Will's absolutely a mass talent
(04:40):
to have here with his knowledge and expertise and what
he's done in the game and how much he's worked
with the women's game. It's just another person that's out
there advocating for future Ferns to play, possibly in England
or a bride.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
So you're ranked higher than Costa Rica currently and you
talked before about trying to get the Ferns back to
where you want to be both in terms of ranking
and also performance. Are you targeting wins in both of
these matches?
Speaker 4 (05:07):
Wait, you know you don't play a game unless you
think you're going to win. I mean, what's the point
of playing in it?
Speaker 3 (05:11):
Rates?
Speaker 4 (05:11):
So I think that's where the girls are really focusing
on themselves as individuals and what they can bring to
us being successful and what we're learning and what we're
doing out of this camp or previously in other club environments.
Can we bring those positive attributes into us performing and
making it all land on the pitch. I think that's
really important, Jason. I think that's kind of what we
(05:33):
need to do as the Friends, is get back to
being a team that's hard to be, that's connected, creating
opportunities and winning games.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
And you might not soon be the most famous Bindon
in the family because Somen Tyler of course, is very
quickly making a name for himself a move to the
Premier League. Well he's back on loan at Reading, of course,
but with Nottingham Forest this week named Sky Sport Emerging
Talent Winner at the Hellbergs. How proud are you of
(06:03):
what Tyler is doing right now?
Speaker 3 (06:06):
It's just unbelievable.
Speaker 4 (06:07):
Grant and I and my husband and I are just
so uh it's you got to pinch yourself.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
It's overwhelming.
Speaker 4 (06:14):
But he's he's if you ever meet him, he's a
very humble gentleman who just gets on about his business.
And you know, I think he's grown up around New
Zealand football and and and it's a passion. You know,
he had the opportunity to he had to make a
decision of who he's playing for and it was never
really in doubt. I mean, we love love New Zealand,
love the Kiwis, and New Zealand Football's uh plays a
(06:35):
massive part in our hearts. I mean, some of these
girls that are here in this camp, like I've already
mentioned Annalie, they they probably taught him how to dribble and.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
Juggle and do all those things.
Speaker 4 (06:45):
So a lot of people it's been a village, you know,
family friends, So many people have been involved in Tyler's successes.
And you know Ryan and Duncan being involved with him,
and you know now Tony Redding's is assistant coach, he
coached me, Roland Jefferies. It's just it's just it's just
amazing to see and we're just so proud of them.
And yeah, I hope one day you get to interview
(07:06):
him and you'll see he's just classic, a humble guy
that just takes it all in stride.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Well, I look forward to that day. I mean, good Jans,
yourself and obviously your husband Grant, his dad, you know,
captain the New Zealand volleyball team. Did you encourage him
along a sporting path or was it one that he
just naturally traveled with you two as his parents.
Speaker 3 (07:28):
Yeah, I think football was kind of something he was
around a lot.
Speaker 4 (07:31):
But he would go from football training to volleyball and
I think one time we counted, you know, New Zealand.
New Zealand is amazing how they give kids so many
opportunities with sports days and that, and Tyler would have
played I think anywhere from fifteen to seventeen different sports,
and he just he just gravitated to football. And then
those opportunities came up when he went to Los Angeles
and he got to play with you know, LAFC, and
(07:55):
then yeah, it just kind of kind of just gravitated
pulled in towards him. I mean, I think he's a
bit of a sports billy. He can not much many
sports he can't play, so but football his true passion
is true love.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
And yeah, he's doing all right at it.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
He certainly is well. Look forward to seeing him. I
would imagine all things being equaled back here in New
Zealand for the upcoming Oceannia World Cup qualifiers and the meantime, Jenny,
for you and the Football Ferns these two matches against
Costa Rica. Look very much forward to seeing how you
go in those matches. Thanks so much for taking the
time for a chat today, Nories.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
Thank you so much, Jason. I hope we can talk again.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
I hope so too, Jenny. Thanks indeed. Jenny Binden, former
Football Ferns goalkeeper seventy seven caps, a couple of World Cups,
couple of Olympic Games. Now a coach ses She coaches
at Reading which is where Tyler is, but has been
called in by Michael Maine as an assistant coach for
these two matches Costa Rica tomorrow at midday and on
Wednesday at two o'clock. Those are New Zealand time kickoffs
(08:51):
now they differ from what you may have seen earlier,
So if you're keen on catching these games midday tomorrow
and two o'clock on Wednesday.
Speaker 1 (08:59):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to news Talk zed B weekends from midday or follow
the podcas I was done. I heard radio
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
All Ferns have their first games of twenty twenty five
in the next few days. They'll meet Costa Rica tomorrow
at midday New Zealand time, and again on Wednesday at
two o'clock New Zealand Time. Interim head coach Michael Maine
has appointed an all new coaching staff for this little tour,
including former Football Ferns goalkeeper Jenny Binden as his assistant coach.
(00:35):
Jenny Binden played seventy seven times for the Football Ferns.
She appeared at the two thousand and eight and twenty
twelve Olympics, as well as the fief for Women's World
Cups in two thousand and seven and again in twenty eleven.
Jenny Binden joins us out of the Football Ferns camp
in Costa Rica. Let's start with how you came to
be there, Jenny. How did this conversation with Michael Main
(00:57):
play out?
Speaker 3 (00:59):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (00:59):
I think I've known Michael was quite some time and
I stay really close to what's happening with the Ferns,
and the opportunity came up for us to have a
discuss through mutual friends that you know, have always kind
of been like, I want to want to get back involved.
If you ask me, my dream job, it was always
to be back involved with the Ferns in some capacity.
And yeah, great, good conversation, get on really well with them,
(01:20):
really believe in and what he's trying to do, and
take the team and progress and get us back up
in the top twenty and be ready for twenty twenty seven.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
So I'm looking forward to it.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
What sounds like it's a fairly easy yes for you
to jump aboard the football Ferns. What's the situation, Jenny?
Is it a is it a sort of camp to
camp window to window situation or will you be with
the Ferns for the next year, a couple of years.
What's the situation there?
Speaker 4 (01:44):
Yeah, it's it's camp to camp and you know, if
things work out, I mean, yeah, who's to know. But
right now we're just really focusing on Costa Rica and
you know, really trying to get the performances that the
Ferns need on the pitch and I'm just take whatever
opportunity is come my way. And you know, if you
would have told me, would you be living in England.
You know, three years ago, I would have laughed at
(02:05):
you and I live in England, so I kind of
take things as they come.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
That's kind of how our family operates.
Speaker 4 (02:11):
And yeah, so here with the Ferns, fully committed, want
to you know, give back to a team that has
given me.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
So much wonderful stuff. All right, we'll tell us about
what the last few days have been like your first
football Ferns camp. How have you enjoyed it and what
has the team mainly focused on ahead of these two matches.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
Yeah, I'm really focusing on, you know, producing.
Speaker 4 (02:33):
On the pitch and what we talk about in our
meetings and on whiteboards and on video and and and
really taking a style of football that is going to
be successful against this particular team.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
And I think that that's that's where we're kind of pushing.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
You know.
Speaker 4 (02:48):
I think there's there's a lot of positive things that
the Ferns have done. There's things that you know, they
want to we want to keep pushing and move forward
and really focus on taking this team where it needs
to go.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
And and that's really where we're trying to progress.
Speaker 4 (03:02):
So that being back with these girls, I mean, you know,
getting to connect with Anilie Longo again. I mean I've
known Annaly since she was fourteen, you know, Grace Jala
since she was I don't know, sixteen years old. So
there's quite a few of these girls I've had previous
connected connections with. I think I trained Geo Candy when
she was at a you know, national ID center.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
So there's lots of connections.
Speaker 4 (03:26):
Rekindling those relationships and just trying to be a really
positive sounding board for them and their football and them
as people and connecting with them, you know, their hearts
and why we play this game, you know, if you know,
one of the questions we're really focusing on is what
would you tell your previous self before you were a
professional footballer. I played internationally, but I was never a
(03:47):
professional footballer. And the opportunities that these women have and
what things that they have done are amazing, and I
just want to, you know, try to harness those and
help them to be the best versions of themselves.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
As a former goalkeeper yourself, I know your brief is
wider than that, but do you take an added interest
in the side goal keepers or do you leave that
to the goalkeeping coach? Will Britt who's come on board
as well, or do you still take a fairly keen
interest in the sides goalkeepers.
Speaker 4 (04:17):
I think that's interesting you make that coent because I
think as a coach that's you know, been a goalkeeper
and now working with the field players. I think there's
a real connection there. You know, we jokingly say you
can't play the game without the goalkeeper, So I think
it's really connecting those bits of pieces, both in possession
and out of possession. And Will's absolutely a mass talent
(04:40):
to have here with his knowledge and expertise and what
he's done in the game and how much he's worked
with the women's game. It's just another person that's out
there advocating for future Ferns to play, possibly in England
or a bride.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
So you're ranked higher than Costa Rica currently and you
talked before about trying to get the Ferns back to
where you want to be both in terms of ranking
and also performance. Are you targeting wins in both of
these matches?
Speaker 4 (05:07):
Wait, you know you don't play a game unless you
think you're going to win. I mean, what's the point
of playing in it?
Speaker 3 (05:11):
Rates?
Speaker 4 (05:11):
So I think that's where the girls are really focusing
on themselves as individuals and what they can bring to
us being successful and what we're learning and what we're
doing out of this camp or previously in other club environments.
Can we bring those positive attributes into us performing and
making it all land on the pitch. I think that's
really important, Jason. I think that's kind of what we
(05:33):
need to do as the Friends, is get back to
being a team that's hard to be, that's connected, creating
opportunities and winning games.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
And you might not soon be the most famous Bindon
in the family because Somen Tyler of course, is very
quickly making a name for himself a move to the
Premier League. Well he's back on loan at Reading, of course,
but with Nottingham Forest this week named Sky Sport Emerging
Talent Winner at the Hellbergs. How proud are you of
(06:03):
what Tyler is doing right now?
Speaker 3 (06:06):
It's just unbelievable.
Speaker 4 (06:07):
Grant and I and my husband and I are just
so uh it's you got to pinch yourself.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
It's overwhelming.
Speaker 4 (06:14):
But he's he's if you ever meet him, he's a
very humble gentleman who just gets on about his business.
And you know, I think he's grown up around New
Zealand football and and and it's a passion. You know,
he had the opportunity to he had to make a
decision of who he's playing for and it was never
really in doubt. I mean, we love love New Zealand,
love the Kiwis, and New Zealand Football's uh plays a
(06:35):
massive part in our hearts. I mean, some of these
girls that are here in this camp, like I've already
mentioned Annalie, they they probably taught him how to dribble and.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
Juggle and do all those things.
Speaker 4 (06:45):
So a lot of people it's been a village, you know,
family friends, So many people have been involved in Tyler's successes.
And you know Ryan and Duncan being involved with him,
and you know now Tony Redding's is assistant coach, he
coached me, Roland Jefferies. It's just it's just it's just
amazing to see and we're just so proud of them.
And yeah, I hope one day you get to interview
(07:06):
him and you'll see he's just classic, a humble guy
that just takes it all in stride.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Well, I look forward to that day. I mean, good Jans,
yourself and obviously your husband Grant, his dad, you know,
captain the New Zealand volleyball team. Did you encourage him
along a sporting path or was it one that he
just naturally traveled with you two as his parents.
Speaker 3 (07:28):
Yeah, I think football was kind of something he was
around a lot.
Speaker 4 (07:31):
But he would go from football training to volleyball and
I think one time we counted, you know, New Zealand.
New Zealand is amazing how they give kids so many
opportunities with sports days and that, and Tyler would have
played I think anywhere from fifteen to seventeen different sports,
and he just he just gravitated to football. And then
those opportunities came up when he went to Los Angeles
and he got to play with you know, LAFC, and
(07:55):
then yeah, it just kind of kind of just gravitated
pulled in towards him. I mean, I think he's a
bit of a sports billy. He can not much many
sports he can't play, so but football his true passion
is true love.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
And yeah, he's doing all right at it.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
He certainly is well. Look forward to seeing him. I
would imagine all things being equaled back here in New
Zealand for the upcoming Oceannia World Cup qualifiers and the meantime, Jenny,
for you and the Football Ferns these two matches against
Costa Rica. Look very much forward to seeing how you
go in those matches. Thanks so much for taking the
time for a chat today, Nories.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
Thank you so much, Jason. I hope we can talk again.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
I hope so too, Jenny. Thanks indeed. Jenny Binden, former
Football Ferns goalkeeper seventy seven caps, a couple of World Cups,
couple of Olympic Games. Now a coach ses She coaches
at Reading which is where Tyler is, but has been
called in by Michael Maine as an assistant coach for
these two matches Costa Rica tomorrow at midday and on
Wednesday at two o'clock. Those are New Zealand time kickoffs
(08:51):
now they differ from what you may have seen earlier,
So if you're keen on catching these games midday tomorrow
and two o'clock on Wednesday.
Speaker 1 (08:59):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to news Talk zed B weekends from midday or follow
the podcas I was done. I heard radio
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