Fern juggles player and coach roles
Adding to her extensive CV, Annalie Longo’s new coaching role is helping her Football Ferns career – as she strives to play in her sixth FIFA World Cup.
Annalie Longo has become not only an expert juggler with a football, but also with her career.
A current Football Ferns centurion, a coach and commentator, she’s also the women’s development manager at New Zealand Football.
But when the chance to be part of the Te Hāpaitanga women’s coaching initiative came up – to add another element to her juggling act – she couldn’t say no.
“Has it fallen on the busiest year I could have of my life? Yes,” Longo laughs.
“Did I anticipate that I was going to do my ACL and try and make a World Cup squad and have a full time role at New Zealand Football? No.
“But I think sometimes you can’t turn down these types of opportunities.”