Football: Knee injury didn’t curtail Muller’s selection

Will Johnston

Moturoa’s Harriet Muller didn’t think she would be playing football this year but on Thursday she was selected in the New Zealand U17 squad for the World Cup.

The 16-year-old goalkeeper from New Plymouth Girls’ High School teared her ACL in December last year and delayed her surgery twice after she had a hunch about upcoming opportunities.

It was a decision that paid off, as she played for the New Zealand U16 team in the Oceania qualifiers in Fiji for next year’s World Cup in Morocco. Then she got the nod for the upcoming event in the Dominican Republic starting on October 17.

“It’s pretty surreal,” Muller said. “I didn’t expect it at the start of the year.”

“For it to turn out and have these two opportunities been given to me, it makes me lose my words a little bit but it’s absolutely phenomenal.”

She admitted to taking a conservative approach with her knee this season. Now, it’s “pretty strong” aided by her strength and conditioning sessions three times a week and physiotherapy appointments.

Muller is a name usually associated with rugby in the province. Brian (Jazz) was a former All Black prop and his nephew, Mark, a competent Taranaki hooker. Harriet’s grandfather is Brian’s cousin.

The name will continue in national headlights as Harriet was snapped up by New Zealand Football’s large nation-wide selection process, which included an U16 camp in April, trainings and identification games during the year.

The 21-strong squad also features fellow goalkeeper and Year 13 Sacred Heart Girls’ College student Sophie Campbell, who’s been playing for the Hamilton Wanderers club this year. Campbell’s selection comes after recovering from a finger injury.

The Taranaki pair will be competing for a starting position at the World Cup. Muller said the odds of having two goalkeepers from the region are “pretty slim” and admitted to throwing a few cheeky comments Campbell’s way during training. 

“But nah, we get on really well,” Muller said.

As for chasing the starting position, Muller said it will take hard work on and off the field.

“It’s not always done on the training ground, doing the extra two percent I think one day will hopefully add up and get you on the pitch.”

The team assembles in Auckland today for a shirt presentation and fly to San Diego on Saturday then onto New York and Dominican Republic.

Muller expects a professional environment at the World Cup which includes being in a secure bubble.

“I guess it’s like a job, we’re over there to get the job done to the best of our ability.”

New Zealand has been drawn in Group A at the World Cup and will play the hosts, tournament debutants Ecuador and 2022 bronze medalists Nigeria all at the CFC Stadium in Santiago De Los Caballeros.

Muller said the team, led by Alana Gunn, has been analysing the teams in the past few months but there is still a lot of unknowns.

“We go over there and expect the unexpected,” Muller said. “It’s a cycle as there are new players each year. I feel like nations have the same tactics but we’re not aware of what the players will be like.”