Tony Readings

Anthony David Readings (born 27 October 1975)[2][3] is a pro licence-qualified English football coach,[4] performance specialist and former player who played for A.F.C. Wimbledon and North Shore United. He is currently the Director of Football for Eastern Suburbs AFC and coaches the men's first team in the New Zealand national league.[5] From 2011 to 2017, he was the head coach of the Football Ferns, New Zealand's national women's football team.[6]

Tony Readings
Tony Readings at the FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015
Personal information
Full name Anthony David Readings[1]
Date of birth (1975-10-27) 27 October 1975
Place of birth London, England
Position(s) Defender
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999–2002 Wembley
2002–2003 AFC Wimbledon 20 (0)
2003 North Shore United
2004–2008 Birkenhead United
Managerial career
2004–2007 Northern Football
2006–2008 New Zealand U-20 Ladies (assistant)
2008–2011 New Zealand Ladies (assistant)
2009–2011 New Zealand U-20 Ladies
2011–2017 New Zealand Ladies
2019–2020 Eastern Suburbs AFC
2020 New Zealand U-20
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16:20, 12 September 2020 (UTC)

He was the longest serving and most successful coach of the New Zealand national women's team, guiding the team to their highest ever FIFA world ranking (16) and to the quarterfinals of the London Olympics.[7] He remans the only person to coach a New Zealand team to the quarterfinals of a senior FIFA event, and has most international victories for a coach of a New Zealand senior team.[8][9] He also works as a performance consultant, leadership mentor and executive coach.[10]

Club career

After playing semi-professional football for Wembley,[11] Readings attended trials on Wimbledon Common for the new A.F.C. Wimbledon club, set up by fans of the defunct Wimbledon F.C. in 2002. He captained the club in its first ever League match; a 2–1 win at Sandhurst Town and went on to make 26 appearances for the club in all competitions.[12] In January 2003 Readings left to pursue a professional career in New Zealand.[13]

Coaching career

From 2009 to 2012, Readings coached the New Zealand women's national under-20 football team, having been promoted to the role after two years as the assistant coach.

During this time, he was also involved in three major campaigns with the Football Ferns, firstly as a technical analyst at the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup and then as assistant coach at the Beijing Olympics and the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup.[14]

Following the departure of then coach John Herdman to take charge of the Canadian national women's team in September 2011, Readings was elevated to the head coach role.[15]

At the London Olympics in 2012, Readings guided New Zealand to the quarterfinals after narrow defeats to Great Britain and Brazil and a win over Cameroon in their group. It was the first time a New Zealand team had progressed past the group stage of a senior FIFA event.

In 2013, New Zealand beat Brazil and China to win the 2013 Valais Cup in Switzerland, their first piece of silverware won outside their Oceania Confederation in 38 years.[16] That same year they claimed away draws against reigning world champions Japan and Olympic champions USA and rose to an all-time high of 16th in the FIFA World Rankings, a mark they would reach again in 2015.[17]

New Zealand defended their confederation crown in 2014, winning the OFC Women's Nations Cup which qualified the team for the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada where they drew two of their three matches to record the most points by a New Zealand team at a FIFA Women's World Cup.

In October 2015, Readings committed a four-year contract with New Zealand Football,[18][6] but the 2016 Olympics would prove to be his last campaign in charge as in November 2017, Readings stepped down from his role as head coach of the New Zealand national women's team citing a desire to spend more time with his family.[19][20] This ended 11 years involvement with the Football Ferns, six of those as head coach.[19]

His 75 internationals in charge is the most for any coach of a New Zealand senior team as is his tally of 22 wins in 'A' internationals.[8][9]

On October 10, 2019 he was unveiled as Eastern Suburbs' director of football and the coach of the club's men's first team for the New Zealand national league and OFC Champions League.[5]

Managerial statistics
As of 3 November 2017[8][9]
Team From To Record
G W D L Win %
New Zealand New Zealand women September 2011 November 2017 75 22 20 33 029.33

Honours
New Zealand Women
New Zealand U-20 Women

References
  1. "New Zealand" (in Chinese). FIFA. Archived from the original on 19 August 2016.
  2. "Women's Olympic Football Tournament London 2012". PT.fifa.com. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
  3. "Statistical Kit: FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015" (PDF). fifa.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 June 2015. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
  4. "Building Team Culture & The Women's Game". Player Development Project. 30 April 2016. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
  5. Eastern Suburbs AFC (10 October 2019). "Lilywhites Announce Director of Football and National League Coach". Twitter. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  6. "Departing Football Ferns coach Tony Readings says time right for him to go". Stuff. 2 November 2017. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
  7. "FOOTBALL FERNS – READINGS STEPS DOWN AS COACH". www.mainlandfootball.co.nz. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
  8. Football, New Zealand (2 November 2017). "Well done to Tony Readings on an outstanding reign in charge of the #FootballFerns, thanks for everything and good luck for the future!pic.twitter.com/ci4X9zldAT". @NZ_Football. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  9. "Pondering on Tony Readings' Departure and the Future of the Footy Ferns". The Niche Cache. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  10. "Event Calendar". northharbourclub.co.nz. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  11. "Team List". www.afc-wombles.com. Retrieved 29 July 2012.
  12. "AFC Wimbledon | Player Profile | Tony Readings". wimbledonheritage.co.uk. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
  13. "Tony Readings has leaves the club". www.afc-wombles.com. 31 January 2003. Retrieved 29 July 2012.
  14. "Tony Readings appointed head coach of New Zealand Football Ferns". Women's Soccer United. 16 September 2011. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
  15. "New Football Ferns coach appointed". RNZ. 14 September 2011. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
  16. "Soccer: Football Ferns win Valais Cup". The New Zealand Herald. 25 September 2013. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
  17. "Departing Football Ferns coach Tony Readings says time right for him to go". Stuff. 2 November 2017. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
  18. "Tony Readings to remain as Football Ferns coach until 2019". Stuff. 4 October 2015. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
  19. Sport, Radio. "Tony Readings on stepping down after six years". Radio Sport. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
  20. "Tony Readings steps down as coach of the New Zealand Football Ferns". Newshub. 2 November 2017. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
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