Teenage goalkeeper Aimee DanielI is in Colombia for her second FIFA World Cup. She is in New Zealand’s 21-player squad to play Japan in their opening game at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.
In 2022, she represented New Zealand at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in India, playing all three games.
Danieli (19) debuted for a Cambridge senior women’s team in 2020, when she was 15.
She played for WaiBOP United in the National League the same year.
She moved to Hamilton Wanderers to play in the Northern League the following year. She then spent a year at Auckland United before joining the Wellington Phoenix Academy in 2023.
Danieli debuted for the Wellington Phoenix A-League in a 2-0 win over Western Sydney Wanderers on March 29, 2024, and has recently signed a two-year contract.
With her parents still near Hamilton, she dropped by the WaiBOP Football office for a quick chat before her flight to Colombia.
Main photo: Aimee Danieli training at Wellington Phoenix. Photo credit: Photomac/Cam McIntosh.
WaiBOP: “Tell us about when you started playing football?”
Danieli: “I started playing at Eastern Suburbs in Auckland when I was nine, and played there until I was about 14, when we moved to Cambridge. We moved during the first year of COVID, so everything was a bit uncertain. I played for my school (St Peter’s), and joined Cambridge FC.
“In 2020, I had my first taste of the National League with WaiBOP United, which was an amazing introduction to top-level football. [2020 was the last year of the Federation-based Women’s National League, which was revamped in 2021.]”
WaiBOP: “How has moving around impacted your football?”
Danieli: “I’ve enjoyed it. I’ve met so many people, and for me, it’s not just about the football — it’s about the people and moving around. I’ve met so many people. Those connections help, especially going into the New Zealand environments.”
WaiBOP: “Playing in different teams brings different coaches and coaching styles — tell us about that.”
Danieli: “I’ve worked with some really great coaches. As a goalkeeper, I’m lucky that I get to work with two coaches — an outfield coach and a goalkeeper coach. Coaches all have specific things they focus on. Different coaches want to see different things when you’re playing, especially for a goalkeeper.
“One coach might look for a distributing goalkeeper, another might focus on the shot stopping. I think I’ve been able to learn all the different types of the goalkeeping game, which has given me a strong base.”
“From my time in the Waikato, a few coaches stand out — Tracy Wrigley and Andrew Gibbs were two. Kim Brierley, when I was in Cambridge, he pushed me; he worked with me most days and was a big influence for me. Tony Govorko was another one.”
WaiBOP: “Tell us about playing with adults when you were 15?”
Danieli: “Playing with the adults was a big step for me. I remember being really nervous at the Cambridge trials, surrounded by women who seemed so much older. It pushed me to grow up quickly. Speaking with older teammates helped me gain confidence, not just in football but in life.
“It made me comfortable in conversations with adults and that helped me have confidence when I moved out of home. It really helped me as a goalkeeper because I have to be vocal on the pitch.”
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WaiBOP: How did you decide to focus on goalkeeping?
Danieli: “We used to rotate as goalkeepers as juniors. When I was about nine or ten, I remember having a few really good games as a goalkeeper, one game in particular where I was in goal for a penalty shootouts. I really enjoyed it, and my coach would put me in goal more and more. He really believed in me, and I loved it.”
WaiBOP: “Goalkeeping comes with a lot of pressure. How do you handle it?”
Danieli: “I’ve struggled with the mental pressure. I think all goalkeepers have to learn how to deal with pressure, but I’ve had great support. At the Wellington Phoenix and with New Zealand Football, I’ve worked with psychologists who’ve helped me develop coping strategies.
“I use techniques like a ‘green zone’ and ‘red zone’ concept to manage stress — green being when I’m performing well, and red when I’m getting frustrated and not performing. I have techniques to help me shift from red back to green quickly, like breathing exercises, and things I can tell myself to focus on.
“While anxiety can be seen as negative, I think it also can have its positive side — you’re anxious because you really care about what you’re doing. So I think it’s being able to understand the reasons why you’re feeling the anxiety, and looking at it as a positive.”
WaiBOP: “Goalkeeping is one of those positions where work ethic outside of games is even more important than in any other position. If you’re not starting, you’re usually sitting on the bench the whole game, right? How do you handle that mentally?”
Danieli: “Yeah, it’s definitely tough. When you’re not starting, it forces you to work even harder, to prove yourself.
“It just grows you more as a goalkeeper, I think, especially when you learn that you’re not always going to be starting when you’re young. So, I think while it can be really hard, it’s also really crucial to have those moments because it pushes you more to do more and be better.”
WaiBOP: “Do you have a favourite game, one that really stands out for you?”
Danieli: “Definitely the Kate Sheppard Cup final in 2022 [with Auckland United]. That was an incredible experience. I remember being so nervous before the game, to the point where I felt like I couldn’t do it. It was just before the U-17 World Cup, too.
“My coach gave me some vapour rub to help me breathe, and that really helped calm me down. Once I got on the field, everything just clicked. The other team had so many shots, and we were the underdogs, but we ended up winning 1-0. My best friend, Milly Clegg, was on the team too and even got an assist, which made it even better.”
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WaiBOP: “How has your family supported your football journey?”
Danieli: “Dad and Mum have helped me so much and have been incredibly supportive of my football, getting me to where I needed to be. Even when I moved back to Auckland in 2022 for football. I boarded with a friend and went to Epsom Girls for my last year of school and if it wasn’t for my parents, I literally wouldn’t have been able to do it.
“Even though we were in different cities, they were there all the time, they would come up to support me at games and I’d drive back home to Hamilton, because sometimes you just need to be with family. Dad says I’ve done a lot of the work myself, but it’s definitely credit to Dad and Mum, I couldn’t have done it without my parent’s support.”
WaiBOP: “This is your second FIFA World Cup. How does the experience from two years ago help your mental preparations?”
Danieli: “The U-17 World Cup in India was a huge learning experience. The core of our team for the U-20s is the same from the U-17s, which helps a lot. We’ve had two years, and we’re more prepared now for the U-20s. We have some specific areas we want to improve on too.
“We’re a tight-knit group. Half of our team plays together at the Phoenix, so we’re in each other’s lives almost daily. We also have regular Zoom calls and player only group chats that have been crucial, and a core leadership group that helps everyone connect together.
“Those personal connections make a huge difference on the field. When you get along, the on-field connections are better. You’re making runs where you know that person’s going to make a run. You can play that pass, you know your teammate will be there. It helps in so many ways.
“And obviously, it’s positive on the field, which is always great. I feel like there are less nerves coming into this world cup, the team are just really excited to get there and play together as a team and hopefully perform.”
WaiBOP: “What are your personal goals for this World Cup?”
Danieli: “I’d love to start, that would be a really cool achievement. I want to cement myself as a leader in the team, to help build even stronger connections with my team would be awesome. And really showing WaiBOP-represent, that will be cool!”
Acknowledgement
We thank WaiBOP Football for providing this story, first published on their website.
2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup
New Zealand’s fixtures
Game to be played on Tuesday September 3, 2024 (NZT)
Japan v New Zealand
El Techo Stadium, Bogotá, 1pm (NZT)
Game to be played on Friday September 6, 2024 (NZT)
Austria v New Zealand
El Techo Stadium, Bogotá, 1pm (NZT)
Game to be played on Monday September 9, 2024 (NZT)
New Zealand v Ghana
Pascual Guerrero Stadium, Cali, 11am (NZT)
Full schedule
The full tournament schedule can be downloaded here >>>>
This story was first published by Friends of Football on September 2, 2024.
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