Australia coach Tom Sermanni addresses Sam Kerr concerns ahead of SheBelieves Cup

New York Times

20-02-2025

On the eve of Australia's SheBelieves Cup debut, interim head coach Tom Sermanni said the Matildas are ready to move on from the lingering questions about Sam Kerr.
'For us, the most important part is if we (can) get Sam healthy as quickly and as safely as possible and get her back on the field,' Sermanni told reporters on Wednesday.
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The rest, he repeated to reporters, was 'irrelevant.'
Speaking from Shell Energy Stadium in Houston, the Scottish manager navigated multiple questions about the team's longtime captain, who last week was found not guilty of aggravated harassment of a police officer following a seven-day trial in London.
Kerr has been absent from international duty since last year, following an ACL injury sustained at training in Morocco. Yet concerns over her future role on the team have loomed upon her return to the international stage.
Questions have lingered as to whether Kerr would resume her captaincy, a position veteran defender Stephanie Catley has since stepped into. Catley has 'done a fantastic job,' Sermanni said. Any concerns over Kerr's captaincy are 'irrelevant,' he added.
'It's really, completely and utterly not part of our focus,' he said. 'Because at this minute in time, Sam is injured. She's been injured for 13 months. Hasn't been in international (competition) for 16 months, and the team is just getting on with its normal business.'
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The Matildas open SheBelieves on Thursday against Asian Football Confederation rivals Japan. The tournament is an important milestone for the Australians as they prepare to host the AFC Asian Cup next year. SheBelieves marks the team's first games of 2025 as Sermanni continues to experiment with the Matilda's lineup.
'For us, it's just getting on, getting prepared for this tournament this week, and, again, looking forward to 2026,' Sermanni said.
While Kerr may be far from the United States, the team remains in contact over her recovery. Sermanni has been in touch with Kerr over text, he said, explaining that their interactions have been brief because he wanted to respect her space.
'It's been a pretty long couple of weeks with Sam. So, the last thing she needs is people constantly badgering her at this time,' Sermanni said. 'So, we've had some contact. She knows what we're thinking. Our physios are keeping in touch, keeping in touch with Chelsea. The lines of communication are very much open.'
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Kerr's status with the team is just one of the questions facing the Matildas.
Many wonder how long Sermanni will remain in his interim role, a job he said he is taking 'day to day.' There are also questions over the ongoing dispute between the team's players union, the Professional Footballers Australia, and their federation, Football Australia, with players telling reporters this week they are unsure how much they will be paid for competing in the SheBelieves Cup, according reports by Australian media.
Players have also kept their comments on Kerr brief since the verdict, mostly wishing their teammate well in her recovery. Defender Ellie Carpenter was one of the first to speak on it, telling Australian reporters on Tuesday, 'For us, we hope she's OK.'