Young talent time: emerging Matildas ready for audition

The Advertiser

27-05-2025

With a new coach on the horizon and some big names missing, the next generation of Matildas know the time to impress is now.
Australia play Argentina at Melbourne's Marvel Stadium on Friday night, then in Canberra three days later.
Lyon boss Joe Montemurro is widely expected to be announced as Matildas coach following the current window under interim boss Tom Sermanni.
Sam Kerr, Mary Fowler, Ellie Carpenter, Katrina Gorry, Hayley Raso and Mackenzie Arnold are among the big-name players absent.
Arsenal's Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross will likely have limited involvement in the first game as they only arrive on Wednesday evening following their Champions League triumph.
It means the games loom as an audition for other players to show their wares.
Attacking midfielder Amy Sayer believes it's an exciting opportunity for young attackers, many of whom came through youth national team programs together, to show what they can do.
"It really is, because there's a lot of gaps now with some of the older players out with injury or personal reasons," she said.
"I played with some of the girls in the U23s and it's a really great group."
Sayer is back barely a year after requiring a knee reconstruction, and less than a month after returning to play with Kristianstads.
"It is a platform for me to show what I can do," Sayer said.
"But I think in the past 12 months coming back from my injury, I've more turned inwards and been more focused on myself rather than what's going on outside.
"So I think the best that I can do is show what I can and what I have been.
"Ideally, I'd like to be in the attacking midfield position, because that's my specialty, but I'm confident to play anywhere.
"I play a mixed amount of positions in my team in Sweden, but anywhere that Tom and the rest of the staff are willing to put me on - I just want to be on the field, get another cap and try and impress the Australian fans."
Young Calgary Wild attacker Kahli Johnson has earned her first call-up, reaping the rewards of a red-hot start to life in Canada after previously starring for Western United.
"Any time you get an opportunity like this, it's kind of a test whether you can step up and really take it with two hands," Johnson said.
"I'm just worried about playing my own game and just trying to do the best I can for the team. And if I can do that, I'll be happy."
Argentina loom as the perfect test for Australia's emerging players.
"I haven't really seen much of them, but you can expect that they would be strong, physical, loud and aggressive, and I think it'll be a really good challenge for us," Sayer said.
"I think it'll test some of the limits and the areas of our game that we need to work on, or at least it'll showcase some things that need to be tightened up as the next coach comes in."
With a new coach on the horizon and some big names missing, the next generation of Matildas know the time to impress is now.
Australia play Argentina at Melbourne's Marvel Stadium on Friday night, then in Canberra three days later.
Lyon boss Joe Montemurro is widely expected to be announced as Matildas coach following the current window under interim boss Tom Sermanni.
Sam Kerr, Mary Fowler, Ellie Carpenter, Katrina Gorry, Hayley Raso and Mackenzie Arnold are among the big-name players absent.
Arsenal's Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross will likely have limited involvement in the first game as they only arrive on Wednesday evening following their Champions League triumph.
It means the games loom as an audition for other players to show their wares.
Attacking midfielder Amy Sayer believes it's an exciting opportunity for young attackers, many of whom came through youth national team programs together, to show what they can do.
"It really is, because there's a lot of gaps now with some of the older players out with injury or personal reasons," she said.
"I played with some of the girls in the U23s and it's a really great group."
Sayer is back barely a year after requiring a knee reconstruction, and less than a month after returning to play with Kristianstads.
"It is a platform for me to show what I can do," Sayer said.
"But I think in the past 12 months coming back from my injury, I've more turned inwards and been more focused on myself rather than what's going on outside.
"So I think the best that I can do is show what I can and what I have been.
"Ideally, I'd like to be in the attacking midfield position, because that's my specialty, but I'm confident to play anywhere.
"I play a mixed amount of positions in my team in Sweden, but anywhere that Tom and the rest of the staff are willing to put me on - I just want to be on the field, get another cap and try and impress the Australian fans."
Young Calgary Wild attacker Kahli Johnson has earned her first call-up, reaping the rewards of a red-hot start to life in Canada after previously starring for Western United.
"Any time you get an opportunity like this, it's kind of a test whether you can step up and really take it with two hands," Johnson said.
"I'm just worried about playing my own game and just trying to do the best I can for the team. And if I can do that, I'll be happy."
Argentina loom as the perfect test for Australia's emerging players.
"I haven't really seen much of them, but you can expect that they would be strong, physical, loud and aggressive, and I think it'll be a really good challenge for us," Sayer said.
"I think it'll test some of the limits and the areas of our game that we need to work on, or at least it'll showcase some things that need to be tightened up as the next coach comes in."
With a new coach on the horizon and some big names missing, the next generation of Matildas know the time to impress is now.
Australia play Argentina at Melbourne's Marvel Stadium on Friday night, then in Canberra three days later.
Lyon boss Joe Montemurro is widely expected to be announced as Matildas coach following the current window under interim boss Tom Sermanni.
Sam Kerr, Mary Fowler, Ellie Carpenter, Katrina Gorry, Hayley Raso and Mackenzie Arnold are among the big-name players absent.
Arsenal's Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross will likely have limited involvement in the first game as they only arrive on Wednesday evening following their Champions League triumph.
It means the games loom as an audition for other players to show their wares.
Attacking midfielder Amy Sayer believes it's an exciting opportunity for young attackers, many of whom came through youth national team programs together, to show what they can do.
"It really is, because there's a lot of gaps now with some of the older players out with injury or personal reasons," she said.
"I played with some of the girls in the U23s and it's a really great group."
Sayer is back barely a year after requiring a knee reconstruction, and less than a month after returning to play with Kristianstads.
"It is a platform for me to show what I can do," Sayer said.
"But I think in the past 12 months coming back from my injury, I've more turned inwards and been more focused on myself rather than what's going on outside.
"So I think the best that I can do is show what I can and what I have been.
"Ideally, I'd like to be in the attacking midfield position, because that's my specialty, but I'm confident to play anywhere.
"I play a mixed amount of positions in my team in Sweden, but anywhere that Tom and the rest of the staff are willing to put me on - I just want to be on the field, get another cap and try and impress the Australian fans."
Young Calgary Wild attacker Kahli Johnson has earned her first call-up, reaping the rewards of a red-hot start to life in Canada after previously starring for Western United.
"Any time you get an opportunity like this, it's kind of a test whether you can step up and really take it with two hands," Johnson said.
"I'm just worried about playing my own game and just trying to do the best I can for the team. And if I can do that, I'll be happy."
Argentina loom as the perfect test for Australia's emerging players.
"I haven't really seen much of them, but you can expect that they would be strong, physical, loud and aggressive, and I think it'll be a really good challenge for us," Sayer said.
"I think it'll test some of the limits and the areas of our game that we need to work on, or at least it'll showcase some things that need to be tightened up as the next coach comes in."