‘Hasn’t had a rest’: Tillies make big call on Kerr, star teammates
Joe Montemurro says it would be “an injustice” to the Matildas if he did not trial new formations against Haiti this week, hinting some key stars will be rested.
A 4-2 defeat to Germany gave Australia a “reality check” ahead of the World Cup, with a slow start to the game flamed by former Socceroos captain Craig Foster.
Sam Kerr was seen down on the floor after being trod on. Getty Images for Football Australia
Australian captain Sam Kerr left the field against the world No.3 under an injury cloud, clutching at her ankle after being trodden on early in the second half.
Montemurro confirmed his striker “was fine”, but he plans to do some “fatigue management” for some stars who have been playing a lot of football at club level.
Kerr is one of those who Montemurro cited will likely spend time on the bench, as she had less than two months between her Chelsea exit and Gotham FC debut.
“We will look at Sam over the next 24 hours, not so much because of the small knock she copped on her foot but more so managing her fatigue,” he said.
“We must remember that Sam hasn’t had rest, she hasn’t had an off-season. She’s gone straight from the WSL (with Chelsea) into the NWSL (with Gotham).
“I’m very conscious of four or five players who have started the season in a big way ... but everyone’s smiling at breakfast – we’re ready for the game.”
The former OL Lyonnes and Arsenal manager said it would be a disservice if he did not trial new ideas and formations when auditioning talent for the World Cup.
Montemurro added that he would not underestimate any lower-ranked rival like Haiti, who suffered a 5-1 loss to Japan on Friday.
While Germany gave the Matildas a reminder of the standard needed to be one of the world’s best teams, facing top 10 sides isn’t what any coach wants for every match.
Opportunities to experiment heading into a World Cup are priceless and can be rare, especially as many federations are still going through qualification rounds for the tournament.
“It’s about facing different styles of football,” Montemurro said when asked about the opponents he and the Matildas have faced over recent international windows.
The Matildas are scheduled to face Colombia in the next international window. Getty Images
“Moving forward we can’t hide in regard to playing teams that probably aren’t going to give us the information we need going to the World Cup.
“Germany was a perfect test for us from that perspective, and we’ve got a lot of information. Haiti will give us another, different test.
“We don’t pretend that Haiti is a low-ranked team ... we need to be prepared for surprises. We have a bit of data on Haiti, but they are very a difficult side to play.
“We’ll look at it from the perspective of what we need in terms of building that toolbox to know that we’re prepared for the World Cup.”
Montemurro then revealed that he is not only considering changes on the field but also off the field with his coaching team ahead of next year’s tournament.
The 57-year-old said he had spoken to a handful of ex-Matildas who have moved into coaching roles after their playing career, some of whom could potentially contribute to the team.
He did not confirm if those players would secure a spot in his coaching group, but admitted he would like to see mentor roles taken up. The Matildas and Haiti are set to kick off their match at 6am AEDT on Wednesday.
